The Somatic Therapy - Dance Therapy

Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty Budapest FAKULTÄT I – Faculty Of Education and Social Studies

-     The Somatic Therapy-

Structure and Content

1.Somatic Therapy or Somatic Healing1

2.How Somatic Therapy works2

3.Awareness at the Somatic Therapy3

4.The Somatic Therapy and the role of the therapist4

5.The fields of Somatic Therapy5

6.The effects of Somatic Therapy5

7.The healing process6

8.The Dance as a somatic therapy approach6

9.Bibliographie9

1.    Somatic Therapy or Somatic Healing

Somatic or Body Oriented Psychotherapy encourages the “communication” of experience between the mind and the body, allowing greater understanding of the issues and enabling sustainable movement towards greater health and wellbeing (Kitson, 2012).

The Somatic therapy can be finding in an interdisciplinary field of different disciplines and deals with studies on the body, body experience and the embodied self. It includes a holistic and therapeutic approach to get the know more about the body and its experiences and to ease sources and causes of pain (cf.

Matthew, 2003). The word somatic comes from the ancient Greek root σωματ- somat- and stands for the body (cf. Wikipedia, 2012; IADMS & Batson, 2009, 1).

The somatic therapy itself is according to Montgomery well known for a holistic treatment approach which […] integrates the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical aspects of each of us (Montgomery, 1999). He is saying furthermore that this could be accomplished by becoming aware and conscious of our own body.

It means that the somatic therapy, or in other words; body oriented psychotherapy helps you for taking a look at them and that you can learn to perceive the experiences and sensations we experience with and through him (cf. ibid.).

But why we should or need to “listen” to your body and to the experiences? According to Montgomery our mind can be sometimes preoccupied with a lot of worries, schedules and concerns. For this reason our awareness, and breathing can help us to concentrate and focus on what we´re experiencing at a particular moment (cf. ibid.). For our mind, it is very easy to forget what happened in the past or what will happen in the future.

Representatives of somatic therapy are convinced that we need to take the time to rest and focus to us, because only then we can be aware of the places and situations in which we are and where we are “holding”.In other words, this means that at the soma therapy problems in the body can be perceived only when we focus on the body and the inner workings.

Montgomery is saying that we are often not aware of our own body and the problems which are settled in it (cf. ibid.).

2.    How Somatic Therapy works

In somatic therapy, the patient must realize which are the mental or emotional aspects of their life that might be affecting their physical condition (Matthew, 2003).

After a brief description of the somatic therapy has been given, this work want to describe the functioning of this form of treatment. Montgomery is saying that firstly a person needs to take time for themselves to be allowed for expanding their consciousness.

Such an approach is necessary for a person, because otherwise his actions and thoughts are getting lost. Only after a certain time of perception steering, a "contact" or "touch" with what we feel and experience is possible.Such a change of the focus allows us to notice other sensations or feelings that are now existing or arising. According to the description of the author, changing the perception describes a completely natural and normal process, because people always want to escape or move away from unpleasant sensations and feelings (cf.

Montgomery, 1999).

But what it is with these sensations and feelings? The sensations will tell us what is happening in our body. Mostly the sensations are associated with particular regions in our body. Montgomery stated that these bodily sites are often vulnerable, sore areas in which we hold still somehow mentally.

For examples stress or anxiety can lead to different reactions from the body, often holding postures and unnatural muscle positions, which the somatic therapist attempts to find through collaboration with the patient (cf. Matthew, 2003).

Sometimes if we have collected painful and traumatic experiences for example, then we carry not only the memory and the feelings associated with us around. Representatives of the somatic therapy believe that we are also "physically" remembering such events.The physical memory sequence at such an event is described by a contraction of the muscles and tissues.

In this process the body loses often free-flowing energy too that was associated with that particular event (cf. Montgomery, 2003).

Montgomery says we can also sometimes find a symbolic link between an event and a physical sensation. He gives an example: “Perhaps we struggle with someone who is a real pain in the neck and we find that our neck becomes tight when we are around them” (Montgomery, 1999). The Somatic therapist helps to bring these issues out of a patient, who may not have realized them with the help of different methods and techniques (cf. Matthew, 2003).

Often people are not aware of this special connection. For this reason, representative of the somatic therapy are saying it is very important that their clients are not only making their own conscious feelings, but also recognize their symbolic connection to other people and deal with it consciously (cf. Montgomery, 1999).

