Healing Developmental Trauma through Somatic Experiencing Touch

29 Dec

Healing Developmental Trauma and Attachment Wounds through Somatic Experiencing Touch Therapy

In trauma therapy, Somatic Experiencing (SE) Touch Therapy has emerged as a transformative approach, particularly for individuals dealing with developmental trauma, attachment disruptions, and complex trauma. This blog explores the neurobiological foundations and healing effects of SE Touch Therapy, focusing on how gentle, intentional touch can support nervous system regulation, affect balance, and emotional resilience. We’ll dive into the science behind therapeutic touch, the long-term benefits for trauma recovery, and real-life examples that illustrate the powerful impact of touch in fostering self-regulation and inner strength. Whether you’re a client or a professional interested in trauma healing, this blog provides an in-depth look at how SE Touch Therapy can enhance resilience and restore a sense of safety within the body.

In trauma therapy, especially when addressing complex and developmental trauma, traditional talk therapy can fall short. Individuals with disrupted early attachments or trauma histories often need more than words; they need a body-centered, somatic approach. Our early experiences shape how we connect with others, how we respond to stress, and how we feel about ourselves. Somatic Experiencing (SE) Touch Therapy is one modality that can provide a powerful pathway for reconnecting people to their bodies, helping them regulate their nervous systems, and supporting a healing process that goes beyond talking about the trauma that happened.

Understanding Developmental Trauma and Attachment Wounds

Developmental trauma stems from stressful or frightening experiences in early life, often arising from inconsistent caregiving, neglect, or environments that felt unsafe. These experiences impact our developing brain and nervous system, leading to patterns of hyper vigilance, difficulty with emotional regulation and challenges in forming trusting relationships. Attachment wounds go hand-in-hand with developmental trauma, when caregivers are unable to provide consistent, nurturing support. Without this early template and foundation of what a secure and nurturing relationship looks like, it can be hard to form secure connections ad an adult and this can leave lasting effects on how we experience relationships and handle emotions.

Developmental trauma has an impact on the body as it disrupts our natural stress response and, in turn, our nervous system. Early experiences of fear or stress often trigger repeated fight, flight, or freeze responses. Without opportunities to fully process these experiences, these responses can become “stuck” in the body, leaving the nervous system in a state of hypervigilance or shutdown even in safe environments.

Attachment wounds also contribute to this dysregulation. When caregivers are nurturing and consistent, a child’s nervous system learns to relax, recognizing a stable source of safety. Without this, protective mechanisms take over, leading to distrust and a lack of internal calm. Often, these patterns persist into adulthood, creating chronic anxiety, relational difficulties, or even physical health challenges. These early disruptions affect not only emotional development but also physical regulation, as the body braces against threats even when none exist. These early experiences of dysregulation underscore the need for an approach like SE Touch Therapy, which works not only with the mind but also with the body, helping to repair and re-pattern the nervous system where trauma responses are often stored

The Vital Role of Touch in Emotional and Neurobiological Regulation

Touch is more than a fundamental need; it’s as vital to our survival as food, especially for individuals recovering from trauma. Therapeutic touch can have profound effects on neurobiological systems, influencing brain areas involved in regulation, resilience, and emotional stability. For individuals with early attachment disruptions or complex trauma, experiencing safe, intentional touch in therapy can be a transformative way to establish safety within their own bodies.

Neurobiologically, touch impacts systems targeted by antidepressants and anxiolytics. Safe touch stimulates dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—neurotransmitters associated with bonding, mood regulation, and stress relief. Therapeutic touch also reduces cortisol, the primary stress hormone, enabling the nervous system to return to a regulated, resting state. This process evokes a relaxation response, establishes a foundation for emotional safety, and can allow positive emotions that trauma might otherwise obscure. Field, T. (2010). Touch for socioemotional and physical well-being: A review. Developmental Review, 30(4), 367-383. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2011.01.001.

Dr. Ofer Zur, a leading voice in therapeutic touch, emphasizes, “Touch is one of the most essential elements of human development: a form of communication, critical for healthy development and one of the most significant healing forces.” This understanding speaks directly to the role touch plays in forming secure attachments and emotional regulation. In my Brisbane practice, I often see how the effects of early wounds linger into adulthood, affecting the way clients experience connection and self-regulation. SE Touch Therapy and Somatic Experiencing can help address these effects by offering new, reparative experiences of connection, helping the body and mind release old patterns and rediscover a sense of calm and trust.

