När kroppen får tala: En kvalitativ studie av terapeuters upplevelser av Somatic Experiencing som terapeutisk metod

Sammanfattning

This bachelor’s thesis is a qualitative study examining licensed psychologists’, psychotherapists’ and counseling therapists’ experiences of Somatic Experiencing (SE) as a therapeutic method. SE is a body-oriented approach grounded in the regulation of the nervous system. Research on SE remains limited, and to date there is no previous research focusing on therapists’ own experiences of working with the method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five practicing SE therapists and analyzed using thematic analysis. The analysis resulted in three overarching themes: (1) the body and the nervous system as the foundation of the therapeutic process; (2) therapeutic presence and self-regulation as central aspects of the work; and (3) SE as a complementary method within a broader therapeutic context. Participants described SE as a way of working that deepens the understanding of clients’ stress reactions and enables a responsive therapeutic practice focused on regulating the autonomic nervous system. At the same time, they emphasised that SE is rarely used as a standalone method. The findings contribute to increased knowledge about how SE is experienced and applied in clinical practice. However, the generalisability of the results is limited by the small and relatively homogeneous sample. Further research is needed, particularly regarding clients’ experiences and how SE is integrated with other forms of treatment.