Introduction
Trauma is not just an emotional or cognitive experience—it is deeply embedded in the body and nervous system. Many trauma survivors struggle with chronic tension, dissociation, emotional overwhelm, and difficulties in relationships, even after years of traditional talk therapy.

In Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment, Pat Ogden and Janina Fisher present a body-based approach to trauma healing, focusing on how physical movement, posture, and sensation can be used to release trauma and repair attachment wounds. Unlike traditional therapy, which focuses primarily on thoughts and emotions, sensorimotor psychotherapy integrates the body, helping survivors reconnect with themselves and feel safe again.

This blog post summarizes key insights from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, exploring how trauma is stored in the body, how it impacts attachment, and how somatic (body-based) healing can lead to recovery.

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Trauma and the Body: Understanding Sensorimotor Processing

Ogden and Fisher emphasize that trauma is not just remembered—it is relived in the body. Survivors often experience:

• Unconscious physical responses to trauma triggers (e.g., muscle tension, posture changes, breath holding).
• Dissociation or emotional numbing, making it hard to feel present.
• Overwhelming emotions that seem out of proportion to the current situation.

This is because trauma disrupts normal body awareness and self-regulation, leaving survivors stuck in survival states of fight, flight, freeze, or collapse.

Sensorimotor psychotherapy helps survivors gently reconnect with their body, allowing them to process trauma safely and effectively.

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The Three Phases of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

Ogden and Fisher outline a three-phase model of trauma recovery that integrates mind, body, and nervous system regulation.

1. Developing Somatic Awareness and Safety

Before processing trauma, survivors must regain a sense of stability and control over their body’s responses. This includes:

• Mindfulness techniques to increase body awareness.
• Grounding exercises to prevent emotional overwhelm.
• Learning to recognize body signals (e.g., tension, breath changes) as trauma responses.

2. Processing Trauma Through Body Awareness

Instead of only discussing traumatic memories, survivors are guided to:

• Notice how their body responds to trauma-related thoughts or emotions.
• Use movement and posture to shift away from fear or helplessness.
• Complete physical responses that were blocked during the original trauma (e.g., unfinished fight-or-flight responses).

3. Rebuilding Attachment and Emotional Regulation

Trauma survivors often struggle with relationships, trust, and emotional connection. This phase helps:

• Heal attachment wounds by addressing body-based relational patterns.
• Develop self-compassion and healthy boundaries.
• Increase the ability to feel emotions without becoming overwhelmed.

This structured approach creates a safe and empowering path for healing.

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The Role of the Nervous System in Trauma Healing

A core concept in sensorimotor psychotherapy is regulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Trauma survivors often have an overactive stress response that makes them feel constantly unsafe.

The key nervous system states:

• Hyperarousal (Fight-or-Flight Mode) – Survivors feel anxious, restless, or panicked.
• Hypoarousal (Shutdown or Freeze Mode) – Survivors feel numb, disconnected, or fatigued.
• Regulated State (Window of Tolerance) – The body feels calm, present, and in control.

Sensorimotor therapy helps survivors expand their “window of tolerance”—the ability to stay emotionally and physically regulated even when triggered.

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Healing Attachment Wounds with Sensorimotor Therapy

Many trauma survivors, especially those with childhood abuse or neglect, struggle with attachment wounds. These wounds often manifest as:

• Fear of intimacy or difficulty trusting others.
• Emotional detachment or excessive self-reliance.
• Overwhelming need for validation or fear of abandonment.

Sensorimotor psychotherapy helps survivors:

• Identify how early attachment wounds shaped their nervous system responses.
• Learn to recognize and regulate attachment-related emotions.
• Develop new, healthier relationship patterns through body awareness and self-regulation.

This approach bridges the gap between attachment theory and body-based trauma healing, allowing survivors to rebuild emotional connection and trust.

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Why Traditional Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough for Trauma

Ogden and Fisher explain why many trauma survivors struggle with cognitive-based therapy alone:

• Talking about trauma can trigger overwhelming emotions, making it hard to process.
• Verbal therapy does not address physical trauma responses, such as muscle tension, dissociation, or breath changes.
• Many survivors intellectually understand their trauma but still feel stuck in their body’s reactions.

By incorporating body awareness and movement, sensorimotor therapy helps survivors regulate their emotions and release trauma without becoming overwhelmed.

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Practical Sensorimotor Techniques for Trauma Healing

Ogden and Fisher offer specific exercises that survivors can practice:

1. Grounding Through the Feet

• Stand or sit with both feet on the floor and focus on how they feel against the ground.
• This helps stabilize emotions and reduce dissociation.

2. Noticing Body Sensations Without Judgment

• Instead of suppressing emotions, observe physical sensations (tightness, heat, tingling) without reacting to them.
• This increases body awareness and emotional regulation.

3. Small, Controlled Movements to Release Tension

• Stretching, shaking, or slow breathing can help complete trauma responses and release trapped survival energy.

4. Mindful Posture Adjustments

• If trauma makes you feel small or powerless, try standing tall, expanding your chest, or lifting your head.
• Small shifts in posture can change emotional states and increase confidence.

These gentle, body-based interventions can be powerful tools for trauma recovery.

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Key Takeaways from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

1. Trauma is stored in the body, not just the mind—healing requires body-based awareness.
2. Survivors often get stuck in hyperarousal (anxiety) or hypoarousal (numbness)—sensorimotor therapy helps regulate these states.
3. Early attachment wounds affect how the nervous system responds to relationships—healing these patterns can improve emotional well-being.
4. Healing involves developing somatic awareness, releasing stored trauma through movement, and rebuilding emotional regulation skills.
5. By integrating mind and body, survivors can feel safe, connected, and in control of their emotions again.

Ogden and Fisher’s message is clear: You don’t have to relive trauma to heal—learning to reconnect with and regulate your body is the key to recovery.

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Conclusion

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a pioneering book that combines trauma science, neuroscience, and attachment theory to create a holistic approach to healing. Pat Ogden and Janina Fisher provide groundbreaking insights into how body awareness, movement, and nervous system regulation can help trauma survivors regain emotional control and rebuild trust in themselves and others.

For anyone struggling with PTSD, emotional dysregulation, or attachment trauma, this book offers practical tools to restore balance, safety, and connection.

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References

• Ogden, P., & Fisher, J. (2015). Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment.
• Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.
• Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.