Somatic Therapy and the Gut
I built my business and my credibility on my knowledge around functional labs. I run these on every client I work with and get so much data. I love data – I think data empowers us to make changes and can really move the needle.
But I kept getting stuck.
I could move my clients so far in their journey until they would hit a roadblock or step back into old patterns and habits. Why would this happen as the body was healing and the gut was stabilizing?
Humans are energy.
We are emotional, energetic and beautifully complex creatures. Our thoughts and beliefs are one of the most critical aspects to assess when on the path to healing. What do you believe is true about your health?
If you think that you are a medical anomaly, your body is broken or dysregulated, health is your destiny… supplements and lifestyle changes are only going to get you so far. In order to heal we have to step into our human side. We have to look at all of the things that make us uncomfortable and start to challenge some deeply ingrained beliefs we have about ourselves.
This is why I include Somatic Therapy coaching in all my programs.
A somatic therapist can help a person learn to use their bodies, trust their bodies and notice when they are having a physical response to something going on in their minds. They utilize techniques such as breathing exercises, visualization, tapping, uncovering limiting beliefs and creating a safe space to heal.
Meet Kara
I hired Kara Kihm, an incredible therapist and reiki practitioner to support our groups. This work allows us to go deeper than just labs and allows us to safely challenge our thought patterns.
Kara combines her expertise as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Reiki Master (RMT), and uses traditional therapy models such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) as well as meditative practices, breathing techniques, and imagery to help reduce emotional distress. This blend allows her to focus on the connection of mind, body, and spirit to nurture each individual client as a whole being.
Kara says, “I use a somatic approach to help individuals communicate with their body. Pain, illness, or physical symptoms are just messages from the body. If we can learn to communicate with our body and tenderly care for its needs we can often reduce symptoms. If we only focus on the body or the mind, we don’t address the whole person. The body and mind are integrally connected.”
An integrative, holistic approach is key to healing. I have watched this work relieve my clients of suffering, get clarity on their lives and their bodies and start to take more intentional aligned action in their lives.
The Mind Gut Connection
So how and why does it work?
“We now know in the therapy world that the missing link in mental health is the gut. 90% of our brain's chemicals are made in our guts,” Kara explains. “The chemicals that create happiness such as dopamine and serotonin are actually produced in our gut and research is now showing that our gut is our second brain.”
What we put in our gut directly affects our mental health and brain chemistry. On the flipside, looking at physical health, when we are stressed and cortisol/adrenaline pumps through our bodies, basic metabolic functions shut down.
We often lose our appetite or find ourselves overeating. Our digestive processes don’t function properly, and we actually stop making digestive enzymes. When we are stressed and not functioning in our resiliency zones, one of the first things affected in our bodies is our gut.
“So for me it seems clear that mental health practitioners should be partnering with dietitians, naturopaths, and holistic doctors to use an integrative approach to healing and help with whole body healing,” Kara says.
On top of the physiological reasons, part of my responsibility is equipping clients with tools they need for long term success. Emotional healing is a part of that.
I have learned that women need to heal their relationship with their bodies, themselves, and that a nurturing space with other women is often a missing link. Somatic therapy groups provide safety and support, and a solid foundation for lasting healing.
The Gut, Intuition, and Imagination
Another aspect of Kara’s work that excites me is her focus on intuition and imagination. How often do you hear people talk about “following their gut”? Well, there’s something to it.
“Our gut is an integral part of receiving internal messages and following our intuition. If I can help people in the Gut Restoration program learn to communicate with their gut and understand their gut holds great wisdom, then they can create a new relationship with their body,” Kara says.
Intuition is Kara’s favorite topic. She even wrote a book about how her life radically changed when she started fearlessly following her intuition.
Through my lens, I see so many women who have dissociated themselves from their bodies, especially their gut, because it has become an enemy to them. How powerful it is when that relationship is restored.
One way that we can change that narrative is through imagination.
Kara describes, “Michelle Shine has her Ph.D and is a biomedical scientist. She wrote a book called Mana Gardening, which blends science and spirituality, and the quote I love most from her book is, ‘What we imagine is real on a biological level.’ Science has shown, the body doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination. To our brains it’s all the same.”
Imagination plays an important role. Our bodies are always responding to the messages it receives. If we begin to imagine we are healthy and our gut is healing, then our body actually responds to this new input.
We can use imagination to communicate with our gut and actually visualize healing, tapping into our greatest wisdom and power.
At Fearless Fig, we understand the importance of a multi-pronged approach to healing. Just focusing on one body system or one lab or one healing modality isn’t always enough to sustain long-term healing. There is an art, a science, a love that goes into building a structure that promotes digestive healing.
Gut alchemy is exactly that. It blends the three pillars of healing: Science, Self and Connection. With these three critical elements in balance, the healing journey can begin and continue throughout life. You aren’t just taught how to fix one imbalance – you are taught how to change the way you approach healing and are given an entirely new set of tools.
In our program you are taught how to step back into your power and become your greatest healer.
Are you ready for a little alchemy in your life? Join us in the Fearless Gut Restoration Program.