Over the years, I’ve immersed myself in the field of health and somatic psychology as well as body psychotherapy through a wide range of workshops, webinars, and consultations. My learning has included numerous workshops in Somatic Experiencing, Breathwork, Biodynamic Analysis, Tension Release Exercises (TRE), Rhythmic Movement Training, and Deb Dana’s Polyvagal Theory. These experiences have given me a solid foundation in nervous system regulation, trauma-informed somatic techniques, and tools such as somatic tracking, pendulation, titration, and resource development.

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In 2024, after years of integrating somatic work into my practice, I made the decision to formally train in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP). This came after a thoughtful comparison of several body-based modalities. I chose SP because I believe it offers one of the most comprehensive and effective approaches to working with trauma and attachment wounds held in the body. Since then, SP has woven itself seamlessly into my clinical work, bringing a deeper, more embodied dimension to the healing process. I’ve been genuinely moved—and often humbled—by the shifts it has made possible for my clients.

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What is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy?

Developed by Dr. Pat Ogden in the 1980s, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is a body-centered therapeutic approach that integrates somatic awareness with emotional and cognitive processing. Rooted in neuroscience, attachment theory, and trauma studies, it is particularly effective for addressing trauma, chronic stress, and attachment-related issues. Unlike traditional talk therapy, SP works from the bottom up, using the body’s innate intelligence as the primary entry point for healing.

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A central concept in SP is the organization of experience—how the brain and body store information not just as thoughts or memories, but also as emotions, sensory perceptions, physical sensations, impulses, and defensive responses (such as fight, flight, freeze, submit, or collapse). In the aftermath of trauma, these survival responses can remain incomplete or “stuck” in the body, leading to ongoing symptoms such as anxiety, dissociation, chronic tension, or emotional dysregulation.

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Sensorimotor Psychotherapy helps to gently reorganize these patterns by inviting the body to complete actions that were interrupted or suppressed during moments of overwhelm. For example, a person who learned to silence their anger in childhood to preserve attachment may still carry a bodily imprint of that suppression. Over time, this can manifest as chronic self-doubt, people-pleasing, or difficulty asserting boundaries—what Gabor Maté describes as the inner conflict between authenticity and connection. SP helps clients safely access and resolve these patterns through mindful, body-based exploration.

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How Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Works?

SP begins by building body-based awareness through a process called tracking—noticing subtle internal experiences such as breath, muscle tension, posture, or movement impulses. Clients are guided to become curious observers of their inner world, gradually developing the capacity to stay present with sensations without becoming overwhelmed.

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A foundational step in SP is resourcing, which involves identifying and strengthening internal or external sources of safety and stability (e.g., a calming image, grounding through posture, a supportive memory, or felt connection with the therapist). Once resourcing is established, clients can begin to work with activation—the physiological arousal that arises when trauma-related material is accessed.

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Therapists may also use specific tools such as:

• Contact statements to deepen attunement and support co-regulation

• Orienting to enhance safety by connecting with the external environment

• Movement experiments to explore and complete unfinished defensive responses

• Pendulation and titration to regulate intensity by shifting gently between activation and calm

• Voluntary defensive responses like pushing, kicking, or saying “no” to empower agency and boundaries
   

By processing traumatic memory through body-based interventions—rather than rehashing painful narratives—SP allows clients to create new neural pathways through memory reconsolidation, where outdated survival responses are updated and replaced with more adaptive ones. This results in a greater sense of control, emotional regulation, and the capacity for authentic connection.

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Why It Works?

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is especially effective for individuals with trauma, developmental wounding, or those who have not fully responded to traditional talk therapies. It aligns closely with the work of researchers like Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, and Daniel Siegel, who emphasize the importance of including the body in trauma recovery.

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SP is not just about symptom relief—it’s about reclaiming embodied wholeness, restoring the nervous system’s natural rhythm, and helping clients experience themselves not as broken, but as survivors with innate capacity for healing.