Exploring Somatic Therapy: Healing Trauma in the Body

Trauma isn’t just something we think about - it’s something we carry in our bodies. The tension in your shoulders, the knot in your stomach, the fatigue that won’t go away - these aren’t just physical symptoms. They’re often signs of trauma stored in the nervous system.

Somatic therapy offers a body-based approach to healing, recognizing that trauma isn’t just a mental or emotional experience - it’s physiological. By working with the body-mind connection, somatic practices help release stored stress, regulate the nervous system, and foster deep emotional healing.

Let’s explore what somatic therapy is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most effective methods for trauma recovery.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach to healing that helps individuals process trauma by reconnecting with physical sensations and bodily awareness. Instead of just talking about trauma, somatic therapy engages the nervous system to help process and release stored emotional pain.

📌 Key Aspects of Somatic Therapy:
✔ Focus on the nervous system – Helps regulate fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses.
✔ Uses body awareness – Encourages noticing sensations, tension, and movement patterns.
✔ Encourages self-regulation – Teaches grounding techniques to promote safety in the body.

Somatic therapy is especially useful for people who struggle with traditional talk therapy, as it provides a bottom-up approach - working with the body first to regulate emotions and reduce distress.

📌 Related Resource: Learn more about how trauma is stored in the body and why body-based healing is essential.

How Trauma is Stored in the Body

When we experience trauma, our nervous system goes into survival mode. If the body is unable to process the experience fully, the stress response can get stuck, leading to chronic tension, pain, or emotional dysregulation.

🔹 Signs of Trauma Stored in the Body:
✔ Chronic muscle tension (shoulders, jaw, gut).
✔ Unexplained fatigue or exhaustion.
✔ Feeling disconnected or numb.
✔ Digestive issues or frequent headaches.
✔ Heightened anxiety or emotional reactivity.

📌 Scientific Insight: Studies show that trauma impacts the autonomic nervous system, affecting everything from heart rate to immune function. Healing requires addressing the body’s response to stress, not just the mind’s perception of it.

How Somatic Therapy Helps Release Trauma

Somatic therapy works by guiding individuals to reconnect with their bodies, allowing them to process and release stored trauma in a safe, controlled way.

1. Regulating the Nervous System

One of the key goals of somatic therapy is to help shift the nervous system out of survival mode and into a state of safety and regulation.

✅ Techniques Used in Somatic Therapy:
✔ Grounding exercises – Helps anchor you in the present moment, reducing anxiety.
✔ Breathwork practices – Activates the parasympathetic nervous system to create calm.
✔ Progressive muscle relaxation – Releases tension from stored trauma in the body.

📌 Try This: Next time you feel overwhelmed, place your hand on your chest, take a deep breath, and exhale slowly while reminding yourself, "I am safe in this moment."

2. Releasing Trauma Through Movement

Trauma lives in the body, and movement can help dislodge and release it. This is why many somatic practices involve mindful movement to help process unresolved emotions.

✅ Somatic Movement Practices:
✔ TRE (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises) – Helps release deep muscle tension.
✔ Yoga for trauma healing – Encourages body awareness and emotional regulation.
✔ Dance therapy – Uses movement to express and process emotions.

📌 Related Resource: The benefits of trauma-informed yoga show how movement helps regulate the nervous system and reduce PTSD symptoms.

3. Tuning Into Sensations (Interoception Awareness)

Interoception is the ability to sense and interpret bodily signals - like noticing when your heartbeat quickens or when your shoulders feel tense. Trauma can disrupt this awareness, making it hard to feel present in the body.

✅ Ways to Reconnect with the Body:
✔ Body scans – Checking in with sensations without judgment.
✔ Self-touch therapy – Placing a hand over the heart or stomach to feel grounded.
✔ Gentle stretching or shaking – Encourages emotional release through movement.

📌 Try This: Close your eyes for 30 seconds and notice any sensations in your body. Where do you feel tension or warmth? Simply observe without trying to change it.

Who Can Benefit from Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is effective for individuals experiencing:

🔹 PTSD & trauma-related stress
🔹 Chronic anxiety & panic attacks
🔹 Emotional numbness or disconnection
🔹 Depression linked to body tension
🔹 Chronic pain & stress-related illnesses

📌 Research shows that somatic therapy can significantly reduce PTSD symptoms and improve emotional regulation by addressing trauma at a physiological level.

How to Get Started with Somatic Healing

If you’re interested in somatic therapy, consider these first steps:

✅ Work with a somatic therapist – A trained professional can guide you through personalized body-based practices.
✅ Start with small daily practices – Incorporate breathwork, movement, or grounding exercises.
✅ Explore trauma-informed yoga or movement therapies – These help regulate the nervous system safely.
✅ Be patient with your body – Healing is a process, not an overnight fix.

Final Thoughts: Healing Trauma Through the Body

Trauma doesn’t just exist in our thoughts - it lives in our bodies. Somatic therapy offers a powerful path to healing, using movement, breath, and body awareness to process stored trauma and create emotional resilience.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✔ Your body holds trauma - but it can also heal it.
✔ Healing happens through movement, breath, and nervous system regulation.
✔ You don’t have to carry emotional pain forever - your body is designed to release it.

🚀 Your Next Step: Try one small somatic practice today - whether it’s a deep breath, a grounding exercise, or a mindful body scan. Every small step leads to healing.

📩 Want to explore somatic therapy further? Book a session today.