{"id":62572,"date":"2024-08-12T07:26:04","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T07:26:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/?p=62572"},"modified":"2024-08-12T07:26:04","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T07:26:04","slug":"somatic-processing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"Somatic Processing of Emotions: How it Works"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_75 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#How_Somatic_Processing_Works\" >How Somatic Processing Works<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#What_Are_the_4_Stages_of_Emotion_Processing\" >What Are the 4 Stages of Emotion Processing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#What_Are_the_Skills_of_Emotional_Processing\" >What Are the Skills of Emotional Processing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#What_is_a_Somatic_Response_to_Emotions\" >What is a Somatic Response to Emotions?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#How_to_Fully_Process_Emotions\" >How to Fully Process Emotions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#Is_somatic_therapy_real\" >Is somatic therapy real?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#What_are_the_negative_effects_of_somatic_therapy\" >What are the negative effects of somatic therapy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#Can_you_do_somatic_healing_yourself\" >Can you do somatic healing yourself?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The somatic processing of emotions is better known as mindfulness-based somatic emotional processing (MBSEP). This type of therapy is focused on creating access to your emotions and being mindful of how you process them in real time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1843&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=somatic_processing\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-1-5.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To successfully engage in MBSEP, you need a willingness and be intentional. You will need to really focus on being aware of your experiences. This means being aware of how you experience things on a physical, mental, behavioral, and emotional level. As you bring awareness to how you\u2019re experiencing things, no comments or judgments should be passed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the key aspects of MBSEP is that you remain quite focused and attentive so you can receive the full emotional experience that is occurring at that moment. It\u2019s important to make yourself aware of where your attention is focused and stay committed to focusing your attention there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another key component of engaging in the somatic processing of emotions is granting permission. You must be willing to give the body and mind permission to allow the emotional experience to unfold in whatever way they feel comfortable. During the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-emotional-release\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">emotional release,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you must stay present and allow for connection to take place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Creating space to feel emotions is also a big part of the somatic processing of emotions. It can be an overwhelming process and in order to receive the experience appropriately, you\u2019ll need to create space for the emotions.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Somatic_Processing_Works\"><\/span><b>How Somatic Processing Works<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Somatic processing works by integrating <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/body-awareness\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">body awareness<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into psychotherapeutic processes. To start this process, the recipient of the therapy is made aware of their inner physical sensations. Somatic therapists view these sensations as the carriers of traumatic memories. By allowing the body to fully feel and experience movements and touch, you\u2019re able to work toward increasing your tolerance of both physical and emotional sensations. Increasing your tolerance to these sensations opens the door for the discharge process<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jts.22189\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (1).\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike exposure therapy, somatic processing doesn\u2019t require you to retell traumatic stories or relive the experiences. Instead, you simply need to engage with your traumatic memories. This means allowing sensations that are caused by thinking about bad things that have happened to be felt and to run their course <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jts.22189\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(1).\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This process tends to elicit arousal and may make you feel uncomfortable, but through somatic processing, you can learn to monitor the arousal and downregulate it before it spirals out of control. To do this, you\u2019ll <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-awareness\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">use body awareness<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> techniques such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-breathwork\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">breathwork<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or body scanning to self-regulate. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with the negative sensations, you\u2019ll be able to focus on positive sensations and memories to help you regulate arousal <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1002\/jts.22189\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(1).\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ultimately, by using somatic processing techniques, you may experience less intense distress and symptoms related to traumatic experiences when triggered.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Running a never-ending rat race, shoving trauma further and further away, falling into self-harming thought patterns, living life that\u2019s eclipsed by constant anxiety and fear \u2013 this is what an average person goes through every day. Not addressing it will only pull you deeper into a downward spiral. BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app will help you gain a new perspective on life and help you <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1843&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=somatic_processing\">regain that long-lost internal balance! <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_the_4_Stages_of_Emotion_Processing\"><\/span><b>What Are the 4 Stages of Emotion Processing?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A variety of models are used to explain the stages of emotional processing. When thinking about the neuroscience of emotional processing, the 4 stages are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotion sensation<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotion perception<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotion comprehension<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotional performance utilization<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotion sensation involves the body\u2019s physiological response to emotions. This involves the generation of emotions through the visceral-somatic launchpad. During this stage, you can experience triggers in yourself that you\u2019re not consciously aware of. You may also be triggered by external stimuli. All of these triggers tend to be subtle, but they occur on a physical level.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The energy caused by the trigger then travels to your brain and sensory receptors and can cause your nervous system to become activated, which can lead to both conscious and unconscious awareness of what the body may see as a threat. The next phase is emotion perception, which is similar to emotion sensation, except during this phase, you\u2019re consciously aware of what is happening<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/psychology\/emotional-processing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(2).