332: Peter Levine on How to Heal your Trauma

Feb 28, 2024

“Trauma is not so much what happened to us, but rather it's what we hold inside in the absence of that present…”

In this week’s episode of the SoulTalk podcast, I am joined by Peter Levine, a psychotherapist, author of Waking the Tiger, and Somatic Experiencing (SE) creator.

Over the past 50 years, he has developed SE, a form of alternative therapy to heal trauma and stress-related disorders, and then taught it to anyone who would listen. Peter has mentored thousands of therapists and healers across the globe. His drive and passion became a “Johnny Apple Seed” of spreading his knowledge to the world.

Today, Peter opens up about his childhood story and how it impacted his principles in life to develop SE. Discover his insights on trauma, healing, psychedelics, life lessons, and the importance of childhood experience for every human being.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed for no reason, anxiety, severe nightmares, or anything that you think might be a sign of trauma, tune in to this week’s episode to find out and learn practical tips to overcome it!

Timestamps:

• 0:53 - Guest intro.
• 2:08 - Peter’s story and inspiration for studying stress and trauma.
• 8:32 - What is trauma?
• 9:44 - Signs you’re having a trauma.
• 20:41 - Understanding the Voo sound for healing trauma.
• 29:16 - How to differentiate trauma from fear?
• 41:33 - Are psychedelics good or bad?
• 48:20 - Practical tips for raising a child to minimize trauma.
• 50:58 - Peter’s top 3 life lessons.

Some questions I ask:

• What is trauma, and how do I know I’ve been traumatized?
• If someone experiences a racing heart due to trauma, what can they do?
• Is it true that one can heal from trauma?
• What are the tools for managing and healing trauma?
• What are your thoughts on psychedelics? Is it helpful and truly healing or is it detrimental?
• What’s your advice on raising a child to minimize trauma?

In this episode, you will learn about:

• Peter’s journey to developing the Somatic Experiencing approach to healing trauma.
• Defining trauma and its impact on one’s mind and body.
• How to know if you’re traumatized.
• How to avoid trauma and promote healing.
• Peter’s top 3 life lessons.

Get in Touch:

●       Connect with Peter:

○       somaticexperiencing.com

○       Get a copy of the book: An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey

●       Email me at [e-mail]