Somatic Therapy for Women's Pelvic Pain and Health

Understanding the Somatic Approach for Women's Health

The field of somatics focuses on deepening awareness of and reconnecting women with their inner bodily experiences to resolve health issues and trauma. The Somatic Institute of Womens Health specializes in applying somatic principles to address chronic pelvic pain and other sensitive conditions uniquely impacting women.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy involves tuning into ones body signals and sensations to uncover restricted movement or denied emotional patterns often stemming from past trauma. By cultivating mind-body awareness, somatics aims to relieve associated muscular tension or distress for improved functioning.

Treatment is tailored to each womans needs and aims to empower them with somatic tools to better self-regulate going forward.

How the Institute Helps Women Through a Somatic Lens

The Somatic Institute provides individualized care plans to treat complex urological/pelvic pain disorders, sexual dysfunction concerns, menstrual problems, incontinence issues and related challenges prevalent among women.

Their specialized somatic pelvic floor rehab approach helps identify and shift restrictive behaviors or unhealthy thought processes around womanhood and sexuality rooted in toxic societal, educational or relationship patterns.

A Somatic Framework for Healing Womens Pelvic Pain

Dr. Rachel Zoffness developed the Institutes core self-regulating somatic framework specifically to address hard-to-treat pelvic pain rooted in dysfunctional nervous system, muscle and connective tissue adaptations.

Assessing Nervous System Contributions

Pelvic pain often stems from overwhelmed central nervous systems stuck in chronic stress response patterns. Assessing stress hormone imbalances, anxiety levels, trauma history and neural sensitivity helps gauge contributions.

Evaluating Muscle Tension Dysfunction

Disregulated pelvic floor and core muscles that are overly tense, weak or fatigued play a key role as well. The Institute examines trigger points and myofascial tightness to determine involvement.

Considering Connective Tissue Restrictions

Restrictive binding by inert connective tissues surrounding pelvic nerves, muscles and organs further heighten sensitivity to pain signals over time. Looking for tissue irregularities and adhesion helps weigh total impact.

Uncovering the Emotional Components

Suppressed emotional energy relating to reproductive system trauma or stigma around feminine sexual expression underlies many issues too. Somatic therapy gently brings awareness to these mind-body links for resolution.

Specialized Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy

Adjusting pelvic alignment, relaxing hypertonic muscles, mobilizing nerves/tissues and releasing stored tension patterns comprise the physical therapy aspect of the Institutes treatment model for lumbo-pelvic stability.

Soft Tissue and Neural Mobilization

Addressing sensitivity and adhesion along pelvic floor structures, abdominal fascia, thighs, lower back and hips is pivotal. Specialized massage coupled with nerve gliding techniques restore mobility and calm neural activity.

Neuromuscular Re-education

Teaching patients to first sense then progressively relax, strengthen and control pelvic region musculature helps build proprioceptive capacity critical for sustained self-regulation of pain triggers.

Therapeutic Pain Modulation

External electrical stimulation, ultrasound and heat/cold therapies break pain-spasm-pain cycles to provide relief when women most need it during early rehab stages when movement remains limited.

Complementary Wellness Support

The Institute also incorporates mindfulness, emotional processing guidance and nutrition optimization to address mental barriers around trauma and target internal trigger sources holistically.

Mindfulness-Based Pain Management

Cultivating non-judgmental somatic body presence diminishes top-down cognitive pain amplification and sensitization over time while lowering emotional reactivity as well.

Trauma-Informed Counseling

Collaborating with trauma specialists ensures space for open, safe processing of buried emotions that need addressing for complete healing and breaking of harmful unconscious bodily holding patterns.

Diet Considerations

Determining inflammatory food triggers + gut health imbalances contributing to pelvic pain provides an opportunity to adjust nutrition to help resolve the issues from inside-out as well.

Empowering Lasting Pain Improvements

This comprehensive somatic approach delivers lasting improvements for 80% of patients including many who had nearly lost hope after years struggling with unresolved pelvic pain and dysfunction issues.

If ongoing pain or discomfort is diminishing your quality of life, consider contacting specialized pelvic floor rehab somatic bodyworkers like those the Somatic Institute for Womens Health provide.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.