SE Resources
Interested in learning more? Below is a list of SE-related resources you might find useful in your healing journey.
How does SE help adventurers recover from traumatic incidents?
You can watch a short video of my SE-story and how it helped me recover from outdoor trauma here. Thank you to Pecha Kucha of Bozeman for hosting me!
There are two organizations, both founded by Peter Levine, that are focused on bringing the healing magic of SE to the world:
Somatic Experiencing International provides professional trainings to learn the technique of SE.
Ergos Institute of Somatic Education is a treasure trove of information and provides advanced-level SE trainings.
SE sounds cool! I want to learn more and geek out on the science.
Here you go! Peter Levine talk about Somatic Experiencing.
The Threat-response Cycle
The threat-response cycle as demonstrated by a polar bear. Warning: this video could be distressing to some. Don't worry, the polar bear is ok! Fun fact - wild animals have never been known to show trauma symptoms because they always complete the threat-response cycle. Only humans and captive animals have been known to show trauma. Discovering this was the key that led Peter Levine to develop SE.
In the beginning, you see the "flee" response. At 41 seconds, when this response appears to be ineffective, you see the bear turn to engage with a fight response. At timestamp 1:10, the bear starts to wake back up and the body is discharging.
What does an SE Session Look Like?
Here is a video showing Peter working with Ray, a war veteran, to alleviate PTSD symptoms using SE.
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