The Role of Somatic Experiencing in Healing Developmental Trauma and Attachment Wounds

Somatic Experiencing (SE), developed by Dr. Peter Levine, is a trauma therapy that directly engages the body’s natural response to trauma. Rather than focusing solely on thoughts or emotions, SE works with the body’s survival responses, helping release and process what may have remained stuck. SE allows clients to connect with and understand their body’s sensations in a way that feels safe, empowering, and transformative.

Dr. Levine’s research illustrates how animals in the wild, after experiencing a threat, naturally discharge excess survival energy through movement. Humans, however, may suppress these responses due to societal expectations or because trauma overwhelms them. SE supports the body’s release of this stored energy, helping reset the nervous system to a balanced state. Somatic Experiencing is foundational to my work with clients in Brisbane, offering a gentle way to reconnect with the body, recognize signs of stress, and establish a sense of calm and resilience.

SE Touch Therapy can support the nervous system’s ability to process and release trauma. Trauma leaves the nervous system “stuck” in patterns of fight, flight, or freeze and these patterns manifest as symptoms—hypervigilance, anxiety, dissociation, or chronic pain—that signal an underlying dysregulation.SE Touch Therapy can gently help the nervous system shift out of trauma-driven patterns, releasing the fight, flight, or freeze responses that often become stuck after traumatic events. This approach allows the nervous system to gradually re-establish a state of balance, addressing the root of these ingrained responses.

Unlike massage or bodywork, SE Touch Therapy doesn’t manipulate muscles or tissue. Instead, the therapist provides gentle, intentional touch to foster awareness of bodily sensations and support the body’s natural healing. This approach is particularly effective for individuals with developmental trauma, as it offers co-regulation experiences that promote safety and self-regulation. The goal is to help clients cultivate a “felt sense” of their bodies, fostering resilience and groundedness.

Neurobiological Mechanisms of SE Touch Therapy: Supporting the Nervous System

The therapeutic benefits of touch in trauma recovery are well-documented. Research indicates that safe touch can stimulate oxytocin release and reduce cortisol, supporting a sense of connection and decreasing stress (Field, 2010). This hormonal response is essential for those healing from developmental trauma and attachment wounds, as it provides a foundation of safety and connection necessary for lasting recovery.

SE Touch Therapy engages the body’s natural regulatory mechanisms, supporting balance within brain structures responsible for emotional regulation, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Trauma often leaves these areas hyper- or hypo-activated, disrupting the autonomic nervous system, causing cortisol to surge frequently and keeping the body in survival mode. Safe, therapeutic touch can down regulate cortisol, signalling to the brain that it’s safe to rest and can help to re-regulate this system by reducing cortisol levels, creating conditions for relaxation and healing. By gently downregulating cortisol through safe, intentional touch, SE Touch Therapy signals to the brain that it’s safe to return to a calm state. This creates conditions for relaxation and healing that may be difficult to access through talk therapy alone, helping clients achieve a deep sense of embodied safety and emotional resilience. This regulation offers an embodied experience of safety that talk therapy alone may not achieve. Gunnar, M. R., & Quevedo, K. (2007). The neurobiology of stress and development. Annual Review of Psychology, 58(1), 145-173. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.58.110405.085605.

Additionally, SE Touch Therapy can promote balanced functioning in the thalamus and insular cortex—areas tied to sensory processing and interoception. Interoception is the body's ability to sense its internal state, such as hunger, heartbeat, or tension. This awareness plays a key role in understanding and regulating emotions. By engaging these regions, therapeutic touch heightens body awareness, helping individuals understand and regulate emotions.

Safe touch engages the thalamus, modulating arousal levels and facilitating a calmer state that supports self-awareness and emotional processing.By engaging these regions, therapeutic touch heightens body awareness, helping individuals understand and regulate emotions. This interoceptive awareness is foundational in SE, allowing clients to see their bodies as sources of safety and resilience rather than sources of distress. Craig, A. D. (Bud). (2009). How do you feel—now? The anterior insula and human awareness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(1), 59-70. doi:10.1038/nrn2555.

Therapeutic touch can also provide a corrective experience, allowing clients to receive safe, nurturing contact that contrasts with past threats or neglect. SE Touch Therapy helps clients experience secure attachment within the therapeutic relationship. By offering gentle, consensual touch, the therapist builds a foundation for trust and safety, enabling clients to form secure bonds that may have been absent in their early lives This healing process engages the limbic system—the brain’s emotional center—helping clients process emotions associated with early trauma. Through safe, repeated touch, clients can rewire brain regions, creating new associations of safety and support. Over time, SE Touch Therapy helps release stored trauma and fosters a flexible, resilient nervous system that adapts to challenges. Schore, A. N. (2001). The effects of early relational trauma on right brain development, affect regulation, and infant mental health. Infant Mental Health Journal, 22(1-2), 201-269. doi:10.1002/1097-0355(200101/04)22:1<201::AID-IMHJ8>3.0.CO;2-9.

