.png)
.png)
Restoring Self-Connection...
In today’s society, many unconscious assumptions and practices disrupt our nervous system’s feedback systems--often referred to as somatic awareness, affecting both our internal and external sense of well-being.
These feedback systems are essential for safely orienting ourselves in the world and understanding the condition of our bodies. When we disconnect from ourselves and focus solely on external pressures—such as work or others—it becomes difficult to feel physiologically, emotionally, or psychologically safe.
Sadly, this disconnection has become normalized, often going unnoticed by our conscious minds until there is a crisis in our health or outer life conditions. However, there are practices for rebuilding a strong sense of self-connection that is key to bringing mind, heart, body, and spirit into greater coherence. This coherence emerges and refines as somatic-awareness grows, where we reach ever increasing levels of self-resonance, a vital condition for a healthy, regulated nervous system and increased relational capacity with others as well.
When consciously nurtured, self-connection helps integrate all parts of our nervous system, creating sensory safety and enabling us to interpret daily experiences in a way that supports our sense of aliveness. As you build a greater somatic awareness, like a muscle, you become more able to toggle between the needs of "self" and "other," without all the shadow, triggers, and disowned psycho-somatic material imprinted we call trauma response.
Essential tools for restoring self-connection and building somatic awareness:
Having access to effective tools and practices can support you to cultivate greater inner resource, so you can create the life you deserve and desire.
1
Non-judgmental attention, and presence impacts the quality of our self-connection and relationship with others.
2
Building interoception awareness-the felt-sense of the internal signals of your body that shape your perception of reality, supporting a more grounded sense of being in the world.
3
Use practices that allow a shift in unconscious holding patterns, that limit the spectrum and range of healthy self-expression.
4
Tracking your somatic response to the words and actions of others, creates safety and trust in your own nervous system, essential for accessing creativity, innovation, and play.
5
Bringing attention to the proprioception, plays a big role in self-regulation, coordination, posture, body awareness, the ability to attend and focus, central to embodied speaking and deep listening that allows for authentic connection.
6
Digest the full depth of experience: emotionally, mentally, and physically to integrate into our present moment experience.
If you'd like to find out more about how I can support you, use the link below to schedule an alignment chat with me.
Recommended reading:
Below is a list of books that are often regarded as foundational or highly insightful when it comes to somatic awareness—focusing on the mind-body connection, body-focused healing, and developing a deeper awareness of the body and self-connection:
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
One of the most widely known books on how trauma affects the body and mind, and how somatic therapies can be used for healing. Van der Kolk delves into how the body holds onto trauma and how somatic awareness can be key in recovery.
Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
Levine explores somatic experiencing, a therapeutic approach that focuses on releasing trauma held in the body. It's a great introduction to how the body processes and stores trauma and how it can be healed through body-based techniques.
Anchored: How to Befriend your Nervous System by Deb Dana
Brings the science to life with practical, everyday ways to transform your relationship with your body. Using field-tested techniques, Dana helps you master the skills to become more aware of your nervous system moment to moment—and change the way you respond to the great and small challenges of life.
Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health by Thomas Hanna
Hanna introduces the concept of "somatics" and how cultivating greater awareness of the body and its movements can lead to improved physical and emotional health. It’s a deeper dive into the science of body awareness and its role in overall well-being.
Becoming Safely Embodied by Deirdre Fay
The word "Embodied" has been coming up increasingly, but an in-depth understanding of what the term actually means, or how it is to be experienced, is seldom defined or explained. In this book Fay offers meaningful techniques and reflective exercises to bring you to it through practice in a way that allows you to proactively impact your embodied state.
Bodyfulness: Somatic Practices for Presence, Empowerment, and Waking Up in This Life by Phyllis A. Cohen
Cohen blends body awareness with mindfulness practices, focusing on how to stay present and connected with your body. It’s a useful guide for those interested in combining mindfulness with somatic approaches to well-being.
Yoga and the Quest for the True Self by Stephen Cope
While not strictly about somatic awareness, Cope’s exploration of yoga and self-awareness touches deeply on how the practice of yoga can help cultivate bodily awareness and connect the mind and body.
Radical Acceptance: Awakening the Love that Heals Fear and Shame by Tara Brach
Brach's book is not purely somatic but integrates somatic awareness with mindfulness and self-compassion. It helps readers embrace their physical and emotional experiences as part of their healing journey.
No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with IFS by Dr. Richard Schwartz’s
"All of us are born with many sub-minds - or parts,” says Dr. Schwartz.“ These parts are not imaginary or symbolic. They are individuals who exist as an internal family within us - and the key to health and happiness is to honor, understand, and love every part.”