Healing After Trauma with Dr. Peter Levine | Being Well

Somatic psychology legend Dr. Peter Levine joins Dr. Rick and I to explore how we can use body-based approaches to recover from traumatic experiences. Peter uses his personal history with trauma to illustrate the practices he’s taught to thousands of people through his work. We discuss the importance of resourcing experiences, creating safety, developing interoception, abandonment wounds, bringing a diverse perspective to somatic work, and working with shame.
Please be aware that this episode includes a description of sexual assault.
About our Guest: Dr. Peter Levine is the creator of Somatic Experiencing and the Founder and President of the Ergos Institute for Somatic Education. He’s taught at a number of universities, has received Lifetime Achievement awards from numerous organizations, and is the best-selling author of several books, including Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma, and his most recent book An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
2:10 Peter’s dream about publishing his recent book
6:40 Themes connecting the personal and professional for Peter
10:20 Physicalization, pendulation, and decontextualization of trauma
16:40 Presence with others, and moving gently into shame to move through it
21:20 The fundamental view that we our innately healthy, and completing the arc
23:40 When the prompt “feel it in your body” doesn’t work
27:55 Advice for when you don’t have access to therapy or a SEP practitioner
30:15 Tenderness
34:10 Anchoring in the here and now when accessing past memories
39:10 Conceiving of yourself as a source of safety
43:20 Generating your own internal wellbeing
46:10 Acknowledging the reality of your history, patience, and completion
49:40 Living by dying
52:20 Recap
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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 www.forresthanson.com
📸 / f.hanson
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1...
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 www.forresthanson.com
📸 / f.hanson

[@yingke_zhao]

"trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness"

[@sandramedina9482]

1- your history matters 2- you can’t change what happened but you can heal today 3- awareness of the traces in the body 4-the power of importance for creating safety 5-live by dying 💙

[@jennadee6761]

Thank you all so much for the most amazing interview! It was such a calming experience watching a conversation between three of the most gentle, humble & compassionate men I’ve ever seen in the field of psychology. Forrest, I know you’re not a psychologist but goodness, someone get this man an honorary degree, would they? 😅 Tremendous gratitude to you all & especially Peter for his vulnerability and courage to speak on such a sensitive, deeply personal topic.

[@MiPo3333]

I was thinking the same. That's a video to demonstrate how men should be allowed to be.

[@sheilasmith1109]

A wonderful Chiropractor told me about dr Lavine's book, "Waking The Tiger" years ago. He suggested it to me. I wanted to read it, but something prevented me... I now understand that I am ready! I'm so grateful for this interview and insight to my unrelenting physical pain that keeps returning. I believe that only I can heal this pain and that there is a teacher that I must look for because I'm READY for them to show up to help me!🙏❤😊

[@givepeaceachant108]

Three beautiful, soulful, "real" men. Thank you! Forrest, I hope you'll interview Dr. Peter Levine along with your dad again sometime. I think this is my favourite episode, tbh. ... it's so healing to hear men speak like this!

[@karenbird1279]

I am deeply touched by this interview with Mr. Levine. It brought me to tears. I don’t know what other words to say except Thank You to him for being such a light to the world. And thank you Forrest for bringing this interview and this awareness to me and so many others. ❤️

[@natalie.natalie.natalie]

So grateful to see Peter Levine joining you ❤

[@sallycanady3764]

Thank you for being so genuine and trusting us with your story Peter.

[@AnneAlready]

Peter is an absolute legend and an international treasure. Thank you for the great interview!

[@badmojjo]

Amazing, only a few likes for an interview with one of the best authors and pioneers in psychotherapy.

