Riding the Waves of Emotions: A Science-Backed Exploration Through Somatic Experiencing
Emotions are often likened to waves. They can crest with intensity, then retreat, leaving us in a different state of mind than before. Yet, understanding how to navigate them, or "ride the waves," can be transformative, particularly when we approach them from a science and somatic experiencing perspective. By exploring the physiological processes underlying our emotional responses and integrating the body’s role in emotional regulation, we can gain a greater sense of control over our emotional lives.
The Science Behind Emotions: More Than Just Feelings
Emotions are complex physiological states influenced by both brain activity and bodily sensations. At their core, emotions are responses to our environment, shaped by evolutionary pressures to help us navigate challenges and opportunities for survival. When we experience an emotion, it is a result of both a brain-driven reaction to a stimulus and a physical response from our bodies.
In the brain, the amygdala acts as a key player, processing emotional reactions to stimuli, especially fear and threat. This sets off a cascade of neurochemical responses that trigger the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—the system responsible for regulating involuntary bodily functions like heart rate, respiration, and digestion. The sympathetic branch of the ANS prepares us for action ("fight or flight"), while the parasympathetic branch works to bring us back to a state of calm after the threat is gone ("rest and digest").
What’s crucial in this process is that our bodies do not simply react to emotions; they also store them. The body’s response to stress, fear, or anxiety can manifest as tight muscles, a racing heart, or shallow breathing, even long after the event that triggered those emotions has passed. Over time, the body may become conditioned to react in certain ways to specific emotions, which can lead to a feeling of being stuck in an emotional state.
Somatic Experiencing: Listening to the Body's Wisdom
Somatic experiencing (SE), developed by Dr. Peter Levine, is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals tune into the body's sensations and release the tension or trauma stored within it. SE is grounded in the understanding that emotions are not just mental phenomena but also embodied experiences. By paying attention to bodily sensations and using techniques to shift these sensations, SE aims to help individuals process and release unresolved emotional experiences.
When we experience an emotion, it triggers specific sensations in our body. These sensations are often subtle at first—an uncomfortable tightness in the chest, a fluttering in the stomach, or a tension in the shoulders. Instead of pushing these feelings away, somatic experiencing encourages us to observe and gently allow them to unfold. By doing so, we "ride the waves" of emotions rather than resisting or suppressing them.
How to Ride the Waves of Emotion: Practical Tips
Tune into Your Body: One of the first steps in somatic experiencing is becoming aware of the physical sensations associated with your emotions. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and notice where you feel the emotion in your body. Is there tightness? Heat? A sense of heaviness or lightness? The more you can identify these sensations, the easier it becomes to process the emotion.
Breathe Through It: Breathing is a powerful tool in regulating emotional states. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling to the body that it is safe to relax. Slow, mindful breaths can help to discharge the intensity of the emotional wave and bring you back to a state of calm.
Use Grounding Techniques: Grounding techniques help you stay present in the moment, supporting your mind from spiraling into anxiety or overwhelm. Simple techniques like feeling your feet on the ground, gently pressing your hands together, or noticing the textures around you can anchor you to the present, making it easier to ride out intense emotions.
Move Your Body: Emotions are often stored in the body, and movement can be a powerful way to release them. A gentle stretch, walk, or wiggle. Movement allows you to "complete" the emotional response cycle, just as animals do in the wild after a stressful situation.
Stay with the Sensation: Instead of immediately labeling your emotions as "good" or "bad," simply stay with the sensation without judgment. When we allow ourselves to feel emotions without trying to change them or push them away, we can often experience a sense of relief. This approach allows the emotion to process and dissipate naturally.
Practice Self-Compassion: Riding the waves of emotion requires patience and self-compassion. Be gentle with yourself as you navigate emotional highs and lows. Remind yourself that emotions are temporary, and like waves, they will eventually pass. Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding that you would offer to a friend going through a tough time.
Why Riding the Waves of Emotions is Important
Emotions, when properly processed and understood, are not inherently destructive. They are signals that our body sends to help us make sense of our internal and external worlds. By learning to "ride the waves" rather than resist them, we can embrace our emotional experiences and move through them in healthier, more resilient ways.
Somatic experiencing teaches us that emotions do not need to be feared or suppressed they simply need to be acknowledged and experienced fully. When we allow ourselves to tune into our body's sensations, we develop a deeper sense of emotional intelligence, resilience, and connection to ourselves.
By accepting emotions as temporary waves—each rising, cresting, and receding—we can create space for emotional freedom. We learn that, much like the waves of the ocean, our emotions may be vast and powerful, but they can always be ridden, understood, and ultimately, released.
About Rooted Healing
At Rooted Healing, we specialize in trauma-informed care that goes beyond traditionl talk therapy. We utilize holistic approaches such as EMDR and Somatic Experiencing. If you’re looking to heal from past trauma, anxiety, PTSD, or other emotional challenges, we’re here to help you on your journey. Contact us today by clicking here to learn more about how these modalities can help you reclaim your life.
