Matthew Morales, MA, DPT, CSCS
Somatic Psychology Department
Master's Presentation:
Somatic Psychology: A New Perspective on Chronic Pain
Abstract:
As a physical therapist I am constantly treating people that have chronic and acute pain without known physical causes. I quickly started noticing that there are usually associated psychosocial symptoms such as depression, stress, and anxiety related to this phenomenon. There are certain physiological mechanisms such as the autonomic nervous system, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, and Melzack's pain neuromatrix theory that are associated with both psychopathology and chronic pain. Regulation and dys-regulation of these physiological mechanisms link the concomitant effects and expressions of mind/body. This includes a certain felt sense associated with signs and symptoms of chronic pain. The numerous modalities of somatic psychology use the body as a medium to address the person as whole in areas of cognition, behavior, and affect, associated with a bodily felt sense as it relates to chronic pain. By tuning into these bodily cues one can become aware and mindful of the psychosocial dynamic related to their chronic pain as well as learn to regulate these physiological functions. Coming from a conventional medical model in physical therapy I am able to integrate somatic psychology as par part of my treatments. This allows me to use certain breathing techniques, mindful/awareness, and other somatic modalities to address the person holistically. Above all somatic psychology gives me the tools to empathically attune into the person rather than only treat chronic pain.
For more information regarding Dr. Morales' work please email us at info@sbgi.edu
Kristi Foster, PhD(c)
Somatic Psychology Department
Dissertation Presentation:
Adolescent Girls, Bodily Voice, and Sexual Health: Developing Somatic Psychological Understandings
Abstract
Findings suggest adolescent girls who are in touch with their bodies and their erotic desire are more agentic, better contraceptors (Thompson, 1990), and have more sex-positive attitudes than less embodied girls (Hirschman, Impett, & Schooler, 2006; Thompson, 1990; Tolman, 1994a; Tolman & Szchala, 1999). The concept of embodiment is a somatic psychological concept. In an effort to build a bridge between somatic psychological theory and sexuality research I have operationalized bodily voice through the lenses of polyvagal theory (Porges, 2001), emotional state, Damasio's (1999) theory of self, psychoanalytic theory, and somatic psychological theory.
This study focused on understanding the role bodily voice played in participants' adolescent sexual health. Bodily voice is defined as the knowledge and narration of the communication one's body offers through the felt sense. The participants involved in the study were six somatically trained women. Listening Guide methodology was employed to develop understanding of the relationships between bodily voice and the voices of self, culture, and sexual health. Results suggest bodily voice is intimately connected to a sense of self and plays a part in awareness of safety, expression of agency, and awareness of erotic arousal in adolescent girls' sexual experience. Bodily voice was found to be a complex phenomenon interacting with several different variables.
For more information regarding Dr. Foster's work, including slides from her dissertation defense, please email us at info@sbgi.edu |
