Origin Story Part II
While Somatic experiencing® gained traction in treating trauma, Dr. Levine and the growing community recognized its potential for widespread impact. What if these body-based skills for regulating the nervous system could be woven into everyday life and taught as prevention rather than only intervention?
In 1994, Dr. Levine began what we now refer to as Somatic Experiencing® International to train professionals in what was a forward-thinking and now the preeminent and comprehensive 8-module Somatic Experiencing® Professional Training that opened the door for other modalities. Dr. Levine and his early collaborators sought to expand the comprehension of essential SE™ methodologies, equipping professionals with the skills to provide customized resolutions for clients. Grounded in biopsychosocial strategies designed for distinct needs and elevates current skills to encourage true healing.
Seeing the profound, positive effects of integrating self-regulation skills into various settings, Dr. Levine helped solidify the legitimacy of these skills focused specifically on prevention. The need for Somatic Experiencing® grew because it intrinsically promotes biopsychosocial resilience and impacts how communities function. Our trained SEP™s and their honed knowledge have reached countless people worldwide over the past decades.
The goal was to share simple yet powerful ways to counteract chronic stress and anxiety permeating modern society. Research shows that implementing regular resets for the nervous system bolsters resilience on a cellular level, benefiting health.
Moving into SEI’s next decade, the vision is to push these principles further into the mainstream. SEI continues to spearhead initiatives to progressively incorporate nervous system regulation into conversations about healing and resilience.
As Somatic Experiencing® continues revolutionizing trauma healing, SEI also aims to revolutionize how society nurtures collective and individual well-being starting from the body level up. Resilience is not only possible but also our birthright. Beyond surviving, we can thrive—transforming trauma into fuel for post-traumatic growth collectively. With compassion and perseverance, the ripple effects of somatic experiencing will help write a new story for humanity where we move from surviving to thriving together.
In the words of Peter Levine,
“It's not therapy, per se. It is an approach that can be used by many disciplines to make their disciplines more powerful. It's about how they do what they do.” – Peter Levine!