Somatic & Parts Pilgrimages

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What is Somatic Experiencing?

Somatic experiencing involves working with the body. You focus on sensations and experiences in the body while letting go thoughts and judgements that come up. Somatic exercises can result in a reduction of symptoms like pain, headaches, anxiety or depression. Since we focus on the body, sensations or movement, you don’t need to talk about what is bothering you. Somatic work can be really helpful for various types of complex trauma.

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What is Restorative Catholic’s approach to healing?

This is a bottom up approach to healing of trauma, including: Somatic experiencing, parts work (IFS) and Biology. Biology of trauma is all about the impact of trauma on our biology. Bessel van der Kolk writes about it in his book, The Body Keeps the Score. Trauma disrupts our body and there are specific ways we can bring in support. Our goal is to change our biology of trauma (anxiety, overwhelm) to a biology of safety and support.

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Is Somatic Experiencing in line with our Catholic Faith?

Somatic work is work that pertains directly to the body, which is what the Greek word soma means. As Catholics, we firmly believe that man is a body-soul unity. Our bodies are an integral part of our humanity. Trauma that is stored or retained in the body needs to be healed at the body level. By taking a road that is at once body and soul, and not just talk therapy which often ignores the body, we are taking a road which is gentler and more safe for travel to reach the wholeness that allows us to grow more into who we are made to be. There are some secular or New Age groups who use somatic work, but Restorative Catholic remains firmly in line with the teachings of the Church in all things. Somatic work itself is a neutral tool, not owned by the secular culture. St. Thomas Aquinas said, “All truth, whoever said it, belongs to the Holy Spirit.”

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How does this Somatic approach relate to Theology of the Body?

In Catholic theology, we recognize the human person as both body and soul, created in the image of God (Imago Dei). Pope John Paul II, in his Theology of the Body, profoundly teaches that the body is not merely a vessel but a visible expression of our spiritual reality. This means that as we work with our nervous system, we are not just tending to our physical well-being but also engaging in a sacred act of self-care that honors the dignity of our whole person.

Understanding how our nervous system responds to stress, trauma, and healing is an important part of the truth that grace builds on nature; we see that our physical healing—such as calming our nervous system—can open us to deeper spiritual growth. By attending to our biology, we create space for grace to transform our lives more fully.