5 Points to Consider when choosing a somatic therapist

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1. What training has the practitioner completed?

 

Psychotherapy, Counselling and Somatic Therapy are unregulated professions, this means that anyone can call themselves one of these titles, even with no training! A professional looking website does not mean the provider is legitimate.

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Some providers who advertise themselves as working with trauma or working somatically may have only read a book, completed a single day workshop, or a weekend or several day course in somatics, and then offer 'somatic trauma therapy' and call themselves 'somatic trauma therapists'.

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Other providers may have completed the full 3 year SE training through an organisation like SOSI (somatic experiencing internationale), which delivers the training developed by Peter Levine, the founder of SE, as well as that provider being trained in another form of therapy.

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2. What is their professional background? -

 

Some practitioners have a background as a yoga teacher, social worker, massage therapist or some other allied profession, others have professional training in counselling and psychotherapy.

 

Even the full 3 year training in Somatic Experiencing does not cover many key basic aspects to therapy provision which would be covered in any counselling or psychotherapy training.

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So, it might be important to know what other training the provider has had.​​

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3. Are they registered with a recognised professional body like BACP, UKCP, COSCA, BABCP, BPS?

 

Do they have a professional body? Do they recieve supervision? Can you check the website of the professional body? Do they have ethical guidelines? Is there protection for you if things go awry? There is no protection for you if the provider is not registered with a relevant and legitimate professional body.

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4. How much experience do they have?

 

Some providers might be very recently trained, others may have been working in the field for many years. If it is not clear from the website, you may wish to ask.

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5. What does your gut response say?

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As Carl Rogers, founder of person centred therapy would say ' It is the relationship that heals', do you feel that you could trust this person, that there is enough of a click? It can be worth trying a few therapists to see how it feels.

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