What is somatic therapy? It’s a holistic approach to treating addiction that treats the mind, body, and spirit for a well-rounded treatment experience. It involves talk therapy and mind-body exercises that have proven to be very effective in treating addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other mental health disorders. Somatic therapy works by helping the body release pent-up stress and tension. Remember that both can negatively impact your physical and mental health.
At Crestview Recovery, we help men and women 18 and over who are struggling with substance use disorder. Our staff is up-to-date with all the latest treatment modalities, and we prefer treating your symptoms using a holistic approach. In cases of strong withdrawals and cravings, we do offer medication-assisted treatment to minimize the symptoms that are interfering with your recovery. For more information about our somatic therapy program and how it can benefit your recovery, call us at 866.262.0531 today to begin your recovery journey.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy offers a comprehensive mind-body experience for treating addiction that uses mindfulness techniques to ease stress and tension in the body. Patients will talk with a therapist about their symptoms or experiences with addiction while focusing on the physical sensations that those memories create.
Somatic therapy for addiction is based on the principle that the experiences you have during your life are stored in the mind and body. Past traumas and stressful experiences can cause a build-up of cortisol. This is a stress hormone that is very unhealthy at high levels.
Somatic therapy works on releasing the tension and trauma caused by the addiction. The types of somatic therapy used for addiction treatment include:
- Sensorimotor psychotherapy – A comprehensive therapy that uses the body as a source of information and intervention targets.
- The Hakomi method – This type of therapy combines scientific, psychological, and spiritual sources. It focuses on gentleness, nonviolence, compassion, and mindfulness.
- Bioenergetic analysis – Combines bodily, analytic, and relational work based on understanding energy.
- Biodynamic psychotherapy – Combines medical and holistic modalities that include physical massage.
- Brainspotting – Includes eye positioning to retrain emotional reactions in addition to mind and bodywork.
At Crestview Recovery, our compassionate team takes the time to get to know you and your unique needs. We will go over your treatment program with you and answer all your questions about your recovery experience. Most people have questions such as what is somatic therapy and how it can benefit your recovery.
The Benefits of Somatic Therapy for Addiction
There are many benefits of enrolling in somatic therapy to treat addiction. It helps patients realize the power they have within themselves to make real changes, no matter how severe their symptoms are.
Here are some additional benefits of somatic therapy for substance abuse treatment:
- Somatic therapy targets deep-seated tension and stress stored within the body and works to release it through mind-body techniques.
- It helps patients reconnect with their bodies and makes them aware of how they physically respond to their triggers.
- Patients will develop healthy coping skills that help them manage their symptoms and triggers, no matter what situation they face.
- Somatic therapy can also reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and PTSD.
Somatic therapy for substance abuse is a very beneficial program for treating a number of mental health disorders using a combination of talk therapy and mindfulness techniques.
Join Crestview Recovery in Portland for Our Somatic Therapy for Substance Abuse
What is somatic therapy? At Crestview Recovery, we will go over your treatment program with you. As a result, you’ll know what to expect during your program. We base each treatment program on each patient’s unique symptoms. In fact, we offer residential and outpatient treatment programs to treat all levels of addiction.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, please call 866.262.0531 today and speak with our friendly staff about enrolling in our somatic therapy program.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
