FYI: This isn’t a “healed and perfect” story. It’s a “still healing, but finally breathing” one. And honestly? Somatic therapy was the missing piece I didn’t know I needed.
What Even Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is like traditional therapy’s body-conscious cousin. It’s all about working through the body—not just talking about your feelings, but noticing them, feeling them, moving with them.
In more clinical terms, somatic therapy integrates psychotherapy with body-based techniques. That includes breathwork, movement, touch, sensation awareness, and nervous system regulation practices. Therapists trained in this method help clients process emotional experiences by helping them feel what’s happening, not just talk about it.
Why it matters: Because trauma doesn’t live in your head. It lives in your nervous system, in muscle memory, in the tightness behind your ribs when nothing is technically wrong.
This is especially relevant for anyone who’s tried mindset tools, talk therapy, journaling—and still feels stuck. If your body is carrying the stress response, your mind can’t “out-think” it. You have to move through it.
When I Realized I Felt Unsafe in My Own Body
It hit me when a friend asked, “Where do you feel safe?” And I didn’t have an answer.
I noticed I:
- Couldn’t sit still without doomscrolling
- Always had clenched jaw or shoulders
- Jumped at sudden sounds like a cartoon cat
My body was in defense mode 24/7—and it didn’t matter how much mindset work I did. The tension wasn’t “in my head.” It was in my tissues.
First Somatic Session: Awkward but Kinda Magic
Honestly? I was skeptical. I sat on a floor mat and my therapist asked me to “notice the weight of my spine.” (Cue internal eye roll.)
But then something shifted. I did notice it. My back softened. I exhaled like I meant it. I almost cried—for no reason. Or maybe every reason.
That was the start. And yes—it felt weird at first. But my body had been waiting for this kind of attention.
What Happens in a Somatic Session?
Sessions vary by practitioner, but here’s what many include:
- Check-in through the body: Not “how are you feeling?” but “what’s happening in your body right now?”
- Movement and postural awareness: How you sit, how you carry stress, where your body holds tension.
- Breathwork and grounding: Specific breathing patterns to activate parasympathetic calm.
- Resourcing: Identifying internal or external cues that help your body feel safe. (Think: blanket, scent, memory, touch.)
- Tracking sensations: Observing how your body responds—noticing heat, tingling, heaviness, or shifts in emotion.
It’s not performance. It’s practice. And that makes it powerful.
The Tools That Helped Me Reconnect
Here’s what helped me most (and still does):
- Orienting: Looking around slowly and naming what I see. Sounds silly. Rewires your brain’s sense of safety.
- Touch anchors: Hand over heart. Or one hand on chest, one on belly. Reassurance through physical contact.
- Micro-movements: Stretching fingers. Wiggling toes. Reminding your body you’re here.
- Grounding phrases: Saying out loud: “Right now I’m safe.” Or “I’m here. This is now.”
- Gentle resistance: Pressing your hands against each other or your feet into the floor—engaging the body with subtle control.
These aren’t magic spells. But practiced consistently? They create safety.
Note: This article shares a personal reflection based on real experiences with somatic therapy. It is not intended as medical advice but as inspiration for those curious about body-based healing.
Final Thought: Safety Is a Practice, Not a Place
You don’t arrive at safety. You build it. Moment by moment. Sensation by sensation.
Somatic therapy helped me stop outsourcing my safety—and start listening inward. It made me realize that healing isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present with what’s true.
Want to try one of the tools? Start here: 👉 Download the gentle morning ritual guide
Sources & Science Corner:
- Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.
- Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton.
- Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Penguin Books.
