Somatic Body Language

The Physiological aspect of human condition has been the focus of many studies over the years. Like with understanding body language and other non verbal communications, perhaps physiological phenomenon is about deeper levels of unconscious communication or "Somatic Body Talking" (The body's body language). A persons body language is mainly interpreted by others in the environment and mostly is not that hard to understand.

Angry Child using arms, lips and eyes

Body language can be a helpful guide to the type of feelings one is having at any one time. Over time, individuals may learn to interpret their own body language and experiment to know whether that form of communication is an accurate expression for them. I certainly can tell when my shoulders raise up in some situations which indicate stress for me. Self reflection of various moods and thinking styles can help one's awareness in relationships. Overall and in most cases, body language can be a helpful guide to the type of feelings one is having.




I can remember my ex wife many years ago consistently sneezing before having sex. I thought it was curious at the time although I just laughed about the thought of her being allergic to me or perhaps that it was her preface to the excitement of sex? I just don't know really. Perhaps in this instance there is a degree of error in the interpretation of her body language? When I think about her sneezing, its not really body language but perhaps a deeper level of somatic language that requires further disseminating.

A young client recently began dry coughing after twenty minutes into counselling. After carefully tracking our discussions around to the "F" word (Feelings) she seemed to develop a non stop dry coughing. She was young and her resistance to counselling was relatively high so I backed off a little. When I started talking again her coughing resumed. I became intrigued with her cough however at the same time kept in mind how my own resistance to physiological writers such as Louise Hayes. In fact Louise Hayes says about coughing;

Coughing...............A desire to bark at the world, "See me! Listen to me!"

When feelings are suppressed to such an extent in life, eventually it becomes helpful to "cough" them out. But what if we really want to talk about feelings and another part of our personality says "we must not talk about them"? "Feelings are too scary" "Shut up, we must protect someone at all costs?" The interpretations of the person's coughing most likely infers that feelings are overwhelming and they prefer the counsellor to go away. The person may not talk about her feelings however there seems to be an element of personality at least attempting to communicate, even if the "words" are frictions in the persons throat.

Frogs and Words are just Frogs and Words

I wondered what manner of things this young person's cough was trying to tell me. The cough turned into another form in my mind. I began to visualize the possibilities of her cough. It was not only the Child part of her personality but a deeper more Somatic Child element trying to communicate. According to my initial feelings about her persistent coughing they may have been about resistance and control. She didn't wish to be in counselling and told me so. I felt that she wanted to block me out and express herself at the same time.

If I chose to go away that would leave her all alone. If I chose to be angry with her coughing that would mean no one was listening to her. It would seem that one would need to try very hard to listen to this particular young girl. To not to be thrown off by her resistance in order to "listen" to her cough. Something inside her was communicating. Perhaps Louise Hayes is right this time? That the girl "needs to be heard and seen" through all the barriers of her resistance? The deeper level part of the girls personality is emerging through an irritation in her throat, the part that needs to be heard and seen.

kenoath