The Body Can Balance the Score: Using a Somatic Self-Care Intervention to Support Well-Being and Promote Healing
William Chance Nicholson1, Michael Sapp2, Elaine Miller Karas2
1Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 13, 2025
Summary
The Community Resiliency Model (CRM) teaches body awareness through interoception, offering a scalable, self-care strategy to improve mental health and resilience, especially for trauma-affected populations. This biologically based method promotes wellness globally.
Area of Science:
- Mental Health
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
Background:
- Global crises like disasters and violence increase mental health issues worldwide.
- Childhood trauma is a common, global problem requiring accessible interventions.
- Traditional mental health approaches need innovative, scalable strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Explore interoceptive awareness interventions for mental health, particularly for trauma survivors.
- Introduce the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) as a body-based intervention.
- Examine CRM's biological underpinnings and potential for affect regulation.
Main Methods:
- Review existing research, program evaluations, and anecdotal reports on CRM.
- Discuss the neurobiology of trauma, interoception, and neural synchrony.
- Compare CRM to other well-being interventions.
Main Results:
- CRM cultivates interoceptive awareness, a key factor in affect regulation.
- Evidence suggests CRM improves well-being and resilience in individuals and communities.
- CRM's self-care skills are transferable and accessible.
Conclusions:
- CRM offers a promising, biologically based intervention for mental health challenges.
- Community dissemination of CRM can expand access for underserved populations.
- Future research should explore biophysical outcomes and interoceptive training efficacy.
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