[@rochellebroglen4155]

I wish I could feel. My entire felt experience of my emotions is fear, shame, and anger. I can feel those (in varying intensities). I didn't know love was a felt experience until 4 or 5 years ago. How I knew I loved someone was that I would imagine them being gone. The thought of it would make me sad, so I knew they mattered to me. The other day, I had finished something I'd worked on for a while. It looked good. I knew I was excited and proud, but I couldn't feel a thing except the smile happening on my face. I could tune into that. I'm 51. I had no idea my childhood was traumatic until about 10 years ago, when I found a list of symptoms that described every character "flaw" I had. I actually experienced all 10 ACE's, plus a lot of other things like bullying, frequent moves, and toxic religion. For years, I couldn't even validate the impact it had on me. Even entertaining the notion that it had caused damage, or that what had happened to me shouldn't have, would trigger shame. It was so ingrained into me to not feel sorry for myself or to be "selfish". I do go to trauma therapy, and understand, from a cognitive level. But I don't know if I'll ever feel again. Thank you for this interview in the works that all of you do.

[@lizrohme2232]

Feeling so much after listening to this wonderful podcast. It is so personal and yet in a way it is all of our story. Thank you for your courage and your generous caring for others and yourselves.

[@karenslaughing]

Thank you Rick for bringing up the neurodivergent challenges and traditional mindfulness teachings and therapy may be unskillful. - as a neurodivergent person with cptsd I often felt deep shame in both meditation retreats and in therapy that I couldn’t feel the way I perceived others felt. With more awareness of how large the neurodivergent population is I am hopeful therapists and meditation teachers will continue to deepen sensitivity and skillful means for neurodivergent people. Thank you both for your very meaningful and compassionate interviews 🙏🏽❤️

[@cherylpereeia1756]

For me who is studying Somatic psychology this was an awesome chat! Thank you both and also for Peter Levine for wearing his truth on his sleeve! ❤️❤️❤️

[@sherricannon9407]

So grateful for the gift of this conversation🙏

[@MiPo3333]

Your conversations are such a gift. And thanks for highlighting at the end the idea of basically finding the sense of self inside ourselves. Feels truly important to me right now.

[@antonvannelli9085]

Love to hear Dr Levine's personal experience with trauma. He speaks like someone who was worked through multiple levels on it on a personal basis. He is a brilliant man. To expand on the importance of the "experiencing" part of this topic, most of us actually never really feel our bodies through the correct pathways/activation systems. Have 20 people line up in a row and have them lunge or test a wall sit movement and maybe 10 will report they feel their leg muscles, some will feel their knees, and some wont feel anything. Of the ones who feel their knees, when you can resequence the correct muscles.. they likely no longer feel the knee at all. This disconnect from the body is rampant. Especially so in the neurodivergent population I have worked with. It is almost all of us, in one manner or another. I have never worked with one client in the past 6 years that had significant neuro disconnection (at a muscular level) issues that did not also have significant mental health issues as well. Restoring connectivity through these systems can have an incredibly powerful impact on the nervous system.

[@FlorenceRigneau]

Peter Levine would have been the unique therapist I would loved to had. His presence and authenticity and openness ❤. I'm particularly touched tonight because I'm currently writting my own story with my how-to's althought I've never dreamed of writing a book. But I think that it could help some people . Apart from this, I'm still waiting for my pre-ordered copy of Peter's last book...I'm sure it will come at the best moment for me.

[@bones642]

