Somatic therapy theories and healing methods are based on the neurophysiology of the autonomic nervous system. This is the system which runs our most important bodily functions such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, pupillary response, urination and sexual arousal, automatically, without conscious involvement.  The autonomic nervous system is also the location of our instinctual survival responses of flight, fight and freeze when threat is perceived.  

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A critical element in healing trauma is to utilize a memory of something positive, meaningful and/or pleasurable in a healthy way with focus on the physical sensations. Human beings (and all mammals) are biologically oriented to be on the look out for something unpleasant or threatening as a means of survival and we are less apt to consciously access a body memory of ease and well being.  

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Our body instinctually signals a perceived threat, usually by muscles tightening, heart rate increasing, chest compressing and breathing becoming shallow.  The body is gearing up to protect in an action to flee or fight. Often, an emotional or physical inability to complete this action occurs and instead of discharging the bound energy, there is a shut down we call freeze. When animals in the wild face imminent threat, and fleeing or fighting is not possible, they go into a state of "tonic immobility," appearing to be dead to the predator.  Once the threat has passed, they "shake" or "convulse" until the heightened energy under the freeze is discharged.  The organic ability to "freeze" is a wonderful protective trait. Since humans, unlike wild animals, do not easily discharge the arousal energy after the threat is gone, often experience symptoms of unintegrated trauma for years or decades. The original purpose of the freeze is completely skewed and distorted.  In SE we help a person to consciously practice the "felt sense" of positive physical sensations and then use this as an anchor to gradually and gently touch into the bound survival "fear," a step in facilitating a biological discharge in the cycle.   

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As a psychotherapist for so many years, these additional avenues for opening the nervous system have enabled rich and powerful dimensions to healing emotional and attachment wounds.