<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Emotion conception occurs when sensations and perceptions are processed by the brain in specific regions and result in other areas of the brain becoming aware and focusing attention on those sensations and perceptions. This develops into a meaningful cognitive experience <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/psychology\/emotional-processing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(2).<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The final phase is emotion performance utilization. In this phase, the 3 previous phases come together and help your mind and body make a decision regarding how these emotions will be expressed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/psychology\/emotional-processing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(2).<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> At this point, you have felt the emotions, made decisions about how you feel about them, come to understand how and why you may feel that way, and are now ready to react to these emotions.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1843&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=somatic_processing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30039 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/51.png\" alt=\"somatic processing\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_the_Skills_of_Emotional_Processing\"><\/span><b>What Are the Skills of Emotional Processing?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are a variety of skills that make processing emotions easier and help you properly and effectively do so. In order to process your emotions effectively, you need emotional awareness, effective communication, the ability to regulate, emotional flexibility, and the ability to be mindful. By developing these skills or improving the ones you already have, you\u2019ll be able to better process your emotions, which can lead to improvement in your overall well-being.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/mindfulness-tips\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being mindful of how you feel<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the moment is incredibly helpful when you\u2019re trying to regulate and process emotions. The more awareness you have of your emotions and the more attuned you are to them, the more likely you are to be successful in processing them. It\u2019s also helpful to properly communicate your emotions when the need arises, so having the ability to articulate the feelings you\u2019re experiencing can be quite helpful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes the body reacts to emotions in a way you don\u2019t expect. That can mean a domino effect occurs and leads to additional and potentially unrelated emotions. It\u2019s important to allow those emotions in and deal with them as necessary so you can process and move on. Doing this may feel overwhelming, but ultimately, emotional flexibility can make you stronger on an emotional level and more capable of dealing with future emotional issues <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8457046\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(3).\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><strong>Read more: <\/strong><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-healing-techniques\/ \"><i>Somatic Healing Techniques: A Holistic Approach to Physical and Emotional Recovery<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_Somatic_Response_to_Emotions\"><\/span><b>What is a Somatic Response to Emotions?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A somatic response to emotions occurs when physical sensations or other bodily reactions take place during an emotional experience. These bodily responses tend to be something you can\u2019t control and they happen without you actually doing anything. Sometimes, these reactions occur immediately while other times, there may be a delayed reaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An example of a somatic response to emotions is feeling a shortness of breath or having trembling hands after witnessing a car accident after having previously been in a car accident that took an emotional toll on you. The type of somatic response you have can vary depending on the related emotion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you feel scared, you may notice your heart is beating rapidly. You may also start sweating profusely or have an uneasy feeling in your gut. Feeling angry may also result, but it could also include teeth clenching or the feeling of pressure in your chest. When you experience a somatic response to sadness, your eyes may become tearful or you may feel as if you have a lump in your throat or general physical weakness. Feelings of disgust can even make you feel physically ill.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not all somatic responses are bad. You can also have positive physical responses to emotions such as love or joy. These physical responses include things such as feeling calm, butterflies in your stomach, or involuntary smiling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Fully_Process_Emotions\"><\/span><b>How to Fully Process Emotions<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Processing emotions doesn\u2019t come easy for most people. Luckily, there are a variety of somatic processing techniques that can be utilized to help with emotional processing. In addition to utilizing coping and regulation techniques, it can be beneficial to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-exercises\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">engage in somatic exercises<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other somatic healing approaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/processing-emotions\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fully process emotions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you must start by being able to identify the emotion and connect it with any sensations you may be experiencing as a result of it. When you identify these things, you\u2019ll be able to start making sense of your emotions. This is known as linking the body to the world to create meaning <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sanlab.psych.ucla.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2016\/03\/BarrettinpressEmotion.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(4).\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You must also be able to act on the emotions you\u2019re experiencing. By being able to identify the mental tools you can use to self-regulate, you\u2019re acting on your emotions, which encourages the processing of emotions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the purposes of emotions is to help communicate why you\u2019re experiencing certain sensations in your body. By allowing the emotions to come out, you\u2019re allowing your body to effectively communicate its intent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sanlab.psych.ucla.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2016\/03\/BarrettinpressEmotion.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(4).\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, it\u2019s helpful to practice mindfulness during times when you experience strong emotions. Taking a moment to practice body awareness and feel the connection between mind and body may help you understand more about what your body is trying to tell you and how you can cope with the messages it\u2019s sending.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>BetterMe: Meditation &amp; Sleep app can help you transmute stress into serenity, pull you up from the doldrums, free your mind from the cares and worries of the world, quell racing thoughts and infuse you with tranquility! <a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1843&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=somatic_processing\">Start using it now and change your life<\/a>!