Healing Through Art: Integrating Somatic Experiencing with Art Therapy

Lidia Korchemnaia
12 нояб. 2025 г.
3 мин. чтения

Art therapy offers a unique space for children to express emotions and process experiences. When combined with Somatic Experiencing (SE), it becomes a powerful method for addressing trauma and enhancing self-regulation. This integration bridges psychodynamic approaches with sensorimotor therapy, creating a multi-level pathway for healing. I would like to introduce you the short digest of the article "Healing boundaries: a teenager's experience of art therapy integrated with Somatic Experiencing" by Rivkah (Rebecca) Hetherington, MA Fine Arts, HCPC-registered Art Therapist and Psychologist

The Core Principle: Valuing the Individual Unconditionally

A key moment in therapy is when a child experiences being unconditionally valued for who they are. For Federico, a 13-year-old participant, a seemingly simple interaction with art revealed this profound experience:

“When I asked why you like this painting so much, you smiled and said, ‘Why do you think I do?’ And I whispered, ‘It’s because I did it, isn’t it?’ … It made me feel that I can be valued simply for being me.”

This moment illustrates how art therapy can validate identity and effort, helping children recognize their unique worth.

Integrating Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing (Levine, 1997) is a trauma-informed approach that enhances the nervous system’s ability to self-regulate. By paying attention to physiological signals — like breathing, muscle tension, and movement — therapists can guide children to process emotions safely.

In practice, this involves:

Observing subtle signs of hyper- or hypo-arousal
Adjusting the therapy environment to support regulation
Using body-focused techniques to externalize, process, and contain emotions

SE also provides a structured way to transform overwhelming emotions into manageable experiences. For example, Federico expressed anger by safely breaking wooden boards under supervision — a physical, controlled, and meaningful expression.

Practical Examples in Therapy

1. Playing Football in the Studio

Federico’s love of football became a therapeutic tool:

“Football needs space… it’s like the core of our journey together, protected by the ball’s surface. All our artworks are enclosed inside it — and that means sooo much.”

The game provided safe challenges, opportunities for negotiation, and bodily engagement, helping Federico experience overcoming limitations and building trust.

2. Painting on Walls and Furniture

By painting directly on walls or tables, Federico could experience support and permanence:

“I use the material directly and it’s very stable.”

This emphasizes the sensorimotor experience of reliable support, a key element in establishing safety and agency.

3. Expressing Anger Safely

Controlled physical expression, like smashing wood, allowed Federico to release and integrate anger without harming himself or others, demonstrating that emotions can be managed, contained, and transformed.

Theoretical Foundations

Psychodynamic Principles: Therapy addresses unconscious emotional experiences and relational patterns.
Sensorimotor Art Therapy (Elbrecht, 2013, 2018, 2021): Combines expressive arts with bodily awareness to process trauma.
Somatic Experiencing (Levine, 1997): Focuses on physiological regulation and safe processing of traumatic arousal.
SIBAM Model: Sensation, Image, Behaviour, Affect, Meaning — all integrated in a dynamic therapeutic process.

The combination of these frameworks allows children to move, play, and create art in a way that promotes safety, emotional regulation, and resilience.

Key Takeaways

Trauma healing is multi-level: Involves body, mind, and emotion.
Safe engagement with space and materials helps children learn control and trust.
Art is a medium, not the end goal: It supports exploration, communication, and emotional processing.
SE enhances regulation: Provides tools for therapists to monitor physiological responses and guide children safely.