I have recently seen many new clients who have a nagging sensation that they cannot identify in their bodies. That is why they make appointments.

It typically shows up in the torso or chest area, and it can feel like pressure, constriction, panic, weight. We all are experts at not noticing our bodies.

Still, when nagging sensations come and do not leave or come violently and surprise us, we recognize that maybe something needs to be addressed.

The exciting moment is when you notice something like this in your own body. It is the body's way of telling you something is overwhelming. Finding a Somatic Psychotherapist is crucial at this point.

Sitting in a safe place with a skilled Somatic practitioner is the first step to figuring out what you are holding.

For example, a client came to me who would occasionally experience a pressure in their chest that felt like vice grips and as if something large wanted to escape.

There did not seem to be any rhyme or reason for when it would occur, but the feeling was unmanageable when it did.

After an initial check-in and breathing techniques on the table, I held her head in a cranial position. By doing this, we further supported her relaxation and sense of present-day safety.

The sensation then became manageable, and she was able to describe its texture, color, weight, size, and other features. In her mind, she asked it what it was, and the answer came back that it was fear.

We have an emotion and a label for this overwhelming sensation. Now we can work to strategize on how to dispel the fear.

Options open up, and choices can be made; the nervous system is no longer running the show.

A skill can be learned that there is a strategy for handling it when the sensation comes up.

What are you holding?

Come in and find out. Take charge of your nervous system.

Free Somatic Therapy consultations always available.