Somatikk

Somatikk is a term used in several languages to refer to bodily aspects and processes, as opposed to mental or cognitive ones. The word derives from the Latin soma and the Greek sōma, meaning body. In many contexts, somatikk or somatic describes things related to the body, including its structure, function, and diseases, as distinct from the mind or psyche.

In medicine and biology, somatic denotes the physical body rather than the mental or genetic components of an organism. It is used in phrases such as somatic symptoms, somatic disorders, and somatic cells (body cells as opposed to germ cells). The term also appears in discussions of somatic mutations, which occur in body cells and are not inherited through the germ line.

In psychology and psychotherapy, somatic approaches emphasize the body as a source of information and a means of healing. Somatic experiencing, developed by Peter Levine, focuses on the nervous system and trauma recovery by tuning into bodily sensations, breath, and posture. Other body-centered modalities, such as sensorimotor psychotherapy or various forms of somatic therapy, aim to regulate arousal and restore embodiment through movement, touch, and awareness.

In education, dance, and the arts, somatic practices encourage learning through embodied experience rather than purely cognitive analysis. Practitioners explore how sensations, rhythm, and movement shape perception, expression, and performance.

Overall, somatikk encompasses a range of disciplines that foreground the body as a central category of study and practice, while remaining distinct from purely cognitive or symbolic approaches.