Over the years, I’ve immersed myself in the field of health and somatic psychology and 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 decided to formally train in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP)—a decision made after careful comparison with other body-based modalities. I chose SP because I believe it offers one of the most comprehensive and effective approaches to addressing trauma stored in the body.  SP places attachment at the core of the work, it is therefore well suited to working with attachment wounds. SP has naturally woven itself into my clinical work, adding a profound depth to the healing process. I’ve been genuinely humbled by its impact.

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What is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

Developed by Pat Ogden in the 1980s, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-centered therapeutic approach that combines somatic awareness with emotional and cognitive processing. It’s particularly effective for trauma, stress, and attachment-related issues. This approach works from the bottom up, using the body’s innate wisdom as a gateway to healing.

 

A central concept in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is the idea of "organization of experience," which refers to how the brain stores information in the form of thoughts, emotions, sensory perceptions, bodily sensations, and defensive responses (fight, flight,  call for help, freeze and collapse/shutdown).  When we experience trauma, the body often holds onto these  unprocessed survival responses.

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SP gently helps the nervous system “reorganize” these patterns by allowing the body to complete actions that were suppressed during overwhelming moments. For example, someone who couldn't express boundaries as a child may have learned to override their natural responses of anger or frustrations and instead supress this response in order to maintain connection—what Gabor Maté describes as the conflict between authenticity versus connection.  Over time, this can show up as anxiety, people-pleasing, or a fear of asserting needs. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy supports the safe exploration and resolution of these patterns.

 

How Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Works

The process involves a mindful awareness of the body and clients are guided to become curious observers of their own internal experience - tracking sensations, exploring movements, and noticing subtle shifts. The therapist helps create safety and stability through “resourcing” techniques before working with more activated material. This allows trauma to be processed without overwhelm, restoring a sense of control and resilience. The approach also supports clients in cultivating new, more adaptive neural pathways through memory reconsolidation—replacing outdated survival responses with ones that better serve present-day life.

 

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is especially effective for individuals experiencing trauma, chronic stress, or attachment disruptions ((Ogden, Minton & Pain, 2006) aligns closely with findings by experts like Bessel van der Kolk, who emphasize the importance of body-based work in trauma recovery, especially for those who haven't responded fully to talk therapy alone. It brings together the best of neuroscience, attachment theory, and somatic work.