De-Armoring and the Use of Convulsions | Somatic Therapy

 Published: Apr 18, 2024 | Revised: Oct 2, 2024

Woman and self-induced vomiting

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Convulsions — usually associated with epileptic seizures — are conditions in which muscles continue to rapidly contract and relax quickly, and cause uncontrolled shaking of the body.

Client’s self-induced convulsions, or convulsions induced by a De-Armoring therapist may be used as means for trauma and emotional release. In fact, this was a De-Armoring technique frequently applied by the psychotherapist Wilhelm Reich, the so-called Godfather of Body De-Armoring.

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For instance, inducing the gag reflex (by sticking a finger down the throat) may loosen-up or dissolve a throat armor or an abdominal armor, and may set stagnant energy in the body in motion. It may also cause the patient’s diaphragm to relax and let them breathe more deeply.

Alternatively, the gag reflex may cause the client to become nauseated and vomit, which can be considered as “vomiting the negative emotions out of the body” and an energetic cleansing technique. Interesting enough, convulsions and subsequent vomiting is an important technique used in Shamanic practices, such as in Ayahuasca ceremonies. It’s called the purge, which traditionally is seen as a cleansing and purifying process of the energetic body and mind.

Another way to induce convulsions is to maintain body positions or postures that cause stress to musculature, which again causes tiredness of the muscles, irritation, tremors (shaking), and finally convulsions. This can loosen-up contracted or tensed muscles, which again can release the repressed or suppressed emotions attached to those, sometimes accompanied by Catharsis.

An example of this way of using convulsions that causes tremors and uncontrolled shaking of musculature can be found in the Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) De-Armoring modality.



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