Studies also have shown that therapeutic touch enhances self-soothing, increases birth weight and cortical development in infants, and re-regulates vagal tone—a marker of autonomic regulation. In adults, it improves attachment, synchrony with partners, and reduces postpartum depression effects, underscoring the power of touch for both physical and emotional health.Field, T. (2014). Touch. Developmental Review, 34(3), 224-238. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2014.03.001.

Therapeutic touch has also been shown to reduce cortisol and Substance P (linked to pain), while increasing dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin—neurochemicals essential for bonding and mood regulation. Turner, J. G., Clark, A. J., Gauthier, D. K., & Williams, M. (1998). The effect of therapeutic touch on pain and anxiety in burn patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28(1), 10-20. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.1998.00754.x

One goal of SE Touch Therapy is to support a person’s affect regulation, enabling them to manage their emotions responsively rather than feeling completely overwhelmed by them or feeling completely numb or disconnected. Dysregulation is a common trauma-related experience and often presents in two main forms:

Hyper arousal: This upregulation of stress responses is marked by high cortisol, adrenaline, and reactivity to triggers. People in this state often experience anxiety, panic, and a pervasive sense of danger.
Hypo arousal: This under-activation of stress responses may manifest as feelings of numbness, disconnection, or dissociation, often corresponding with depressive symptoms and low motivation.

Overall, SE Touch Therapy can support people to move toward a more regulated state where they can experience emotions without overwhelm. Through the therapist’s regulated, grounded presence, SE touch facilitates co-regulation, where the client’s nervous system synchronizes with the therapist’s calm state. This process models healthy affect management, helping clients internalize a sense of safety and resilience.

How SE Touch Therapy in Brisbane Supports Healing from Developmental Trauma and Attachment

1. Finding Emotional Regulation Through Co-Regulation

One of the unique aspects of SE Touch Therapy is the opportunity for co-regulation—where the therapist’s calm, regulated presence supports the client’s nervous system in moving toward balance. This experience is transformative for clients with attachment wounds, allowing them to feel safe and connected within a secure relationship. Over time, these moments of co-regulation become internalized, supporting clients in self-regulating emotions and building internal security.

For example, clients with attachment trauma may experience anxiety or dissociation in relational settings. Through SE Touch Therapy, they can begin to experience safety and connection with another person, offering a new foundation of trust that can ripple into other areas of their lives.

2. Releasing Tension and Trauma from the Body

Trauma often resides in the body as chronic tension, hypervigilance, or a tendency to disconnect from one’s physical self. SE Touch Therapy provides a gentle approach to releasing this stored survival energy, helping the body locate and release areas of tension. Through therapeutic touch, the nervous system can shift from a defensive posture to a more open, regulated state, enabling a return to balance.

3. Rebuilding a Sense of Secure Attachment Through Safe, Therapeutic Touch

Dr. Zur notes that while touch is culturally limited in certain contexts, “avoiding touch entirely may rob clients of powerful healing experiences.” SE Touch Therapy offers a safe, non-sexual experience of touch within clear boundaries, creating a reparative experience for those with attachment wounds. This safe, supportive connection fosters trust, allowing clients to develop a healthier relationship with touch and with others.

Touch as a Pathway to Emotional Resilience: Examples and Practical Outcomes

SE Touch Therapy can serve as a pathway to emotional resilience, offering people a safe, embodied experience that can help transform their relationship to their bodies and responses to stress. Through practical therapeutic applications, clients can work through trauma stored in their bodies, learn to regulate emotions, manage sensations, and rebuild a sense of self in a way that feels grounded and empowering. Here are some examples of the potential experiences and outcomes a client might encounter in SE Touch Therapy.

Example 1: Reclaiming Safety in the Body

Imagine a person who comes to therapy with symptoms of hypervigilance and chronic anxiety. They describe feeling “on edge” constantly, struggling to relax or sleep due to a persistent sense of danger. Through SE Touch Therapy, they might begin with gentle, supportive touch on their shoulders or back, combined with breathing exercises to reinforce a sense of calm.

