Somatic Experiencing® (SE^TM) is a body-oriented approach to healing trauma and other mental health issues related to stress and adverse life experiences. SE^TM was created by Dr. Peter A. Levine and offers a collaborative and creative approach to healing trauma. Dr. Levine recognized that prey animals were able to recover more readily after life threatening events by releasing the accumulated energy from intense stress.  The Somatic Experiencing® approach helps the body release trauma, helps to heal the wounding that occurs with PTSD and developmental trauma, and restores connection.  When our nervous system gets overwhelmed, we experience dysregulation, feeling either hyper-activated or hypo-activated. This can lead to symptoms of anxiety, panic, depression, and/or dissociation. SE^TM offers a framework to assess where a person is “stuck” in the fight, flight, freeze, fawn responses, and gently guides individuals toward nervous system regulation, reducing negative symptoms and improving well-being.