Exploring Embodied and Bioenergetic Approaches in Trauma Therapy

Observing Somatic Experience and Olfactory Memory

Authors

  • Sara Invitto
  • Patrizia Moselli

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30820/0743-4804-2025-35-17

Keywords:

olfactory memory, post-traumatic stress disorder, bioenergetic analysis, embodied cognition, embodied simulation

Abstract

Recent studies highlight how body psychotherapy is becoming highly cited, especially in connection with studies on trauma-related disorders. This review highlights the theoretical assumptions and recent points in common with embodied simulation and new sensory theories by integrating bioenergetic analysis, embodiment, and olfactory memory in trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) therapy. Embodied memory, rooted in sensorimotor experiences, shapes cognitive functions and emotional responses. Trauma, embodied in somatic experiences, disrupts these processes, leading to symptoms such as chronic pain and dissociation. The literature discussed highlights the impact of burning odors on individuals with PTSD and those who have experienced childhood maltreatment. Burning odors can increase stress and heart rate in war veterans, with sensitivity to these odors intensifying over time since the trauma. Additionally, adults who experienced childhood maltreatment exhibit faster processing of unpleasant odors and increased symptom severity. Grounding techniques, such as adopting a balanced posture, enhance breathing and sensory capabilities, potentially aiding in managing symptoms associated with trauma-related disorders such as PTSD.

Author Biographies

Sara Invitto

Sara Invitto, PhD, SIAB and IIBA Psychologist and Psychotherapist, is Associate Professor of General Psychology S.S.D. PSIC-01/A, qualified as Full Professor in the competitive sector. She is the scientific representative of the INSPIRE Laboratory, a laboratory on the Cognitive and Psychophysiological Olfactory Processes (Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento). She deals with clinical processes (e.g., anosmia) and basic processes connected to olfactory perception and the study of higher cognitive functions. Within the research topic connected to smell, she has established scientific collaborations with companies and with national and international academic structures, both in clinical research and in the field of new technologies; furthermore, she is the author of numerous publications in the field of cognitive neuroscience.

Patrizia Moselli

Patrizia Moselli, Psychologist, psychotherapist, International Trainer, Member of the Faculty and Board of Trustees of IIBA, President of the Italian Society of Bioenergetic Analysis (SIAB), Past President of FIAP (Italian Federation of of Psychotherapy Associations) member of the Board of Directors of SIPSIC (Italian Society of Psychotherapy).
36203

Downloads

How to Cite

Invitto, S., & Moselli, P. (2025). Exploring Embodied and Bioenergetic Approaches in Trauma Therapy: Observing Somatic Experience and Olfactory Memory. Bioenergetic Analysis, 35(1), 17–36. https://doi.org/10.30820/0743-4804-2025-35-17

Issue

Vol. 35 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license allows private use and unmodified distribution, but prohibits editing and commercial use (further information can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). The terms of the Creative Commons licence only apply to the original material. The reuse of material from other sources (marked with a reference) such as charts, illustrations, photos and text extracts may require further permission for use from the respective copyrights holder.