Somatic psychotherapy: a therapist’s perspective
by Donald Marmara, somatic psychotherapist
Every time a natural impulse is denied (don’t shout, don’t cry, don’t look, don’t get too excited), we cut off from our aliveness, our connection with our biological pulsation; thwarting our ability to experience “streamings” – a cellular function that gives us feelings of security, belonging and wellbeing. Most of us lost contact with these streamings at such a young age, we no longer remember them.
Having learned that being ‘who we are’ – perhaps our only true source of satisfaction – is not OK, we start looking outside ourselves for happiness; a futile search that invariably leads to frustration. When one external object, person or situation fails to satisfy, we try something or somebody else – and on it goes, wanting ever more – all the while thinking when we have enough, we will feel OK.
