DEFINITION
About Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) is a body-focused approach to healing trauma, chronic stress, and illness, developed by Dr. Peter Levine. Rather than working primarily through talk and cognitive processing, SE™ addresses the physiological imprint that traumatic and overwhelming experiences leave in the body.
Trauma is not an event, and not just a memory. Not all trauma leads to PTSD, but in this context, PTSD and cPTSD are related to a set of unresolved survival responses that can remain active in the body long after the original event has passed, often resurfacing as physical and psychological symptoms over time. Examples of such states are hypervigilance and anxiety, numbness and dissociation, and mixed patterns.
SE™ is one of several somatic therapies, alongside EMDR, Hakomi, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, recognized for its safe, organic approach to nervous system regulation. By focusing directly on the nervous system, and especially the autonomic nervous system (ANS), this approach goes beyond addressing single traumatic events. It also helps with the buildup of ongoing stress, showing up as cPTSD, anxiety, or burnout. It can ease chronic physical symptoms like pain, digestive trouble, insomnia, and fatigue. It also supports people through emotional struggles like depression, grief, and difficult relationships. And it helps with recovery after specific events, whether that's an accident, medical trauma, or a hard diagnosis.
Qualifications & Background
Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP™) is a protected credential earned through a three-year professional training program: 216 contact hours across six to eight modules, plus required personal sessions and supervised case consultations. SEPs don't practice under a separate SE license; rather, they apply SE within the scope of their existing license or certification, whether as a therapist, physician, acupuncturist, bodyworker, or other licensed health professional.
INDICATIONS
What conditions does it help with?
ADVANTAGE
SE™ at GWCIM
At GWCIM, Somatic Experiencing® is offered by Dr. Angela Gabriel, MSOM, LAc, SEP, a practitioner who combines SE™ with bodywork and Chinese Medicine. It is a good fit for patients who are already in psychotherapy and want to address the physical side of their healing as well.
GWCIM also offers a wider range of trauma-informed services, including integrative psychiatry, psychotherapy, trauma-informed yoga therapy, and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, so that our patients can receive coordinated care in one place.
APPROACH
Our Process
Somatic Experiencing® Sessions at GWCIM
Sessions follow the core principles of the SE™ method, with safety and support as the foundation of every session.
Sessions are provided by a licensed acupuncturist and bodywork specialist with full SE™ certification. For individuals with significant trauma histories or active mental health symptoms, working alongside a mental health provider is required.
New patients can begin with an Initial Discovery Session — an opportunity to learn more about the approach and the practitioner, and to determine whether SE is the right fit for their needs.
If you feel like this approach is the right fit for you, you will continue with the sessions, which are usually recommended weekly, biweekly, or as needed.
Most sessions include SE™ therapeutic touch, and part of the session often includes work on the massage table.
SE™ Combined with Acupuncture
Interested patients can receive SE™ and acupuncture together in a single session. Both approaches work directly with the body's physiology, making them a natural pairing: acupuncture helps calm the nervous system and release physical tension, which supports and deepens the SE™ work.
Safety and Building Resources
A central part of the work involves identifying what helps you feel grounded and stable, whether that is a particular way of breathing, a body sensation, or a mental image of safety. Throughout the process, you are always asked for consent before any technique is introduced, and you're free to pause or stop at any point. These resources become anchors you can return to during sessions and in everyday life.
Awareness and Tracking
You will be guided to notice physical sensations in your body, alongside any emotions, images, memories, movements, or thoughts that arise. This practice of tracking helps rebuild the connection between mind and body and supports your innate capacity for self-regulation.
Orientation
Orientation is the basis for feeling safe. It's the nervous system's ongoing check, both outward to the world around us and inward to what's happening in our own body, and it happens constantly throughout life, not just in a session. In Somatic Experiencing, we return to this natural process on purpose, noticing what's around us and what's inside us, to help the body find safety and ease out of old patterns of threat.
Titration
Rather than diving into difficult material all at once, SE™ touches on challenging sensations in small, manageable steps. This approach allows the nervous system to process stored stress gradually, without becoming overwhelmed.
Release and Integration
Through movement, breath, and other gentle methods, the body is supported in completing survival responses that were never fully resolved. As this happens, those responses can shift from active triggers into integrated past experiences — building greater resilience and an increased capacity to navigate stress.
Care Options
Initial Consultation
It is a 55-minute introductory session, offered at an administrative rate of $100. It is ample time and space to learn more about the SE™ approach, ask questions, and explore whether it is the right fit for you, without any commitment to ongoing sessions.
SE Sessions
55-minute one-on-one sessions, including somatic touch and work on the massage table. Can be combined with a short acupuncture treatment if indicated. 90-minute sessions are recommended for those who wish to have a full acupuncture treatment along with SE.
PATIENT FORMS
Patient Forms
If you prefer to fill out your forms manually or wish to review them ahead of time, you can download them below. All forms should be uploaded to your ChARM Patient Portal once completed.
EXPERTISE
Recommended Providers
LEARN MORE
What to expect as a patient
SE™ is a safe and slow-paced therapy. Still, most patients can expect to see progress within several sessions, especially when working with a team of healthcare and mental health specialists.
EDUCATION
More About Somatic Experiencing®
Is Trauma really “stored in the body”?
Yes, especially if we consider the brain a part of the body, though it's more layered than the popular phrase suggests. Trauma isn't stored in muscles like a book in the library, but it does leave real, measurable traces across the brain and body. In the brain, traumatic stress can shift activity in areas like the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, changing how threat gets perceived and processed. In the body, that often shows up as chronic muscle tension, changes in the fascia, and a nervous system that gets stuck in fight, flight, or freeze, which is why old trauma so often surfaces as physical tightness or pain rather than just a memory.
Underneath all of this, though, is something even more foundational: epigenetics. Trauma and chronic stress can change how genes get expressed, not by altering DNA itself but by flipping the switches that turn certain genes up or down, especially ones tied to stress hormones like cortisol and to inflammation. And the real key to shifting those patterns is regulating the nervous system - something we have to do through both mind and body.
FAQ
Common Questions
Not at all. Somatic Experiencing® is helpful for anyone experiencing the effects of chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, or life transitions — not only those with a formal trauma diagnosis.
This varies significantly depending on the individual, their history, and their goals. Many patients notice shifts within the first several sessions, while deeper or more complex trauma may benefit from longer-term work. Your provider will discuss this with you during the Initial Discovery Session.
It is a 60-minute introductory session with Angela Gabriel, offered at a special rate of $100. It is a chance to learn more about the SE™ approach, ask questions, and explore whether it is the right fit for you — without any commitment to ongoing sessions.
Yes. Somatic Experiencing® can be adapted for children and adolescents. Because it works through body awareness and gentle movement rather than verbal processing, it can be especially effective for younger patients who may not yet have the language to articulate their experiences. A parent or caregiver is typically involved in the process as well.
Experiences vary. Some patients feel a sense of calm or physical release during a session. Others may notice tiredness, emotional tenderness, or increased body awareness in the hours or days that follow. These are normal parts of the process. Your provider will help you understand what you are experiencing and how to support yourself between sessions.
SE™ works best as part of a broader care plan. It pairs naturally with traditional psychotherapy, which addresses the narrative side of trauma while SE™ works with what the body is holding. Body-based modalities like acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, massage, and trauma-informed yoga also complement SE™ well, as they support the same goal of nervous system regulation. For patients with more complex needs, integrative psychiatry or ketamine-assisted psychotherapy may also be helpful. At GWCIM, many of these services are available in one place.
EDUCATION