October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Some of us feel intense sadness on this day. Others want to avoid it entirely. Some of us find hope in the community on this day, and others prefer to carve out alone time to remember their baby and their loss. However you chose to honor this day is completely up to you and your needs!
I will be hosting a live event on Zoom on October 15th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm EST. During this time, we will talk about the nuances of this day, connect with other loss parents, and light a candle at 7pm for the Wave of Light ceremony. This event will be available for all paid subscribers of The Miscarriage Therapist. If you wish to attend, simply upgrade your subscription by the day of the event (you only need to be a monthly subscriber!). I will send out the Zoom link to all paid subscribers.
The Healing Impact of Somatic Therapies
Written by our newest provider at The Miscarriage Therapist, Fiona Smith
The grief experienced following pregnancy loss can be kaleidoscopic: it impacts our cognitive functioning and also has a profound effect on our bodies, where trauma is often stored. Even after we have mentally processed grief, our nervous systems can retain an imprint of the experience, impacting our ability to operate in our daily lives.
This might feel like you are on high alert, on edge, or in a constant state of fight or flight. You might notice that you can feel overwhelmed more easily, or that it is more difficult to focus. These are some signs that the amygdala, the area of the brain that processes perceived threats, is activated. Talk therapy helps us to understand and make sense of our grief. Somatic therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) can be helpful in reconnecting to our bodies and healing the nervous system. Unlike traditional talk therapy, these somatic techniques work from the “bottom-up,” working with the body to heal the nervous system. Somatic techniques guide us back into our bodies, where we notice sensations, tension, pain, and ease. In working with our physiology, rather than ignoring it, we are reuniting our brains with our bodies to soothe the nervous system and help recalibrate our stress hormones.
What is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing?
EMDR was designed by Dr. Francine Shapiro and incorporates bilateral eye movements while processing and discussing challenging memories. The bilateral movement of the eyes simulates REM sleep which synchronizes the amygdala with the rest of the brain. This technique enhances communication between the two hemispheres of the brain, integrating our memories through our various brain structures. Over multiple sessions, EMDR helps mitigate the pain that certain memories have caused, reducing our stress activation responses. EMDR incorporates the “talk” aspect of traditional therapy yet utilizes bilateral stimulation to improve memory processing.
What is Somatic Experiencing?
Created by Peter A. Levine, a renowned trauma author and researcher, Somatic Experiencing resolves accumulated symptoms of stress, shock, and trauma in the body. This therapy focuses on perceived bodily sensations. SE addresses nervous system dysregulation and is built on the premise that we have an innate resiliency in our bodies and an internal capacity for regulation. It is a holistic treatment that puts the participant in touch with sensations felt in the body. SE integrates elements of talk therapy (though participants are not required to tell their stories) with a focus on body awareness.
After a Pregnancy Loss
A pregnancy loss is an incredibly physical, visceral experience. It makes sense that our emotions are stored in our bodies after this experience, because the mind and the body are connected: we are delivering our wanted babies and are experiencing physical pain, while our hearts are breaking. Utilizing these somatic and traumatic therapeutic modalities can be very helpful to addressing the pain you experience after a pregnancy loss.
Have you participated in Somatic Experiencing or EMDR? What did you find helpful?