Montgomery, 1999).

Another question is what will happen by the changed awareness through somatic therapy within a human.Also at this point Montgomery can be mentioned, who believes that somatic therapy can lead us to a higher awareness that allows us to perceive more sensations, or in other words; “Cues” that something is happening inside in our body (cf. ibid.). These cues have a reminder function.

They leave us being aware of our environment and let us perceive what is happening in our bodies.

On this basis Montgomery believes, that the expansion of awareness or higher consciousness can lead us to and choose better or make better decisions.

He is convinced that when we are not in touch with our sensations it can lead us into dangerous situations. This means that if we are not aware of our own feelings, then our bodies and our minds can become injured. In summary, Montgomery conclusion is that somatic therapy can help us to resolve inconsistencies (for example, in human relationships) and uncover feelings and experiences (cf. ibid).

Often we do not know what we feel or what we worried about. Developing a greater awareness may help shed light on people's feelings and get what happens to them. This may also help to stabilize relationships and to deal and handle better with occurring problems and disorders. Representatives of somatic therapy are conivnced that without an expansion of consciousness and a stronger relationship work, problems are not solved, and then come up again and again (cf. ibid.).

4.    The Somatic Therapy and the role of the therapist

The somatic therapy can be performed independently. However, often a licensed therapist (e.g. social workers, family therapists, marriage counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, and teachers) is used for help. He supports in compliance with the legal requirements and in an empathetic way his different patients or clients in the formation of an expanded consciousness (cf.

The therapist shows the patient why the problem exists and how to eliminate the cause of the pain through proper postures, stretching techniques, and other methods (cf. Matthew, 2003). According the Montgomery he must focuses entirely on the other person and gives there wherever it is necessary feedback and informs his client about his observed behavior.

This therapy is based on the idea that the postures and movements that cause pain are directly related to the emotional and mental health of the client (cf. ibid).

The therapist can be chosen by the client and it’s not all about competence. He has to feel comfortable and must be trustful connected with him. It’s important to keep in mind that no therapy session it the same and it’s a kind of finding that relationship that works for both (cf. Montgomery, 1999).

Through the support and coaching of the therapist and his feedback, customers can not only develop an expanded awareness, they also learn to discuss and check their own sensations, feelings and experiences. The main task of the therapist can be summarized as follows according to Matthew: “The therapist will try to fix the cause of the mental or emotional trigger, as well as the physical discomfort (Matthew, 2003).

The therapy includes many other aspects but in general the success of the therapy depends on the interaction between the client and the therapist. Nevertheless, clients can support the already mentioned healing process by consciously and actively being engaged in the somatic therapy. Thereby they can develop next to the healthy physical experience an increased, mental, emotional, or spiritual well-being (cf. ibid).

6.    The effects of Somatic Therapy

The somatic therapy is understood by its practitioners as a kind of tool, which helps them to achieve in cooperation with their clients different goals and effects. Accordingly, we are on a lifelong journey of learning, where this form of therapy may be beneficial and supportive for their growth and healing.

But before this can happen, Montgomery is saying clients have to train an expanded awareness (cf. Montgomery, 1999).

The enhanced awareness will lead to a greater compassion towards themselves and others, better information about their own feelings and more physical experience. The process for the formation of these effects is referred as an active, reflective process of healing.

He indicates that the change of awareness and its effects can not only be found in therapy, but also outside of it in other settings. He states that this process can lead to a more reflective, life worth living (cf. ibid.).

7.    The healing process

The healing process in somatic therapy starts not automatically. It can only be initiated or started from the inside out and launched by the concerned person. So it has the origin in each person itself. The representatives of the somatic therapy, family and friends just can support the healing process of the concerned person with their love, understanding and self-reflection.

In relation to this example, a comparison can be made. In a deep friendship between two people it is important to follow the compassionate way as well because understanding is thereby awakened.This may mean that, for example, a person expanding its consciousness by taking part in and attend to the woundedness of another close dear.

Montgomery calls the healing process, which takes place between people as "Divine Nature" (Montgomery, 1999), where they express their vulnerability and not any conviction or punishment.The loving attention contributes to a faster healing process and does not happen overnight. It is characterized as an ongoing, lifelong process of all people where they: "[ .] becoming more fully ourselves in mind, body, heart and spirit (ibid.).

