01
What it is
Harvard Health describes somatic therapy as "a treatment focusing on the body and how emotions appear within the body". It also says "scant scientific research has focused on somatic therapy" (Harvard Health).
02
Common forms
- Somatic Experiencing (SE). Its organisation describes it as "a body-oriented approach", and says "SE is not a stand-alone modality" (SEI; SEI FAQ).
- Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, taught by the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute (SPI).
- Body psychotherapy more broadly (Harvard Health).
- Somatic movement and exercises, such as gentle movement and stretching. These are not clinical therapy (Cleveland Clinic).
Some somatic work involves touch, and some involves none. Ask before you book.
03
Who it may not suit
We found no medical or government source that lists who somatic therapy may not suit. Harvard Health's caution is about the evidence, quoted above, and about training: "fewer folks are going to be trained in somatic therapies than CBT" (Harvard Health). If you are in crisis or have a mental health condition that is being treated, when you need clinical care first is the place to start.
04
Credentials, and whether Arizona licenses it
We found no Arizona license for somatic work.
- Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), from Somatic Experiencing International (SEI).
- Requires "216 contact hours of training" over a three-year programme, plus personal sessions and case consultations (SEI requirements).
- SEI states: "SEI has no oversight or authority over any Somatic Experiencing® students or practitioners." It also notes that "not all students and practitioners carry a professional license with an oversight board" (SEI disclosure).
- Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist. Three levels of training. Level 3 alone is 182 hours (SPI).
Titles. In Arizona, the word "psychotherapist" and other words from the root "psycho" are reserved for people licensed or exempt under the psychology chapter (A.R.S. 32-2084).
Touch. Arizona licenses massage therapy (A.R.S. 32-4221). Whether a particular hands-on practice falls under it depends on what is done.
05
What a listing here shows for this kind of work
Because SEI says it doesn't oversee its practitioners, a listing in its directory is not a check. A somatic listing here shows:
- the certificate, confirmed with the body that issued it, with the date
- any state license the practitioner holds, or the line "Arizona behavioral health license: none held"
- the practitioner's insurance and record checks
Common questions
What is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner?
Someone who completed SEI's training: 216 hours over a three-year program, plus sessions and consultations.
Is a somatic practitioner a therapist?
Not necessarily. Some hold a license and some don't. In Arizona, “psychotherapist” is a reserved title.
Is somatic therapy evidence-based?
Harvard Health says scant scientific research has focused on it.