Receive At Home S.O.M.A Practice Guide
About the S.O.M.A Method
S.O.M.A is nervous system based biological interaction
We mobilize collapse and flourish based upon biological survival instincts— these Neuro-somatic patterns are responses to trauma and our environment; they are instinctive choices to stay safe and regulated.
The Method understands suffering is caused Neuro-biologically and it must therefore be transformed through the body and mind. The body must participate in healing to transform biologically based adaptive patterns.
The Method engages nervous system pathways through four experiential somatic practices which uproot the subconscious clenching of trauma while also supporting adaptive personality RePatterning.
Sense
Learn to drop down into the roots; into the implicit intricacy of the felt-sense through mindfulness based interoceptive sensory tracking.
Open
Learn to soften branches of defense and receive relationally felt experiences of safety and loving-kindness. Allow younger parts of self to receive.
Move
Suppressed mobilization from the roots is activated and the natural tree "charge" releases through movement, shaking, sighing, sounding, humming, and breathwork.
Awaken
Remember and recognize your most natural state of grounded stillness and wholeness. Here adaptive patterns (branches) are rooted in safety instead of threat and they change shape; they flourish.
Rooted in nurture, we thrive. regrowing, somatic new pathways, rooted, and safety and love.
S.O.M.A. -- The Embodied Nervous System
Soma is a living organism in its wholeness -- an organic, implicitly intricate living process,
rooted in relationship and always adapting to its environment.
Most importantly, capable of pruning old neuronal networks (branches) and growing new ones.
The S.O.M.A Method™
Integrates:
Mindfulness
Use guided meditation to access present moment compassionate awareness and states of inner-belonging
Sensory Tracking
Use Gendlin’s Felt Sense protocol to deepen interoceptive awareness.
Breathwork & Neuro-Linguistic-Programing
Use rhythmic breathing and breath-holds to calm, elevate, and integrate emotions.Include activating phrases to take you deeper into processing.
Somatic Interventions
Learn tapping, qi-gong, bi-lateral stimulation, shaking, sounding, voicing and various release practices.
Parts Work
Learn to identify and dialogue with protective and defenseless (often younger) parts of self.
Character Styles
Understand the shaping of survial patterns in ones physiology and personality.
Trauma Therapy
Bi-lateral stimulation (EMDR), Inner child dialogues, and Somatic Experiencing practices.
Nervous System
The method is rooted in the nervous system teachings of survival and social engagement patterns.
Buy the S.O.M.A Method Course - $29
Enjoy 8 Video lessons combined with written experiential guidance. Learn how to apply each phase of S.O.M.A in addition to developing a deeper understanding of several common adaptive personality patterns (control, perfectionism, manipulation, addiction, codapendency, and collapse). Special attention and explanation is given to the nervous system and how ones neuroception of threat or safety underlies each pattern.
Client testimonial: "This felt like psychedelics without drugs! I felt like something deep within me shifted." --Cam S.
S.O.M.A
Sense.Open.Move.Awaken®
The process will guide you to Cycle from mind into body through the felt sense, where adaptive patterns and emotions begin to awaken.
Words transition to somatic listening and expression; the nervous system attunes to safety as communication occurs through sound, breath, emotion, gesture.
S.O.M.A invites surrendering into deep states of belonging, inviting the organic emergence of suppressed emotion, the softening of protective survival patterns, and the awakening of authentic states of belonging, benevolence and innovation.
The brain reorganizes and uploads new neural-pathways and new patterns rooted in ventral vagel states of social engagement.
The S.O.M.A. Method
Sense - Embodied Awareness
Open - Embodied Surrender
Move - Embodied Expression
Awaken- Embodied Self-Possession
The S.O.M.A Method™ draws on the wisdom found in psychoanalytic and depth psychologies, polyvagel theory, IFS, attachment theory, neuroscience studies as well as contemplative traditions.
MEET
Carolyn Kutsko, PhD
Dr. Kutsko created the S.O.M.A Method from hundreds of her own client sessions. She is a licensed therapist and holds her PhD in Somatic and Clinical Psychology with certificates in EMDR, Relational Somatic Psychotherapy, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, BodyWay Emotional Eating Recovery, The Daring Way, Thai Massage, and Somatic Breathwork.
She wrote her dissertation on “Full Emotional Expression,” an exploration in relational support within catharsis, where she challenges theories cautioning expressive emoting and demonstrates through a phenomenological study the efficacy of relationally supported catharsis and the often miss-used and miss-understood use of "window of tolerance".
She describes the S.O.M.A Method as a powerful processing sequence unwinding the contractions of the adaptive self.
Dr. Kutsko’s S.O.M.A Method™ training was both extremely informative and also engaging. She provided a mixture of interesting didactic education and experiential exercises demonstrating how to get clients unstuck and able to express what has been held inside. I feel I have lerned a whole new language.
Nick L.
I am so excited about the Soma Method Foundations course provided for my clients to help prepare them for this powerful work. An incredible bonus to becoming a S.O.M.A Practitioner.
Jess Thomas