8.    The Dance as a somatic therapy approach

“movement is the root of psychological functioning” (Ruella, 2012)

The somatic therapy can be carried out within many settings. One of these settings may represent the somatic dance lesson. This thesis takes this opportunity to point out the relationship and explain why. The beginnings of this compound can be identified in the 70s as dancers were looking for ways to learn and combine mind-body techniques.

The modern move awareness changed the contents of dance, which includes now the somatic elements which were developed by people such as Feldenkrais and Cohen in a more democratic and independent form of movement (cf. ibid.).Altogether, there are according to IADMS and Batson two specific technique methods for somatic: “[…] one more ‛receptive’ (e.g., massage, craniosacral therapy, and somato-emotional release), and one more active, calling for the conscious cooperation of the person through movement awareness or imagination as catalysts for changing motor/movement behavior (e.g., Ideokinesis, Alexander Technique, and The Feldenkrais Method)” (IADMS & Batson, 2009, 1-2).

The development of the somatic dance resulted in an overall structured movement lessons towards a greater sensory awareness of anatomical relationships and coordination, and further to larger body experiences through technology forms of contact and improvisation (cf. ibid.).The somatic dancing, education or training and their methods formulated over the time one major goal.

These approaches are already described in the other subsections of this thesis, but at this point they will be named: 1) initiation of goal-oriented processes (improving kinesthetic awareness in a non-comparative and evaluative environment), 2) make use of sensory awareness (modeling and extension of new spaces for movement and discovery of potential movement), 3) take advantage of breaks and rest time (listening to the body and its sensations and distinguish between favorable and unfavorable stimuli by motoric learning) (cf.

IADMS & Batson, 2009, 2f.; Kinaesthetics, 2008, 1).

The re-education of the clients using the three somatic dance approaches coincides largely with the contents of the Erasmus dance lessons during the winter term 2012/13 at the Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty Budapest. With reference to the first point, this following practical example can be used; we students got the task from our dance teacher to move at the beginning of each dance class anywhere in the gym without laughing, compete and looking at the movements of our fellow students.

The second approach could also be found during our dance lessons. We had to deal every hour with individual dance themes and contents, which were given by our dance teacher. Our task was to expand and dance its. Each dance students had enough time and space to create own movements, to expand and improve.

The discovery of new movements and the development of the sensory awareness were only limited by the gym, the movements of the fellow students and maybe by the methodological instructions of the teacher but worked out for me surprisingly pretty well. At first I had only a narrow, traditional understanding of dance in my head and I was not able to cooperate with my entire environment but later I climbed for example on the climbing frames and balanced on the top of the soccer goals.

Thus the second somatic approach was realized.

The third and final somatic approach is focused on the perception of dance breaks and listening to one´s own and external (foreign) body and its comfortable or not comfortable sensations. As an example, our dance classes can also be named. At every hour of massage or at every reflection round with their tasks, there was the possibility of taking breaks.

Finally, the author comes to the conclusion that, within the Erasmus dance classes many somatic therapeutic approaches can be found. This is surprising for him, because the event was held under a different title and was not called somatic dance therapy. Despite the researched theoretical background, the somatic therapy reminds the author rather than an esoteric field.

This is partly due order, as it was very difficult to find empirical and scientific literature on the subject. Many websites mix the good efforts and benefits of somatic therapy with hazardous punditry. Nevertheless, they can be with their sensible approaches well integrated into a therapy concept.

9.    Bibliographie

Primary Literature

IADMS & Batson, Glenna (2009): Somatic Studies and Dance - by the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. Online found at: p.1-6.

Kinaesthetics (2008): Was ist Kinaesthetics? Online found at: (06.01.2013).

Secondary Literature

Center for Somatic Psychotherapy (2012): Home. Online found at: (03.01.2013).

Meredith Kitson (2012): Somatic Psychotherapy: Online found at: (03.01.2013).

Montgomery, F. M. (1999): Somatic Therapy. Online found at: (03.01.2013).

Ruella, Frank (2012): Center of Somatic Studies. Online found at: (04.01.2012).

USABP (2012): United States Association For Body Psychotherapy - Definition of the Work of a Body Psychotherapist. Online found at: (21.12.2012).

Wikipedia (2012): Somatic psychology. Online found at: (03.01.2013).