Exploring the foundation of somatic parts work helps us reclaim wholeness by reconnecting with the body’s natural sense of safety. Read on to understand how our earliest experiences shape who we are and how a body-based approach to healing can lead to profound transformation.
Healing Through Somatic Parts Work: Reclaiming Wholeness
We are all born into human bodies with nervous systems that are incredibly sensitive and designed to sense the world around us. From the moment we are born, our nervous system’s primary job is to gauge whether we are safe. It takes in everything through our senses and creates a map of safety or danger, informing and guiding how we respond to the world around us and the people in it.
As we grow, we develop an internal “felt sense” of safety. Our bodies become the first place where we learn about connection, attunement, love, or lack thereof. This felt sense shapes our early understanding of who we are, based on how others—especially caregivers—relate to us. Our nervous system is developed through the co-regulation with our caregivers. The physical and emotional feedback we receive in our earliest years has a profound impact on not only on how we see ourselves in the world but our ability to feel like we belong and are loved and valued for who we are. We form lasting unconscious somatic responses and conclusions about life within our very first few years of life. These early imprints actually form an identity of who we think we are and what we’re capable of.
This lays the groundwork for understanding somatic parts work as a means to reclaim wholeness. In this post on The Body’s Protective Response to Trauma, we go deeper into how the body responds to trauma, forming protective mechanisms.
Explore More on my Somatic Blog
Explore other posts on the Somatic Blog for more insights into a holistic, body-based approach to wellness.