Trusting Our Defences

You might hear me, and other somatic therapists, say to notice in the body where something shows up (e.g., a fluttery sensation in the heart or a jab in the stomach). But for those that intellectualize, who stay in their heads and avoid feeling their bodies (consciously or unconsciously), the system usually has a very good reason for doing so.

Instead of forcing embodiment when it’s beyond a tolerable level of comfort, we might become curious instead. We can begin to take stock of and notice the pattern that’s online.

“Ah, I’m doing that thing again where I stay in my head.”

In the Hakomi Method of therapy, the modality I call home, we honour and trust that our defences emerged for a protective reason. And with that in mind, we tread gently, because we know that underneath is tender territory.

So no, we don’t rush toward the defences and tear them down like wallpaper to expose, perhaps prematurely, what lies beneath. Instead, we move slowly, with great patience and even greater curiosity. And perhaps, in time, we will begin to see what the pattern has been protecting all along.

If you’re interested in exploring your own protective strategies, I encourage you to reach out and schedule a no-cost consultation call to see how I may be of service to you on your journey :)