I felt So comfortable with Mira. She is very down to earth and intuitive and really seems to know what targeted support is needed naturally. She also gave me tools to take away which I am still finding very powerful. Thank you so much. Benna McCartney, Director /Mother
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is an approach to trauma resolution developed by Dr. Peter Levine.
SE involves asking the client to breathe and experience sensation directly. By moving back and forth between strong sensations and calmer areas the person builds up capacity to feel what is difficult. Eventually the whole of the blocked or accumulated energy can be sensed safely without causing overwhelm, and it moves through. The block dissolves or integrates and daily life becomes more fluid.
I use somatic experiencing to help you increase your tolerance for sensation in your body, not necessarily to resolve trauma. Sensing the body is a simpler way of understanding SE.
Why does body sensation even matter?
I find that most people have trouble feeling sensations in the body, even those who are not traumatised. Men tend to find it harder than women. Certainly, HSPs tend to find it very challenging because of their increased sensitivity. The thing is, if you are not in your body then you are in your head. Which effectively means you are not here. Honestly, you might as well be dead – from a child´s point of view. It´s really serious for their overall development if neither parent is present.
Parents struggle when their HS children trigger them and they get overwhelmed with anger or sadness. The mental story of suffering that usually goes with the emotion just increases overwhelm and takes you away into another space. These stories go along the lines of why me, why does this always happen, so and so shouldn’t have … etc. Sensation is the anchor to bring us back into the manageable now. It works every time.
How sensation keeps you present
I use the principles of somatic experiencing to help people get used to sensing themselves directly. Pressure, heat, tingling, stabbing, numbness are all sensations that we can easily locate. This is a fast track to awareness. It´s a very useful way of staying present and aware all the time. And it is totally invaluable for parents as a way of staying connected with themselves when they get triggered by their children. Or by a partner for that matter. In addition, it can help them to begin to understand their Highly Sensitive Child´s needs and experiences directly.
I have been practising this for over thirty years for myself. I can track ten or more different sensations in my body at one time. Craniosacral work is basically tracking these sensations in another person´s body, as well as their blood flow, nervous system, fluid movement, energetic flow and bone, muscle and connective tissue quality. 5 Rhythms dance which I also practice is sensing all of this in yourself as you move, and allowing your core energy to move you. The practices all support your inner and outer awareness and connection with life. This is my passion.
You don´t have to get that deeply into the practice to upgrade your parenting ability though. Just grasping the very basics can create a huge change in your family dynamics.
A foundation in learning to sense
I teach the basic tools of this practice as a series of sessions – an hour a week for 6 consecutive weeks. Online.
If you would like to know more about the foundation or would like somatic experiencing sessions to resolve a specific trauma, please send me a message.