Soma: the greek word, meaning "body"
Somatization: Physical symptoms of mental or emotional distress
Mental illness is NOT all in your head. Many experience physical symptoms without noticing the cognitive and emotional symptoms that are used most commonly for diagnosis. Today, the average time between diagnosis and treatment is 11 years. More than a decade. We are creating tools that focus on the somatic (less stigma-laden) symptoms of mental illness in hopes of making diagnosis and communication easier and more accessible than ever.
Try it with your clients!
Somatic Journaling can be used to prepare for somatic intervention, or just to build a foundation for mindfulness and emotional stability. By observing bodily sensations at the same time as naming feelings patients can learn to better connect their emotional and physical experiences, reducing symptom anxiety and dissociation. Gratitude helps interrupt any associated negative cognitions which arise during the exercise. Soma Sketch provides a well balanced and minimally invasive exercise for emotional health.