An SE™ -informed approach to seasonal change
The light changes before our schedules do.
By late autumn, the workday may end after sunset. Time outdoors takes more planning. The hours between finishing work and going to bed can feel different when darkness has already settled in.
Yet responsibilities continue at the same pace. That mismatch offers an opportunity to ask: How am I experiencing this transition, and what adjustments might help?
Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) offers a framework for exploring those questions through attention to the body.
What SE brings to the conversation
Developed by Peter A. Levine, SE is a body-oriented approach to working with trauma and stress. Practitioners help people notice bodily sensations, approach difficult experiences gradually, and develop access to experiences of support. This manageable pacing is central to the approach.
For example, someone noticing tension might also explore the feeling of their feet resting on the floor or the support of the chair beneath them. Working with a practitioner, they can learn to notice changes in their experience without pushing to stay with discomfort.
These principles can also inform how we approach everyday transitions, including the shift toward colder, darker months.
A small pause between work and evening
Imagine closing your computer after a busy day. Outside, it is already dark. You head straight into making dinner, answering messages, and preparing for tomorrow.
Before moving to the next task, you take a moment to look around. Your eyes settle on a familiar picture. You notice that you have been holding your shoulders up, and that the room feels quiet after hours of conversation.
You might discover that you want music while you cook. Or a few minutes alone. Or a call with someone you enjoy.
This is an illustration of applying SE-informed awareness, rather than a reported treatment outcome. The pause creates an opportunity to recognize your experience and choose what comes next.
Finding resources that fit the day
In SE, a resource is something that helps a person experience support or greater ease. A practitioner may help someone identify and explore these resources as part of their work together.
In daily life, you can become curious about what has that quality for you. Perhaps your hands relax when you work with clay. Perhaps you feel less hurried while walking with a friend. Perhaps sitting near a window gives you a welcome moment of interest in the world outside.
The same activity will not feel helpful every day. Notice what happens rather than expecting a particular result.
Try a brief check-in
Somewhere comfortable, let your eyes move around your surroundings. Notice an object, color, or texture that draws your attention in a pleasant or neutral way.
If comfortable, notice where the chair or floor supports you. There is no need to change your breathing or make yourself relax.
Ask: What would make the next part of my day a little easier?
You might want movement, food, quiet, or company. If attending to your body feels uncomfortable, keep your attention on your surroundings or stop.
As the season changes, these observations can help you make practical adjustments: moving a walk to lunchtime, leaving space between commitments, or planning an evening with someone you miss. You can begin with one change that fits your circumstances and notice how it feels.
Research note: A small randomized trial found improvements in PTSD and depression symptoms following SE treatment compared with a waitlist. It did not study seasonal stress or seasonal depression; the applications described here draw on SE principles rather than evidence of seasonal treatment effects.
