From Armouring to Awareness: A Somatic Case Study of Emotional Neglect and Meeting the “Black Hole” Within

Abstract

This article presents a synthesised clinical and theoretical exploration of using touch-based somatic psychotherapy to address the embodied imprints of developmental trauma in adult clients. Specifically, it investigates the subtle, pervasive impact of early emotional neglect characterised by rejection, relinquishment, and abandonment. While overt abuse often commands clinical focus, this paper investigates the unique psychobiological survival strategies and symptoms arising from relational absence. It draws on three sessions with an adult female client, Monica (a pseudonym). Three critical axes of therapeutic focus emerged: the deepening awareness developed around long-standing, body-based protective patterns as she was introduced to the concept of yielding; the progressive integration between her interoceptive experience and psychological insight; and the encounter with a unique psychobiological phenomenon she referred to as a “black hole”. With her written consent, I draw on Monica’s lived experience, the therapeutic processes we engaged in and her responses to treatment—with deep appreciation for her courage and willingness to explore something new. The underlying framework of this synthesis is explicitly reparative in nature and primarily leverages around NeuroAffective Touch®. Ultimately, this paper argues that intentional, attuned physical touch is an essential catalyst for navigating the void of early developmental omission and in supporting the integration of fragmented, preverbal trauma narratives.