Do You Use Your Body to Make Decisions? Insights from a Somatic Therapist in San Francisco

Somatic Therapy San Francisco

When most people think about how they make decisions, they assume they use thinking and logic to arrive at what choice to make. However, the reality is quite a bit more complicated. If we look at the language we use when giving advice about making decisions, it becomes obvious that we use parts of our body to help us decide what course to take. People say things like “follow your heart” or “go with your gut” when talking about decision-making. But what does that mean? These phrases emphasize sensations in the body that speak to a bodily origin for intuition and knowing.

To delve into the physical sensations around making a decision, take a moment and recall a memory where you KNEW that what you were doing was not the right for you. It could be a simple memory e.g. you did something as a child you knew you would lead to a bad outcome (a classic is touching the hot stove) or maybe you were hanging out with someone that had different morals than you that led to risky behavior. Now as you think of that memory, notice the sensations in your body without judgment. You might want to write them down. Note that any sensations are welcome. Take a minute to reflect on those sensations. Where were they located? Were they particularly pleasant or unpleasant? Chances are that some of these physical sensations were present during the time that memory was taking place. Or maybe you were not able to access any physical feelings when thinking of that memory. . .that is notable as well. Whatever your experience, it may give some insight into your ability to access your body’s wisdom.

Physical Sensations Are Information For Us To Use In Decision-making

We experience different physical sensations in our body that we can use as data: data to help us determine how we feel and what to do next. However, a lot of the time we ignore our bodies. If you had trouble locating or identifying physical sensations, that might be the case. Culturally we are taught that certain emotions (that are indicated to us by physical sensation) are considered embarrassing or inconvenient. So we can learn to shut down emotions or sensations that we deem “bad.” This can also happen when we have experienced psychological trauma that results in being overwhelmed by unpleasant or uncomfortable physical sensations. Unfortunately, when we cut off one pesky emotion, we cut off our access to other emotions or feelings as well. If we do this for years, we lose access to the physical sensations that can help influence our decisions. How can we listen to a gut feeling if we have been blocking out any feelings or sensations for a prolonged period of time?

How Can Somatic Therapy San Francisco Help Me Learn To Use My Body’s Intuition?

If you have difficulties OR have no idea how to use your body wisdom for decision-making, don’t despair! Somatic therapy is available to assist! Somatic therapy can help you learn to engage physical sensations you previously ignored so that you may become more connected to yourself and your emotions. At first it may feel overwhelming to pay attention to bodily sensation—and it may be confusing to sort out what sensations to focus on. A somatic therapist uses the body to help you discern what is happening physically, emotionally, and mentally. They can look at your body language and make observations, while asking thoughtful questions that both increase your level of discernment around physical sensations and build your emotional intelligence. You can use this enhanced connection to your body to develop your intuition and hone in on what feels “right” when it comes to making choices. A person that is connected to his/her/their body is better able to make decisions that align with their values and priorities. If you would like to learn more about somatic therapy’s benefits, please contact me at lisa@lisamanca.com. I would love to discuss how to foster a better connection to yourself, your body, and your emotional world!