Initially, this client could find it difficult to relax into the therapist’s touch. However, as they gradually build trust and co-regulate with the therapist’s steady presence, they may start to feel a subtle sense of safety. Over time, this experience allows their nervous system to settle, reducing hyperarousal. As a result, the client might notice improvements in their sleep and feel a newfound comfort in their own body, marking a shift toward feeling safe and calm on a deeper level.

Example 2: Building Tolerance for Emotional Connection

Consider a person who feels emotionally disconnected, numb, or withdrawn due to early attachment disruptions. They might struggle to engage with their own emotions or feel a persistent sense of isolation. In SE Touch Therapy, this client could start with touch on the hands or arms, slowly reintroducing safe physical sensations that reconnect them with their body.

At first, the client may only perceive subtle sensations, but as therapy progresses, they might feel increasingly comfortable acknowledging their body’s cues. This reconnection fosters the ability to process and accept emotions without becoming overwhelmed. Over time, the client may develop an increased tolerance for emotional connection and begin to notice improvements in their personal relationships, feeling more “alive” and engaged in daily life.

other Practical Outcomes: Moving from Survival to Adaptive Responses

Through SE Touch Therapy, clients may experience a range of practical benefits that support emotional resilience and enhance their overall quality of life. These outcomes can include:

Expanded Emotional Range: Clients gain the capacity to experience and process a wider range of emotions, shifting from survival responses toward more adaptive and nuanced emotional states.
Improved Self-Soothing Skills: With the support of safe, therapeutic touch, clients can develop self-soothing techniques that become internalized resources for calming and grounding themselves.
Strengthened Interpersonal Relationships: As clients internalize a sense of safety through touch, they may find it easier to form secure attachments and experience deeper emotional connections with others.
Enhanced Sense of Agency: Clients can develop a stronger sense of self and personal agency, feeling empowered to manage their emotions and reactions without relying solely on external sources of validation or safety.

These examples highlight how SE Touch Therapy can foster long-term resilience and equip clients with the tools needed to navigate life’s challenges in an adaptive, grounded way. The benefits of SE Touch Therapy also extend beyond the therapeutic space. By providing clients with safe, embodied experiences that encourage self-regulation, SE Touch Therapy creates can help create lasting changes in the nervous system, helping people to navigate life’s challenges with greater adaptability and inner strength. This transformation reflects our body’s natural capacity to heal, grow, and thrive, even after traumatic experiences.

One of the most significant outcomes of SE Touch Therapy is the neurological shift that occurs as clients repeatedly experience safe, regulated touch. Research shows that therapeutic touch activates the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and orbital frontal cortex (OFC)—regions of the brain involved in emotional regulation, decision-making, and social engagement. Over time, regular engagement with these brain structures helps clients build stronger neural pathways that support calmness, resilience, and adaptability. Coan, J. A., Schaefer, H. S., & Davidson, R. J. (2006). Lending a hand: Social regulation of the neural response to threat. Psychological Science, 17(12), 1032-1039. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01832.x

As these pathways strengthen, clients often report feeling more emotionally stable and equipped to handle stress without reverting to survival-based reactions. This stability is particularly valuable for trauma survivors, as it reflects a shift from hypervigilant or numbed states to a balanced, responsive mode of being. By establishing new, resilient neural connections, SE Touch Therapy empowers clients to approach life with greater ease and confidence.

Enhanced Physical and Emotional Resilience

In addition to neurological benefits, SE Touch Therapy fosters physical resilience by teaching clients to re-engage with their bodies in a safe and supportive way. Many people with trauma histories experience chronic tension, pain, or other physical symptoms due to prolonged dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. SE Touch Therapy helps to release these stored tensions, allowing clients to move out of survival-based patterns and into states of physical relaxation and healing. By reducing cortisol and other stress hormones, SE Touch Therapy supports the body’s ability to recover and maintain a balanced state. This reduction in stress markers helps clients develop an embodied sense of calm that can persist even in challenging situations. For many, this newfound physical resilience leads to a greater sense of well-being, improved sleep, and enhanced vitality.

Building an Internalized Sense of Safety and Self-Regulation

Through repeated experiences of safe touch and co-regulation with the therapist, clients learn to trust their own capacity for emotional balance. This internalization process, which involves the therapist as a model for stability, allows clients to access their own inner resources for managing stress and emotions. As clients build this internalized sense of safety, they become less reliant on external conditions for reassurance. Instead, they develop an internal compass that guides them through life’s difficulties, providing a sense of stability that they carry with them long after therapy ends. This newfound autonomy fosters a greater sense of agency, enabling clients to approach relationships, work, and personal challenges from a grounded, self-assured perspective.

