Armonk’s Jennifer Katz: Managing Stress with Somatic Experiencing

Armonk’s Jennifer Katz: Managing Stress with Somatic Experiencing: If you or a loved one is suffering from trauma or chronic stress, there is help in Armonk. Jennifer Katz, a licensed psychotherapist with over 20 years of clinical experience specializes in trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, depression, mood disorders, physical pain, PTSD and eating disorders. She works with both adolescents and adults and provides individual and couples therapy.

Jennifer is trained in both analytic and interpersonal therapy and integrates a special technique called Somatic Experiencing into her practice. We sat down with Jennifer to find out more about Somatic Experiencing.

What is Somatic Experiencing?

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a psychobiological approach that uses the body’s natural healing capabilities to unblock stuck energies and restore balance. It is a tool I use in my psychotherapy practice to help my patients regulate their nervous system, to relax, so they can begin to deal more effectively with the stressors in their lives.

Oftentimes, when we have been in chronic stress or trauma we are in a constant state of “fight, flight or freeze.” This can be experienced as chronic tension, pain, excessive worrying… just not feeling like oneself. Through the use of Somatic Experiencing I help patients process the emotions and then release them so there is a sense of coming back to oneself.

How did you first become interested in SE?

I became interested in SE about 12 years ago following a difficult operation I had to remove a large benign brain tumor. I suffered for quite a while after the operation with severe headaches, and it was becoming increasingly debilitating. I also had other life stressors going on at the time, which I knew were contributing to my symptoms. I had heard about SE from some of my colleagues and decided to try it. It was through my own personal sessions with a wonderful therapist that I began to fully understand the mind/body connection and saw myself begin to shift. We all carry memories in our bodies of early childhood experiences both good and bad. When the memories are painful or difficult they often don’t get fully processed and can get “stuck”.

Then when later life stressors or traumas occur we can have difficulty moving forward, as we haven’t fully moved through what has frightened us. The brain doesn’t have a conscious memory of successfully completing whatever it was that needed to be resolved.

Patients will complain of being exhausted, of “thinking too much” or obsessing over things… so much energy is being depleted and there is unnecessary suffering. My goal is to help patients get unstuck and restore their natural state of balance.

Do you use SE with all your patients?

Somatic Experiencing was initially developed for severe trauma but we have learned that trauma occurs on a spectrum and SE is helpful for all types of symptoms. I use SE for all of my patients… it’s the most effective type of therapy there is and it doesn’t take long to see results. It’s not a quick fix but there can be an immediate shift that is very encouraging to people who have tried so many different types of therapy.

What are some of the symptoms you deal with?

Oftentimes, people are just chronically stressed. They may be anxious or worried, experiencing chronic tension, sleeping and eating patterns may have changed, family or work relationships may be suffering. Or they may be shut down, numb, depressed, experiencing a lack of interest or feeling cut off from their feelings. All of these scenarios are a dis-regulation of the nervous system that we want to get back on board, so people can flow more with the ups and downs that are a part of life. We don’t need to live this way. Even in the face of difficulties and challenges… we can meet life with more ease.

How do you get started?

Some of the techniques I use are done in the first session. By slowing the breath down and orienting to the present moment, noticing bodily sensations, one begins to relax and come a bit more into themselves. Patients may notice how their thoughts are affecting their bodily sensations and they can begin to make some space from their thoughts so they are not as affected by them. There is a letting go and relaxing. It’s a process that has to be practiced but it’s a process that definitely works. And eventually the patient develops the tools to do this outside of the office.

Do you have any parting advice for our readers?

Life is always changing and we can’t always control what happens but we can control how we respond. A sense of peace is always there. It is a matter of learning to tap into that. And once you do that you can always return to it. What the body learns the psyche will follow.

Armonk’s Jennifer Katz: Managing Stress with Somatic Experiencing: For more information contact: Jennifer Katz, 914.282-1896, email: jenlk1020@gmail.com or visit her website at www.jenniferkatzpsychotherapist.com

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