Moving Beyond Minimization – How Somatic Self-Love Builds Capacity 

Those of us with unresolved trauma often become experts at developing creative coping mechanisms. That’s because CPTSD often comes from a childhood where we couldn’t fight back or flee the situation. Minimizing the extent of what happened is a valuable technique – it helps us survive until we have enough agency to process and integrate the trapped energy of abuse.

We may often try to minimize what happened to them due to several other reasons:

1. Shame and self-blame: we may feel a sense of shame and self-blame for what happened. We may wrongly believe that we were somehow responsible for the cause of the trauma or that we should have been able to prevent it from happening.
2. Fear of being judged: we may also worry about being judged or stigmatized if we share the full extent of our experiences. We may fear that others will see them as weak, damaged, or flawed.
3. Difficulty acknowledging the severity of the trauma: Acknowledging the full extent of the trauma and its impact can be overwhelming and difficult. We may try to minimize what happened as a way to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

It’s important to note that minimizing or denying the severity of trauma can be a coping mechanism, but it can also prevent us from recovery. So how might we heal?

Practicing somatic self-love can be a powerful tool in healing from trauma, including Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). Here are a few ways that somatic self-love can help:

1. Increases body awareness: Somatic self-love involves paying attention to the body and its sensations. By developing a greater awareness of bodily sensations, we learn to recognize when we are feeling tense, anxious, or triggered. This awareness can help us take steps to manage symptoms and prevent them from escalating.
2. Promotes relaxation: Somatic self-love practices, such as deep breathing, meditation, and gentle movement, can help promote relaxation and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. These practices create feelings of groundedness and connection to our bodies.
3. Increases self-compassion: Somatic self-love involves treating the body with kindness and compassion. By learning to be gentle and nurturing with ourselves, we develop a greater sense of self-compassion and self-acceptance.
4. Helps to release trauma from the body: Trauma can become stored in the body, leading to physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, and digestive issues. Somatic self-love practices can help release this stored trauma from the body so that we move forward in our recovery.

Practicing somatic self-love can be an effective way for those of us with unresolved CPTSD to reconnect with our bodies, manage symptoms, and promote healing and recovery. 

Working with a trained therapist or practitioner is essential to develop a somatic self-love practice that is safe and appropriate for your needs and circumstances.