Transformative Impacts on Relationships and Personal Growth

The lasting effects of SE Touch Therapy often extend into clients’ relationships and personal growth journeys. With an increased capacity for self-regulation and a stronger sense of emotional resilience, clients may find themselves engaging with others in new, healthier ways. This internal shift allows for more secure attachments, as clients are able to connect with others without fear of abandonment or engulfment. They experience relationships as sources of support and growth rather than as potential threats.

This transformation also opens up possibilities for personal growth, as clients are empowered to explore their interests, set boundaries, and pursue meaningful goals. With a stable, regulated nervous system, they are more likely to take risks, engage fully with life, and embrace new experiences.

Sustaining Resilience Beyond Therapy

Perhaps one of the most profound benefits of SE Touch Therapy is its ability to create self-sustaining resilience. By helping clients build a foundation of internal safety and self-regulation, SE Touch Therapy ensures that the progress made in therapy is not limited to the sessions themselves. Clients leave therapy equipped with a toolkit of skills and a strengthened sense of self, ready to navigate future challenges with confidence. This sustained resilience is a testament to the body’s capacity to heal and the power of therapeutic touch as a pathway to long-term well-being. For many trauma survivors, SE Touch Therapy is a transformative journey that restores their ability to live fully, connect deeply, and thrive beyond the limitations of past trauma.

Ethical Considerations for SE Touch Therapy in Developmental Trauma and Attachment Work

Incorporating touch into therapy requires careful attention to ethics and client consent. Dr. Zur advocates for the ethical use of non-sexual touch, emphasizing that “touch should be employed in therapy when it is likely to have a positive therapeutic effect.” This approach prioritizes the client’s comfort, needs, and autonomy, ensuring that touch remains a safe and healing experience.

What SE Touch Therapy Is Not

Not Massage or Bodywork: SE Touch does not involve tissue manipulation.
Not Medical Treatment: It complements rather than replaces medical care.
Not Sexual in Nature: All touch is professional, consensual, and therapeutic.
Not Focused on Catharsis: SE Touch is gradual, supporting incremental healing.

What SE Touch Therapy Is

Supports Grounding and Safety: Helps clients feel more stable and secure.
Promotes Healing at a Core Level: By restoring balance, SE Touch supports emotional and physical regulation.
Builds Trust and Resilience: Safe touch helps clients rebuild a sense of secure attachment and trust.
Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System: Therapeutic touch encourages relaxation and recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between SE Touch Therapy and traditional massage or bodywork?
SE Touch Therapy is not the same as massage or bodywork, as it does not focus on manipulating muscles or tissues. Instead, SE Touch Therapy uses gentle, intentional touch to support the body’s natural regulation processes, helping clients become more aware of their sensations and fostering a sense of safety. The aim is to facilitate emotional and nervous system healing, rather than physical relaxation or tension release.

How is SE Touch Therapy used in conjunction with other forms of trauma therapy?
SE Touch Therapy often complements other trauma therapies, such as talk therapy or EMDR, by addressing trauma’s physiological effects. While other therapies may focus on processing memories or emotions, SE Touch Therapy helps clients reconnect with their bodies and establish safety on a sensory level, creating a strong foundation for holistic healing.

Is SE Touch Therapy suitable for everyone?
SE Touch Therapy can be beneficial for many individuals, but it is always tailored to the client’s comfort level and specific needs. For some, touch may feel challenging due to past experiences or personal boundaries, and that is respected in every session. SE Touch Therapy is flexible, allowing clients to explore healing at their own pace, with or without touch, depending on what feels right.

Finding Support for Developmental Trauma and Attachment Healing in Brisbane

If developmental trauma or attachment wounds are affecting your sense of well-being, SE Touch Therapy and Somatic Experiencing offer gentle, body-centered paths to healing. I am a certifiedSomatic Experiencing (SE™) Practitioner and trained in Somatic Resilience and Regulation. By working together, we can create a safe space for you to explore, reconnect, and rebuild from within. If you’d like to know more about SE Touch Therapy or Somatic Experiencing in Brisbane, you can add your details to my waitlist here: https://www.natajsawagner.com/inner-circle Together, we’ll explore how these approaches can support your unique journey toward healing and resilience.

Natajsa Wagner https://www.natajsawagner.com

Healing Developmental Trauma through Somatic Experiencing Touch