The core of this approach
Somatic Science® uses a neurocognitive approach based on evolutionary biology and it advances the polyvagal theory by Dr. Stephen Porges.
As mammals our genetic drive is to be safe, to maintain and sustain life and to reproduce. Our biology, in its complexity, also permits us to be happy and enjoy our existence with great curiosity and interest.
Somatic Science® is a non-pathologizing approach that supports the nervous system to achieve regulation, relaxation, and harmony with oneself and the environment. It fosters self-attunement and self-regulation, leading to self-discovery, presence, joy, and peace. The goal is to enjoy life with happiness, focusing on the present moment rather than dwelling on diagnoses or problems. Unhappiness, viewed as discomfort with oneself, often stems from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) causing developmental or persistent trauma. Happiness, defined as the absence of suffering, is independent of circumstances and remains constant once discovered. The approach utilizes the scientific method and disciplines like Somatic Experiencing and The Polyvagal Theory for practical application in everyday life.
Methodology Summary:
a. Locate our experience inside the body: Discover and explore the qualities of our experience that indicate that we are alive, at the implicit and explicit levels.
b. Locate our experience outside the body: Experience how as a result of being alive, our biology has evolved a procedural mechanism to achieve safety.
c. Blend the experiences inside and outside of the body via aperception and metacognition: Discover the simplicity of the experience of the present moment without reference to concepts (thinking).
d. Refer our blended experiences to our face: Re-boot the relational mechanisms in the vagus nerve by mobilizing incomplete motor expressions in the face (and other body areas).
e. Restart the attitude of curiosity via the facial present-moment sensors: Use exploratory orienting to detect the external environment and become open to discovery of new experiences.
