Somatic Resources: Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Approach to Stabilising Arousal in Child and Family Treatment

Abstract

Trauma first and foremost disrupts the normal functioning of the nervous system, leading to extremes of autonomic arousal that often does not return to baseline once traumatic events are over. Dysregulation of arousal is a common feature in relational trauma. Such dysregulation is present for the individuals and for the family unit. When carers are dysregulated their capacities to cope with the challenges of caregiving are compromised. In turn, children are left to manage not only their own dysregulation but also the fluctuations occurring in their carers. Somatic resources and the embodiment of non‐somatic relational resources are efficient for physiological arousal and emotional regulation. Sensorimotor psychotherapy offers a means to better understand arousal and dysregulation as well as employ effective strategies to stabilise children and carers in challenged families. This article will provide a sensorimotor psychotherapy framework that can help in identifying priorities for therapeutic stabilisation efforts for children with abuse and/or neglect histories and their family members. The authors will discuss the value of employing somatic resources in preference to other categories of resources, and suggest practical ways in which to convert any non‐somatic resource into a more embodied experience.

The Neuroaffective Triangle and Organising Intervention as a Conceptual Framework for Family Therapy

“…In the case with Sarah and her parents, the intervention should focus on both bottom‐up and top‐down processes. Intervention to bottom‐up processes should be designed to help Sarah and her parents with arousal regulation, synchronisation, and affective attunement (Davis et al., ; Lohrasbe & Ogden, ).…”

“…The development of synchronisation, emotional attunement, and embodiment processes within the first year of life is fundamental for the child's attachment pattern and emotional development (ibid.). Development happens through arousal‐regulating, hedonic, affective, attention, and synchronisation processes, which are regulated by and developed on the basis of intersubjective interactions (Lohrasbe & Ogden, ; Tomasello, ; Trevarthen, ). Late in pregnancy and the early prenatal period, the infant is capable of imitating movements and synchronises with sounds, creating an intersubjective resonance.…”

A bibliotherapy project for children with social anxiety

“…High BI and over-protective or intrusive parenting styles, parents with anxiety disorders or dysregulated nervous systems and/or insecure attachment in childhood have been shown to be connected to higher likelihood of developing SAD later in life ( (Lohrasbe & Ogden, 2017;Lewis-Morrarty et al, 2015;Muris, Brakel, Arntz & Schouten, 2011;Shamir-Essakow et al, 2005;Spence & Rapee, 2016). The development of SAD is tied to some unsafe dynamics within these caregiver relationships, so interventions involving safe and supportive relationships between caregiver and child are also very important to include in a holistic approach to treating SAD.…”

“…For example, one study of adopted children whose birth mothers had a diagnosis of SAD, suggests that the supportive and positive parenting style of adoptive parents buffers the impact of a genetic predisposition to a high BI and the development of SAD (Natsuaki et al, 2013 offering attuned support when a child is dysregulated (Lohrasbe & Ogden, 2017). All these things have a potential to heal any lack of attachment that a child has already experienced and creating these social connections with caregivers builds pro-social skills and confidence in children that they can then translate to their friendships and other relationships (Howe & Fearnley, 2003;Ludy-Dobson & Perry, 2012).…”

“…Due to the highly physiological nature of SAD and its connection to adversity and trauma, it makes sense to work with trauma-informed practices such as body therapies like Somatic Experiencing or Pat Ogden's Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, in order to calm physiological stress and work through any trauma associated with social anxiety (Levine, 2008;Ogden & Minton, 2000). This might look like helping children find their window of tolerance (when they feel like they are moving from calm and alert to either a hypo arousal or hyperarousal state), developing safety and grounding within the body, practicing interpersonal attunement, and caregiver and child working together to understand the child's arousal level and teaching selfregulation and co-regulation skills to manage arousal level (Lohrasbe & Ogden, 2017). Lohrasbe & Ogden (2017) advocate that caregivers, this could include parents/guardians or teachers, do this work together.…”