<a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1843&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=somatic_processing\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-30039 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/41-1.png\" alt=\"somatic processing\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><b>FAQs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_somatic_therapy_real\"><\/span><strong>Is somatic therapy real?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What people believe about different types of therapy varies from one culture to the next. There is evidence that utilizing somatic practices can help people heal on a physical and emotional level. Opening your mind and being receptive to new styles of therapy is a great start.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_negative_effects_of_somatic_therapy\"><\/span><strong>What are the negative effects of somatic therapy?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There aren\u2019t necessarily any negative effects of somatic therapy, but there are aspects of it that participants may find challenging. When somatic therapy encourages connection with emotions and thoughts about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/unresolved-childhood-trauma\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">traumatic experiences<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this can sometimes result in unwanted emotional experiences. However, the intent of somatic therapy is to elicit these emotions so you can utilize mindfulness and other somatic techniques to work through them and decrease the intensity of reactions moving forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul><li><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_do_somatic_healing_yourself\"><\/span><strong>Can you do somatic healing yourself?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can do somatic healing by yourself. It can be incredibly helpful to work with a professional, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/best-somatic-exercise-program\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">engaging in somatic exercises on your own<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you start the healing process. Participating in activities such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/trauma-informed-yoga\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">yoga <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and dancing can help you improve your mind-body awareness, which can positively impact your overall well-being. You can also utilize somatic techniques such as breathwork and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-tracking-meditation\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">meditation<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that utilize body scanning to work through challenging experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<p><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/quiz.betterme.world\/en\/first-page-generated?flow=1843&amp;utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=Blog&amp;utm_campaign=somatic_processing\" target=\"_blank\"><video autoplay=\"autoplay\" loop=\"loop\" muted=\"muted\" playsinline=\"playsinline\" width=\"777\"><source src=\"https:\/\/cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/ezgif.com-gif-to-mp4-2-4.mp4\" type=\"video\/mp4\" \/><\/video><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span><b>The Bottom Line<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dealing with emotions can be overwhelming if you do not have the proper skills to do so. By utilizing somatic techniques to work through your emotions you are likely to be able to better understand them and have less negative effects down the road than you would if your emotions were left unprocessed. Learning the techniques can take some time but with dedication to understanding the process it can be a very freeing experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The somatic processing of emotions is better known as mindfulness-based somatic emotional processing (MBSEP). This type of therapy is focused on creating access to your emotions and being mindful of how you process them in real time.\u00a0 To successfully engage in MBSEP, you need a willingness and be intentional. You will need to really focus [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":92,"featured_media":62575,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[209],"tags":[],"coauthors":[247],"class_list":["post-62572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-somatic-exercises"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v20.2.1 (Yoast SEO v25.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Somatic Processing of Emotions: How it Works - BetterMe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Processing emotions is challenging for most people, but by utilizing \u2605 SOMATIC PROCESSING \u27a4 techniques to help with the process, you may notice more positive outcomes.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Somatic Processing of Emotions: How it Works\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Processing emotions is challenging for most people, but by utilizing \u2605 SOMATIC PROCESSING \u27a4 techniques to help with the process, you may notice more positive outcomes.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BetterMe Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/betterme.health.coaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Somatic_20-1-1024x576.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Amber Nelson, PhD\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@betterme\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Amber Nelson, PhD\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Amber Nelson, PhD\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/#\/schema\/person\/e1b6b516c6557c6102ba4b92797012be\"},\"headline\":\"Somatic Processing of Emotions: How it Works\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/\"},\"wordCount\":1723,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dev.betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-processing\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dev.cdn.betterme.world\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Somatic_20-1.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Somatic Exercises\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"articleBody\":\"<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">The somatic processing of emotions is better known as mindfulness-based somatic emotional processing (MBSEP). This type of therapy is focused on creating access to your emotions and being mindful of how you process them in real time.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span data-sheets-root=\\\"1\\\"><\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">To successfully engage in MBSEP, you need a willingness and be intentional. You will need to really focus on being aware of your experiences. This means being aware of how you experience things on a physical, mental, behavioral, and emotional level. As you bring awareness to how you\u2019re experiencing things, no comments or judgments should be passed.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">One of the key aspects of MBSEP is that you remain quite focused and attentive so you can receive the full emotional experience that is occurring at that moment. It\u2019s important to make yourself aware of where your attention is focused and stay committed to focusing your attention there.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Another key component of engaging in the somatic processing of emotions is granting permission. You must be willing to give the body and mind permission to allow the emotional experience to unfold in whatever way they feel comfortable. During the <\/span><a href=\\\"https:\/\/betterme.world\/articles\/somatic-emotional-release\/\\\"><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">emotional release,<\/span><\/a><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\"> you must stay present and allow for connection to take place.\u00a0<\/span>\\r\\n\\r\\n<span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Creating space to feel emotions is also a big part of the somatic processing of emotions. 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