This was amazing. it helped me understand my mom and my hubby. I’m so sorry for the trauma you had to experience. It’s beautiful that you’re so healed you can tell the story so freely. Both my mom and my hubby have maternal childhood abandonment issues, both around age 4-5. My mom never healed hers and couldn’t hug us or touch us, but she did whip us with a lot of things, mostly mini blind handles, almost every day for attitude or if she thought we needed it. I was an intelligent enough kid that all she had to do was tell me the reasons to behave and I would have. It made me an empath to avoid her moods. It got to the point where I thought I had to have my sins beaten out every day to deserve to go to heaven, and that lasted until age 16. My dad only beat us a few times but it was much scarier and more violent. He was usually gone and a good dad when he was around. We watched a lot of Star Trek and he raced cars for fun, a good dad except for super strict religious beliefs. She’s never apologized or changed but she was a close friend growing up and we had lots of great scientific and historical conversations. I’m not religious anymore and she still is, religion is her whole life, plus she tried to lie about me after I decided not to believe her religious views and ruined my life a few times so I had to go low contact but I still love her. She had favorite kids, and unfortunately I looked like her sister who was her moms favorite. My parents convinced me that getting married was gods will, and my hubby has the same trauma as my mom. He loves being touched though he calls it scratchels and he would love that 24/7 lol all over esp arms legs and back. Our kids like it too from even before they were born they inherited it. I would kind of like to start a cuddle therapy place sometimes. Definitely have a lot of practice. I think he’s more healed than my mom. But he did try to leave me over a year ago I guess bc he thought I was going to leave him not sure. He’s mean a lot and still acts like a 4 year old it’s exhausting. I regret getting married every day it’s too much giving I’m going to die from it eventually. I kind of wish he would leave me and marry someone else and leave me alone. And I’ll just be some little old lady in a beach community lol working at a donut shop or something and the kids can call whenever or come visit and he can marry another woman and do better bc the hard part is over. And that’s cool. I’m not sure what my traumas are but I want to be a nothing an npc and live on a beach for twenty years until I turn into a piece of old driftwood listening to the sea. Oh also I run miles every day usually 15 but at least 10, take really long baths cry a lot and have like a whole body suit of massagers lol leg ones, hand ones feet ones shoulder ones. The sympathetic pains must go and they work really well. About two years ago I found out that had accidentally hurt someone in my past. and it was brutal for over a year. I’m no saint and maybe the pain came from my own pride at not being a good empath and my ego didn’t want to have been mean to anyone but holy crap that was painful to think I had hurt someone’s life. It was physical. But it healed :) and the person is doing really well now thank goodness. This helped me understand why they are like that, I appreciate it so much. ♥️

[@helenmcinerney1058]

I like the sound of that beach community for old ladies ❤😊

[@JKB-ji6xl]

When you are ready, a teacher will appear, or a few. Thank U!

[@meaghanswitzer888]

I am in continuous appreciation for your channel Forrest and Father (mentor,educator,therapist) Friends ❤

[@annaynely]

Great contributions from doctor Levine to trauma. For me it stands out that I cannot find his early life biiography on wiki or the internet, nothing about his parents. Also stands out to me that having been born in the 40s, he always tells the story that his parents' got him a train that circulated from under his bed, ,& the magical experience this was for him comprehensively cuz it gave him the important message he was loved. So I deduct that he was not brought up in abject poverty. There are many ppl in the world that have 7 or more points on the ACE study & that is what truncates ppls lives. Congrats for your life Dr. Levine!

[@sharcla8351]

God has blessed you. You use that to bless humanity. Thank you dearly and forever.🦋

[@SallyImpossible]

This interview brought me to tears a few times. Thanks for the words of hope, that although the past has shaped us we're not set in stone and we can heal ourselves.

[@vickie8105]

Thanks so much for having Dr. Peter Levine and Dr. Rick for the great and important talks. Looking forward to their talking again about the relationships between trauma and body.🙏

[@ritaesp69]

I love Dr Levine❤

[@CoralBalmoral]

Lovely gentlemen and conversation. I feel very moved by your own sensitivity as you talk about gentleness seeming to be in such short supply currently (Forest's lovely Dad very heartwarming, thank you) 🙏💕 fascinating and compelling approach and work thank you, we can't separate our minds from our bodies, after all.

[@myrhythm7522]

ooooh excited for this!! thank you

[@leaf842]

I'm glad this channel came across my home page.

[@carolynmcnamara1793]

Thank you so much for explaining this process. Helpful and very enlightening.❤

[@MsCrystalP1985]

What an amazing cocreation. Such a safe space❤️‍🩹🌱

[@joannahediger7820]

This was such a treasure trove of an interview! WOW! Thank you so much-all three of you!

