The bodily  felt sense is a significant phenomenon associated with person-centred counselling and body-oriented psychotherapy.  It is essentially the observation of ones own sensory and visceral experiences.

Visceral: Adjective

1.  Relating to the viscera: the visceral nervous system.

2.  Relating to deep inward feelings, rather than intellect.

The felt sense is experienced in the physical body and has been defined as a pre-verbal sense of ‘something‘ – an inner knowledge or awareness – not yet consciously verbalised.  The felt sense can sometimes represent an old wound or hurt, recognition of a present situation, or even a future insight or idea.

The Felt Sense in Counselling

Within a counselling context part of the talking therapists role is to help the client – through means of visualisation, focusing techniques and verbal exchanges – to better access their bodily felt sense – and attempt to bring forth a more…