Somatic Therapy: 5 Ways Body-Based Healing Transforms Trauma Recovery

2. It Provides Solution-Based Support

Somatic experiencing is an intervention that aims to bring attention to the areas of the body that respond when someone remembers their trauma, or experiences a similar event. By doing this somatic therapists ‘release’ the emotions and sensations stored in the body that prevent true healing. A sign of success includes feeling safer in their body and more comfortable with various bodily sensations.

Somatic psychotherapy also uses aspects of psychotherapy to improve your overall mental health, sometimes called sensorimotor psychotherapy. For example, your session may start by verbally going through traumatic memories and then noticing their physical symptoms. Does your chest tighten? Do you start sweating? Does your stomach hurt?

Improving your body awareness can help you and your therapist discover what has an effect on you, and what movements can help.

3. It Explores Numerous Evidence-Based Techniques

Somatic therapists will use a variety of mind-body techniques and modalities to release trapped negative emotions and trauma⁴. They blend aspects of neuroscience and body psychotherapy for a completely unique approach to healing. These somatic practices can vary based on individual needs, but options can include any of the following.

Bottom-Up

This approach means you start by becoming aware of physical sensations before moving into your mind and emotions. You’ll make nonjudgemental notice of what your body feels like and simply accept that before moving into your mind. There, you’ll see what may be attached to those feelings and sensations.

Breathwork

Breathwork, one of the simplest somatic approaches, focuses solely on your breathing. You’re guided to become aware of your breathing and follow breathing patterns to calm your mind and body. Your somatic therapist may have you put a hand on your belly and chest to connect to each breath, reducing dissociation.

Breathwork can be used in-the-moment to calm a stress response like racing heartbeat, shallow breathing, and even panic attacks.

Body Scans

In a body scan your psychotherapist will guide you through noticing areas of the body that feel tense, uncomfortable, or relaxed. For example, maybe you’ll come into your session feeling fine but during the body scan notice you’re holding tension in your shoulders, or feeling tightness in your stomach. You may also tune into your proprioception, which is how you sense where you are and what movements you’re making.

Body scans can be the first step in the bottom-up approach, or done on their own.

Pendulation 

Pendulation means thinking of the traumatic event and feeling those negative emotions before swinging back to a place of calm and comfort, then swinging into the strong emotions again. 

You’ll first identify the mental space you’ll go to when you need calm, which could be the present moment or a past memory that makes you feel at ease and happy. Then you’ll focus on a painful memory, let yourself experience its emotions, and swing back to safety before it gets to be too much. This can gradually build your tolerance and show your mind and body that you can control your feelings of safety.

Titration

Using the titration technique means you work through a traumatic memory, either by verbally walking through it or simply remembering it in the quiet of your mind. As you do, you’ll make note of how your body reacts and what types of physical sensations you feel.

Dance

Dancing to music can release energy and emotions that may be pent up inside you. This could look like slow, repetitive movements that make you feel calm and grounded, or more vigorous dancing that gets your heart pumping and releases energy. For this type of dance your somatic therapist might cue up some pop or EDM music, or jazz and classical tunes for more calming moves. 

Yoga

Somatic yoga often begins with a body scan to identify areas of tension and discomfort, both so somatic therapists know which areas to target and to avoid adding extra discomfort. 

Somatic yoga involves slow, grounded movements to connect your mind and body and release energy and tension. It can be a highly emotional, freeing experience, as can other somatic techniques. 

Resourcing

This technique is similar to pendulation, but serves more as a way to identify a calming, peaceful memory and bodily sensation that you can return to when you feel anxious, distressed, and overwhelmed. It’s like making note of it and storing it for later. 

You may use a memory of being in nature, like spending a quiet afternoon at the lake, and remember how it felt in both your mind and body. Maybe you felt completely relaxed, grounded in the sensations of the sun, wind, and sounds of the water. You’ll practice getting back into this headspace and noting how it calms and soothes your body. Then, as needed, you can use your ‘resource’ to relax, calm down, or recuperate. 

4. It Combines Conventional Therapy Structure With Body-Based Techniques

A somatic therapy session will have some similarities to talk therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), but differ in the fact that it involves your body, too. Some type of movement or body scan will accompany each session.

You may start with talk therapy, like verbally processing a recent event or a traumatic memory, before moving into the physical portion. Your somatic therapist won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do; you’ll collaborate to find the most appealing and effective techniques.

Somatic therapy sessions can last anywhere from 1-2 hours, like a typical therapy session. The exact length may be predetermined by the therapist or even your insurance coverage. You’ll most likely meet in person, since your therapist will need to guide your movements and, in some cases and with consent, use touch. 

The room your sessions happen in may look a little different too, probably with extra space and even some tools like body rollers, hula hoops, stereos, and sensory objects like stones. Somatic therapy could even happen outside, using nature as a powerful grounding tool.

5. It Delivers Life-Changing Results

Somatic therapy can be hugely beneficial for those with trauma, PTSD, depression, chronic pain, and anxiety. For some it can be more comprehensive than talk therapy alone,⁵ since it takes an active, body-focused approach to healing you can feel.

Somatic therapy can reduce symptoms of PTSD and trauma,⁶ along with conditions like depression and anxiety. It also was found to improve general well-being and quality of life.

You may also find hobbies you enjoy through somatic therapy, like dance or yoga. Engaging in these hobbies broadens your community and can give you a continuous outlet for both positive and negative emotions.

Start Your Somatic Healing Journey

Somatic therapy could be the breakthrough you’ve been searching for. If traditional talk therapy hasn’t fully addressed your trauma, stress, or emotional challenges, a body-based approach might unlock the healing you deserve.

Take the next step: Find qualified somatic therapists in your area and discover how this powerful mind-body connection can transform your recovery.

FAQs

Q: What is somatic therapy?

A: Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach to mental health that focuses on the connection between the mind and body. It helps people in recovery release trauma and stress stored in the body through physical awareness and movement.

Q: What is an example of a somatic treatment?

A: Examples include breathwork, body scans, somatic yoga, pendulation, titration, and even dance therapy—each designed to help you feel and process emotions stored in the body.

Q: What is the difference between CBT and somatic therapy?

A: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on changing thought patterns to influence behavior, while somatic therapy starts with bodily sensations to process emotions and trauma. Somatic therapy often involves physical techniques alongside talk therapy.

Q: Does somatics really work?

A: Yes, research shows that somatic therapy can reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and improve overall well-being. It’s especially effective for trauma stored in the body.

Q: What does somatic therapy treat?

A: Somatic therapy is commonly used to treat trauma, PTSD, chronic stress, anxiety, depression, and even physical pain linked to emotional distress.

Q: How does somatic psychotherapy work?

A: Somatic psychotherapy works by helping you tune into your body’s sensations and responses, often through guided movement, mindfulness, and breathwork. This process helps release trapped trauma and restore emotional balance.

Q: What is Somatic Experiencing Therapy?

A: Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a form of therapy that guides patients to notice and release physical sensations connected to traumatic experiences in a safe and controlled way.

Q: What happens during a somatic therapy session?

A: A typical session may involve a mix of talk therapy and body-based techniques like breathing exercises, body scans, or movement. You and your therapist work together to explore physical sensations tied to emotional experiences.