[@Mushroom321-]

Wow!!, peter A.levine. got a lifetime achievement award. 🎉🎉👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@Lee-255]

Thank you 💖

[@tiiaj7589]

I am really grateful that the question was posed on how this would look for people with autism and neurodiversity. I got my autism Dx 3 years ago at the age of 40. After 20+ years of different therapists/psychologists etc. and different types of Top Down therapies that didn't work, and failed treatments like ECT and rTMS I now also have therapy trauma. I did a little somatic experiencing type therapy at about the same time as my Dx which was timely, as my anxiety and disconnect was at a frantic and explosive point. It brought me down to a level that I could semi function again. Unfortunately we couldn't afford to continue the treatments past a few months, which were mainly in de-escalation, not even beginning to deal with all the multitude of trauma in my undiagnosed life to that point, never mind my siblings suicides etc. I do wish there was a little more on the autism angle here, although what Dr. Lavine says is extremely true, maybe especially for the "atypically" presentation of autism in (most) women (and some men). If I don't feel authenticity I will shut down. I literally can't converse anymore. And unfortunately, that was an extremely rare occurrence within my therapy experience. Feeling judged by your therapist is a terrible betrayal like sensation- how can anyone begin to feel safe in that? Right now, I am trying to make the exercises and suggestions in Dr. Lavine's books work for me. Although I may be more in touch with my body's sensations than some autistic people because of my personality type, life experiences and such, I still have a struggle on how to incorporate them with no guidance from someone who is experienced in these methods. My only thought is, since I am an empath type and have been told I'm good helping friends who struggle with mental health and trauma, that maybe I should just study it. It's that thought that has made going through so much "worth it", that I would have a greater capacity to understand and help other people know how to get through similar things, to have that "companionate, understanding other" that intuitively has always made sense to me. I still need to get myself up out of the collapse I am in rn, I'm afraid of even feeling good because my nervous system tells me that whenever I do, something bad WILL happen, no matter what my logical brain says otherwise. I think it would also help alleviate a lot of the fibro and arthritis issues I've developed, and clear this brain fog and memory loss. I sincerely (viscerally, if you will, lol) wish it was possible to meet Dr. Lavine. At the same time, as he said, he has done so much in this area of understanding how the body can not be left out of the equation when it comes to healing trauma and pain and really needs to be addressed long before the cognitive mind can engage and be incorporated into the healing process. It is a legacy to be proud of!

[@RemyNas24]

Great guest 👌

[@mjparent222]

this one is the most touching interview I have seen. Peter Levine is at his best ever. As always authentic, but now, relieved, freer, open to the truth, open to the passage of life, hugging his self with love, his little golden boy with loving arms. So touching, what a process. At 82, Peter is connecting to some part for healing. Peter is healed. To see this process happen in him, tells us that it is possible for us, very reassuring. That made me feel a lot of compassion for him, and also for myself, for all of the selves, parts, that needed love in times that it was maybe not possible or when I felt alone, abandoned, not worth it, not enough. Wow, Wow, Wow ! It takes patience. Sometimes, one micro-millimeter of progress per year ! But it is worth it. some notes for me as reminder : It will take some time to let the big swirls of all this to calm down, but thank you for that, thank you for you. So sad, that dear little boy Peter had to go through so much pain. Big hug to you. To put the past back in the past. It was horrible and it was then. Now the light is coming through the window, you are safe, you are ok. Archetype of Chiron from the Greek mythology, the wounded healer. (as another one great healer : Martha Beck, she is also a wounded healer, THE WAY OF INTEGRITY FINDING THE PATH TO YOUR TRUE SELF) In a way it make sense but also why, why does this happens ? for more consciousness ? to bring more benevolence ? kindness ? in this world ? Find the presence of that empathetic other inside that cares for us, I am here, I am here for you. To reconnect with that vital child. As our essence is healthy at its core. Follow my truth wherever it took me ! Voilà ! Some pride back, leaving the shame dissolve, completing the needs, developing my own personal sense of well-being. To be really warm, and receptive and curious, inviting, in a welcoming way. The qualities : tenderness, welcoming, receptivity, gentleness, Tenderness : it has something to do with opening something inside, like our heart space. Making space and our visceral space. Thank you so so so much for everything.

