Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy

by Pat Ogden, Bessel van der Kolk (Foreword), Pat Ogden

The body, for a host of reasons, has been left out of the "talking cure." Psychotherapists who have been trained in models of psychodynamic, psychoanalytic, or cognitive therapeutic approaches are skilled at listening to the language and affect of the client. They track the clients' associations, fantasies, and signs of psychic conflict, distress, and defenses. Yet while the majority of therapists are trained to notice the appearance and even the movements of the client's body, thoughtful engagement with the client's embodied experience has remained peripheral to traditional therapeutic interventions. Trauma and the Body is a detailed review of research in neuroscience, trauma, dissociation, and attachment theory that points to the need for an integrative mind-body approach to trauma. The premise of this book is that, by adding body-oriented interventions to their repertoire, traditionally trained therapists can increase the depth and efficacy of their clinical work. Sensorimotor psychotherapy is an approach that builds on traditional psychotherapeutic understanding but includes the body as central in the therapeutic field of awareness, using observational skills, theories, and interventions not usually practiced in psychodynamic psychotherapy. By synthesizing bottom-up and top down interventions, the authors combine the best of both worlds to help chronically traumatized clients find resolution and meaning in their lives and develop a new, somatically integrated sense of self.

Topics addressed include: Cognitive, emotional, and sensorimotor dimensions of information processing • modulating arousal • dyadic regulation and the body • the orienting response • defensive subsystems • adaptation and action systems • treatment principles • skills for working with the body in present time • developing somatic resources for stabilization • processing

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Self Help, Counselling, Health, Social Work

384 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2006

Reviews

[Julene]

Excellent book giving both theory and practice of how to work with trauma. I'm studying her work now in Level I training and plan to use this book for the long haul as a reference text. Her work is built around Hakomi body-centered psychotherapy principles, Pat Ogden had a long stretch working with Ron Kurtz, so I'm reading his books as well. It's all in the lineage with my Continuum movement work and I'm delighted to read these astute psychologists, the pioneers who brought the importance of body work into the therapeutic process.

[Alexis]

This was simply an amazing text with respect to working with clients who have experienced trauma. The background information provides a comprehensive, yet understandable, overview of the effects of trauma across the client's experiences in a way that really makes these clients make sense. The therapeutic work outlined uses a heavy sensorimotor process-oriented approach. I was pleasantly surprised at how naturally it seemed like this would fit with the interpersonal process approach to psychotherapy, as well as how simply it could be integrated into third wave cognitive-behavioural therapies like ACT and DBT. Highly recommend.

[Jami]

The information is great, but the presentation is redundant.

[Kyren]

a really interesting book about somatic
therapies for dealing with trauma. there is lots on how trauma impacts the brain (and in turn how that relates to the body). fairly accessible, though sometimes overly technical for a non-specialist reader. overall an interesting and informative book

[xenia]

Gestalt therapy emptied of its phenomenological framework and refitted into a neuro/neo-behaviourist lens. Good information, but another example of scientific imperialism — the taking of decades old humanist developments and re-presenting them as valid and novel through science. Very repetitive. Perhaps an ironic move by the author, to structure the book after trauma.

The key idea here is that there are three registers of consciousness: the somatic, the affective and the cognitive — essentially: physical sensations, emotions and thoughts. Psychotherapy has developed treatments for processing thoughts and emotions, but not bodily states. Through becoming aware of one's bodily state, one becomes aware of not only one's triggers, but one's automatisms after triggering — nonconscious action patterns, sensations across time, reflex behavioural intentions, and so forth. Because trauma is deeply embodied, there is a need to become re-embodied, to return to the body and integrate these points of intensity, for healing to occur.

[Mimi]

"Sanat ovat korvaamattomia trauman hoidossa - ne eivät kuitenkaan kykyene korvaamaan sen huolellista havainnoimista, kuinka asiakkaat yrittävät puolustaa itseään nykyhetkisessä tilanteessa tai kuinka nämä puolustuskeinot syrjäytyivät alkuperäisessä traumatisoivassa tilanteessa."

