Peter Levine's EFFECTIVE Exercises to Overcome Trauma

Summary

Peter Levine explains that trauma is registered not only in thoughts and memories, but also in the body and nervous system. Somatic Experiencing helps people notice bodily sensations and gradually experience states that contrast with fear, isolation, and overwhelm. Levine says this body-focused approach can be used across languages and cultures, and has been applied to shock trauma as well as developmental and chronic stress.

He also discusses neuroception, Stephen Porges’s term for how the nervous system detects safety, threat, or life danger. Levine describes the vagus nerve as carrying information between the brainstem and internal organs. In his account, body-focused exercises can provide new signals of safety and support regulation. He emphasizes that a practitioner should observe and respond to the person rather than run exercises mechanically or rely only on elapsed time.

Exercise and practice points

• Gentle “woo” exhale: Take an easy, full breath that begins in the belly and gently expands into the chest. As you exhale, let the breath leave completely while making a soft “woo” sound from the belly. Then allow the next inhale to come on its own, rather than pulling it in or counting breaths.
• Repeat for a few breaths, keeping the breathing light and comfortable. Levine cautions against high, effortful breathing.
• Notice bodily responses: Attend to sensations, feelings, thoughts, and images. The exercise is intended to support comfort or reassurance, not to force a particular reaction.
• Jaw movement: Levine suggests gently engaging or retracting the jaw as a way of connecting with what he calls “healthy aggression”—the capacity to stand up for oneself and move toward what one needs.
• Rest and allow settling: After the breaths and jaw movement, pause and observe what happens. Levine describes gently shifting attention from side to side. The transcript also refers to light and eye movement, though some details are unclear.
• Eyes open or closed: Levine says either may be appropriate. He generally starts with eyes open for people with significant trauma so they can stay connected to a present, supportive person. Closing the eyes may help some people turn inward.
• Use an empathetic witness: Levine stresses the value of a present, responsive person who notices and validates the individual’s experience, rather than simply saying that something has changed.
• Let the person’s response guide the pace: In the demonstration, Levine discusses beginning with shorter periods and shifting toward integration when the person appears calmer and their breathing becomes easy and spontaneous. He mentions changes in facial warmth and color as possible signs of autonomic shifts, while emphasizing observation rather than timing alone.
• Keep methods separate: He advises using one method at a time rather than combining different approaches in one session. He describes moving to SMR to deepen integration, but the transcript does not clearly define the term or the equipment involved.

These points are presented as elements of Levine’s therapeutic approach, with the session guided by close observation of the person’s response.

Presenters and sources

• Presenter: Peter Levine, developer of Somatic Experiencing.
• Interviewer: Not identified in the subtitles.
• Named source: Stephen Porges, whom Levine credits with coining the term neuroception.
• Other works and collaborators mentioned: Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma; In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness; Trauma and Memory; Protecting Your Children from Trauma; and books with Maggie Klein and Maggie Phillips.