Somatic Resilience: Overcoming Early Trauma (with Peter A. Levine, PhD)

Traumatic experiences during our formative years can leave an imprint on the body and mind that can be difficult to sort out—or even articulate.

Prolonged, invasive, or interpersonal traumas beginning in early childhood—such as physical and emotional abuse, profound neglect, or violence—can lead to complex trauma.

This type of trauma not only affects mental health, but manifests physically as somatic wounds. These are symptoms where the body retains and expresses the trauma, often surfacing as various physical sensations and health issues—which may emerge long after the traumatic events have passed. 

Complex trauma can disrupt the nervous system, impairing the body’s natural ability to regulate the stress response. If this heightened stress response remains unresolved, it can worsen physical symptoms, making it even more challenging to address the psychological effects of trauma.

Fortunately, even with complex trauma and somatic wounds, recovery is always possible.

Dr. Peter Levine’s pioneering work offers a powerful approach to this healing process. He recognizes that trauma is not just stored in our minds, but in our bodies as well. 

Dr. Levine’s methods focus on gently guiding individuals to become aware of their bodily sensations, helping to engage the body in the healing process when the mind struggles to make sense of the trauma.

By working with trauma in small, manageable doses—a technique Dr. Levine calls “titration”—clients can gradually release stored traumatic energy without becoming overwhelmed. 

This approach helps regulate the body’s stress reactions, whether it’s a state of heightened alertness (hyperarousal) or emotional numbness (hypoarousal), which are common responses to early trauma.

Dr. Levine emphasizes that by tapping into the body’s wisdom, we can unlock a greater capacity for healing, even from the most deeply rooted traumatic experiences.