Somatic Experiencing for PTSD: A Plain-English Review
This study looked at whether Somatic Experiencing (SE) could help adults experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was a randomized controlled study, meaning participants were assigned either to receive SE or to a comparison group, allowing the researchers to examine whether the treatment made a measurable difference.
Participants who received Somatic Experiencing had 15 weekly sessions. By the end of the study, they showed greater reductions in PTSD symptoms and depression than the comparison group.
These results are encouraging because they suggest that working with bodily sensations and nervous-system responses may help reduce some of the symptoms associated with PTSD. However, this was a relatively small study, so the findings should be seen as promising early evidence rather than proof that SE will work for everyone.
What does this mean in practice?
For people considering Somatic Experiencing, this research suggests that a body-based approach may be a useful way of working with trauma alongside other established forms of support. SE places attention on bodily sensations, responses and shifts in the nervous system rather than relying only on talking about traumatic experiences.
A note of caution
This is one study, with a relatively small number of participants. While the results are encouraging, more high-quality research with larger groups is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of Somatic Experiencing for PTSD.
The original research
Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel-Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K. & Ross, G. (2017). Somatic Experiencing for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Outcome Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 304–312.
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