Luin tätä parin kuukauden ajan kuusiviikkoisen harjoittelujakson aikana ja kokonaisuudessaan läpi vielä sen jälkeen. Ohjauksen ja lukemisen yhteistuloksena sain kyllä aika kovan motivaation opiskella lisää, ja tämä kirja on yksi niistä jotka täytyy ehdottomasti hommata omaan kirjahyllyyn tulevaisuutta varten.

[Magnus Lidbom]

This seems to me a rather dry and academic book. It contains a great deal of helpful information but did not really connect with me. I think the core of it lies in that the book seems to consist mostly of a torrent of detailed, purely theoretical, descriptions of various conceptual models. I find books on psychology that take care to balance theoretical underpinnings with reconnecting to human experience to be far more helpful. Without sufficiently frequent, emotional and concrete connection to human experience the models are apt to remain pure abstractions which I will not be able to make use of in order to really understand myself and others in a practically applicable way. At least that is my experience.

[Tegan V]

A very rich text full of gobs of resources and activities to understand how our bodies hold info and portray that info in many ways. The amount of worksheets alone makes this book a great tool for therapists and clients alike…however, I think its size (800+ pages) and all the info is very daunting and thus a bit intimidating as well. Honestly a condensed version would be helpful that nails the main points quickly.

But, overall an amazing insight into an area of therapy that I did not know before. As the afterward says, “the sensation and movement of the body is a laboratory that is always available to teach us more about the hidden recesses of the self, expanding our understanding so that we can try out new ways of living and relating.”

[Tom]

available as an ebook

[Dr. Barrett Dylan Brown, Phd]

Granpa says this is good stuff: I trust him.

[Alice]

Fantastic contribution to the somatic psychology literature, with a comprehensive range of chapters exploring different dimensions of the physical and mental aspects of trauma.

[Sebastian]

3.5 It could be more concisely written. Some conceptions are inspiring: hypoarousal, three subsystems of defense response, and core-periphery balance.

[Louisa]

bit rambly

[Michael Dadson]

This a a good overview of the approach that is a great reminder of some of the principles and methods taught in the courses. I have take the level two training and served as a assistant on many trainings and I highly recommend the approach as an important addition to a therapists toolkit.

[Mic]

Not lacking in relevant information, nevertheless I am not a fan of the way it is written. It leans too heavily academic and lacks a narrative continuity giving it a sterile feel. It begins to feel like you are reading the same thing over again to an extent because of this missing element.

[Jessica]

So interesting with actual practical applications to take into practise to assist my clients and enhance my work. Will definitely be reading further into this area

[Sophiealka]

More of a skim than a read. I wanted more, but said all the right things

[BVC]

Il contenuto è quasi sempre molto interessante, ricco di spunti applicativi coerenti con modelli cognitivisti e psicodinamici e, a conclusione, sono stati scritti tre capitali sulle fasi di trattamento. Molto utile, a conti fatti.

Il problema è che diversi contenuti si basano esplicitamente su quell'idiozia della teoria del cervello trino di MacLean. Ci sarebbe anche la teoria polivagale di Porges ma di quella non so ancora abbastanza.

[Stargazer]

A fascinating read. I learned a lot about the immobilizing defenses - mobilizing defenses are covered in a lot of books, but in here you can learn about freezing, feigned death, deep freeze and other submissive responses outside 'the window of tolerance' - responses reverted to when fight or flight can increase danger. The majority of my reading is done courtesy of the public library, but i'm considering buying this one. A practical approach to mind-body healing for counsellors of all types.

[Justin]

I'm not sure how useful this would be for self-help but it does seem like a good succinct coverage of the Hakomi method although I still think it's best to start with Kurtz's book although that one is quite rambly

[Kate Wester]

Dense.