Priscila Hermida, PhD
SOMATIC TOOLS FOR ACADEMIC WORK
SOMATIC TOOLS FOR ACADEMIC WORK
Priscila Hermida, PhD
What is the SOMATIC EXPERIENCE?
Somatic Experiencing ( SE)™ is a supportive modality that provides tools to resolve physiological states resulting from exposure to stress and trauma. It consists of gradually exploring bodily sensations - and all the information they provide -, recognizing how the physiological responses of fight, fight, flight and appeasement that arise in the face of a threat can be completed. With the help of a trained person, the client can acquire self-regulation capabilities of the autonomic nervous system and use their innate resilience. .
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SE is not psychotherapy (but it can complement it), supporting the person from a SOMATIC perspective, that is, from the information and sensation that comes from the body.
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Somatic Experiencing (SE)™ professionals can successfully work through trauma caused by scares, falls, car accidents, assaults or violent acts, losses, injuries, medical or surgical procedures, natural disasters, and bullying situations. especially if any of these situations produce physical symptoms such as anxiety and stress.
The method was created by Peter Levine, PhD, a renowned psychologist and researcher from the United States. The method has been scientifically evaluated as therapy in cases of stress and immobilization. .
Anxiety and stress make academic activities difficult:
Academic activities are instances of personal and professional development. However, they are also a place where danger, immobility and threat are perceived and experienced. Present and past experiences can be associated with feelings of blockage, panic and procrastination, regardless of our cognitive abilities or our degree of motivation. Stress and fear cause academic failure and produce physical symptoms, such as anxiety, panic attacks, or disconnection.
In my experience as a teacher and researcher I have been able to observe how intelligent and capable people (undergraduate and postgraduate students, teachers, researchers) go through this type of difficulty alone and with few tools.
In one or several sessions, people can learn to identify the excess or deficit of activation of their nervous system, as well as the limits of their window of tolerance when approaching an academic task. Taking an exam, giving a presentation or, especially, having to focus your attention on a text or task for more than a few minutes at a time can produce enormous dysregulation and a feeling of agitation or blockage. Learning to return to a more regulated and equanimous state is crucial for everyday life, not just academic life.
The difficulties of procrastination, blockage, anxiety, nerves, etc. They can improve with an SE session .