[@wendy645]

Forrest, you run one of my favorite KZbin channels, and I've been wanting to learn more about this EXACT topic... this is fantastic! ❤

[@ForrestHanson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@peacefulisland67]

And actually, over the last decade or so, I've come to know the reality of changing my past. The hard data remains the same but the interpretation of it is ever evolving. It's gone from being a useless mess of half-century suffering and ignorance, of victimization, rejection, deep abandonment and nearly complete loss of self, to a life full of experience and deep knowing of what suffering is and what it can create, including redemption and intimacy with a slight reorganization of orientation. Hope. Faith. Others held space for me until I could believe by way of witnessing first hand, the same way I witnessed the cruelties, the more loving and truer ways of relating and living. Did I change the bare bones of my past? No. But everything built upon those bones has taken on a far different texture and allowed for a much wider knowing of the meaning of everything. As a foundational stone in the recovery of others, every tear shed and moment of aloneness was part of the future of healing for more than myself. Talk about joy. 💖

[@deannarobinson4065]

An exceedingly enjoyable conversation between three amazing Human Beings. Many thanks and Namaste to each of you!

[@dorishaus400]

Thank you so much

[@Sophia-yo9rp]

Brilliant interview. Thank you so much.

[@wellnesstree]

So excited for this guest and podcast ✨

[@MariEilf]

This was really good. Thank you all.

[@AutumnxWindy]

♥️🙏thank you beautiful people.A very special and intimate and a inspiring episode

[@JennyBesserit]

Really great interview. I really enjoyed listening to it. There are so few Peter Levine interviews on KZbin, so this video is really valuable

[@lmansur1000]

This was truly an amazing episode and so very helpful on so many levels. The 3 of you did such a wonderful job - it is heartwarming and healing just to listen to you and go through this conversation. Thank you so very much!! 💖

[@user-hs5vp9if9i]

Really enjoyed the video and alot resonated with me, especially the abandonment wound being primal.

[@ivandejour9806]

Needed to hear this❤

[@Mushroom321-]

It was a wonderful interview!!, all of you guys were a great group. ! There was so much to learn ! 😀

[@artynegelen786]

This going to be wonderful 🥰

[@Mushroom321-]

Id love the book !! 😯🤔😀

[@anne-marie8607]

Thank you Dr. Levine for sharing your story and your strength and strategies to your healing journey! With Such respect and appreciation !!!!!!

[@peacefulisland67]

Yay, lads!! Thank you for bring Peter on! Looking forward to Peter's latest book. Keep up the beautiful, educational and fun work. I love you guys.

[@rebeccaclark6571]

Being stuck, and holding ourselves hostage. 😢

[@bethraflowers5799]

❤❤❤

[@jo1681]

Can I request on how to live your life after healing trauma? I just finished EMDR for all my major traumas and I don’t have a strong idea of what to do with my life or what normal is.

[@hshfyugaewfjkKS]

Congrats on working to heal. I would say life is a blank slate for you now. What would bring you joy? If you're not sure then what gives you a sense of curiosity to explore? What identity can you create beyond being a trauma survivor? Do you want to travel? Explore painting? Volunteer at an elder care home? Take a French class? Have a pet if you never have (amazing sources of unconditional love!) Who do YOU want to be outside of your past? ❤ There is no normal or required way to live. There is only what you want to experience and create.

[@mjparent222]

@@hshfyugaewfjkKS what would bring joy ? is the great question !

[@nadiawilliams2375]

❤

[@peggygarcia1131]

19:06 shame strangulation

[@anneliesebartonik5501]

Please could someone explain or help me with the information that can help me get out of a nervous system that is stuck in Trauma. I am divorced but the control drama causes PTSD and still triggers me back to my past. How can I reset my nervous system into safety?

[@abtho]

I need this. Where can I find a Selma Therapist?

[@user-os9en7zk5w]

T H A N K YOU

[@JonUbick]

I do find my actions I exhibited when I thought I would be killed to be a badge of honor

[@MkwesiW901]

If we had the chance to shape a private community with Forrest, what would you want it to include? Let's share our wishlist!

[@JonUbick]

Well I now look back with pride I was paralysed (somatically rather than neurologically) and was so afraid for a year and a half, couldn’t even walk my dogs at night

[@nadiawilliams2375]

❤