Mindfulness-Based Somatic Emotional Processing

A guide for working with emotions and unprocessed traumas

• Explains the simple yet transformative protocols and techniques of Mindfulness-Based Somatic Emotional Processing (MBSEP)

• Describes how to work with specific emotional states, such as anxiety, grief and anger, and how to integrate MBSEP with other healing modalities

• Demonstrates concepts and practices in detail through dozens of case studies from the authors’ decades of therapy practice

Developed by Robert Weisz, PhD, the practice of Mindfulness-Based Somatic Emotional Processing (MBSEP) combines mindfulness and somatic perception to help regulate emotions and process traumas that are stored in the body. The authors demonstrate these concepts and methods through decades of case studies and practical, accessible, step-by-step exercises.

Humans are emotional beings who feel and experience emotions in their bodies. Weisz and Blackwood explore the contrast between somatic, body-based emotions and the mental, cognitively-based stories, explanations, and judgments of the thinking mind.

The authors describe the “struggle factor” and why it is futile to resist having negative emotions. They demonstrate how to be mindfully present with emotional states like anxiety, anger, and grief, and they detail the healing influence of compassionate attention. Their methods foster neuroplasticity to create and expand neuronal linkages in the brain and nervous system.

By encouraging acceptance, compassion, and the experiential truth of our embodied emotions, Weisz and Blackwood have created a practical and flexible protocol for processing and regulating emotions. They also show how MBSEP is easily integrated with other healing modalities, making it a valuable resource for home practitioners and therapists alike.