Being a man and wrestling with grief can be a complex challenge in this world. As a man, we’re not always sure what to say, how to say it, or what emotion to express. Additionally, grief is difficult to anticipate when one loses a child, or a disability/illness impacts their child’s life. Despite the societal standards that are imposed on us, we still need to find a way to heal. This blog post will explore how somatic experiencing therapy can help men heal from grief near Franklin, Wisconsin.
Understanding How Men in Franklin, WI Experience Grief
Not all men are the same. Some men have deeper connections with their emotions, while others might not. Other men may prefer to rationalize their way through grief, while others may be paralyzed by their emotions. There’s no cookie-cutter approach for how to experience grief when it happens. Just know that grief itself is a natural response throughout society. You’re human. You care and love others. And, therefore, you’ll have a grief response when that relationship is severed.
What Is Somatic Experiencing Therapy?
Somatic experiencing therapy is a body-based and trauma-informed form of psychotherapy. Somatic therapy works by healing and stabilizing the body and nervous system first, so that the body feels safe enough to heal. When the body feels safe enough to heal, we can then undo defense mechanisms that have been formed throughout the years. As these defense mechanisms become decoupled, you are able to integrate past stressful emotions, experiences, grief symptoms, and/or anger. By integrating these emotions and past stressors, you are able to decrease mental health symptoms and the emotional charge of past situations. This allows for internal peace and calm to flourish in your life.
Why Body-Based Healing Matters for Men in Franklin, WI
Body-based therapy is vitally important to your healing process for many reasons. First, if our body doesn’t feel safe enough to heal, you’re not going to make any progress. Second, if our defense mechanisms are working as they should, cognitive interventions aren’t going to always be as effective. Meaning we can start to change our thoughts, but the body itself will not follow along. Third, our body and nervous system store stressful experiences, especially when they’re not given the time and space they need to deactivate. Somatic experiencing therapy allows for this time and space to be created inside the therapy session. As this space is created, you will then gently move back and forth between comfort and calm to integrate past stressful or traumatic experiences. Somatic experiencing therapy can be held via online or in-person formats.
Somatic Experiencing Therapy as a Practical Tool for Grieving Men
Grief is a natural occurrence in our society. Because of its natural occurrence, we can’t get rid of all of the grief. Grief therapy targets the areas and emotions inside of our body that cause large amounts of pain, regret, guilt, or shame. As humans, we sometimes go down long thought spirals, negative emotions, or painful thought patterns that occur after we lose someone we love. This is where somatic experiencing therapy can intervene and help you heal.
Why Franklin, WI Men Are Choosing Somatic Therapy
Men are choosing somatic therapy approaches because they want to heal. Men want to feel connected to those around them, their spouses, their mother, and their children. The pain of this world can often disconnect men from their emotions. Somatic experiencing therapy helps to highlight and feel these emotions and inner sensations again.
An easy way to find a somatic experiencing therapist near you is via a Google search. You want to interview the therapist that you’re thinking about working with so that you can ensure you’re a good fit. Most therapists provide a 15 to 20-minute consultation call free of charge. Use this call to make sure you feel you can work with them.
At this time, I’m currently accepting new clients as well. I provide in-person somatic therapy on the weekends as well as virtual therapy sessions during the weekday evenings. You can start healing today by calling 720.295.6703 or by submitting a form here, I greatly look forward to hearing from you.
