At a time when so many people feel stuck in anxiety, overwhelm, and disconnect, somatic therapy offers a way back into the body as a source of regulation and relief
If you’ve ever noticed your shoulders tense when you’re stressed, your stomach churns when you’re nervous, or your breath becomes shallow when you’re overwhelmed, you’ve already experienced one of the central ideas behind somatic therapy: that our bodies hold, and respond, to what we go through – often long before we have the words to convey it.
Here, we’re taking a look at what somatic therapy actually involves, who it can help, and how you might take the first steps to exploring it for yourself.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between the mind and the body, based on the idea that our experiences (particularly stressful or traumatic ones) don’t just live in our thoughts, but in our nervous system and physical sensations, too.
Rather than relying solely on talking through our problems, somatic therapy gently invites us to bring our attention to what’s happening in the body in the present moment, using breath, posture, movement, or subtle sensations like tension or warmth.
The aim isn’t to ‘fix’ the body, but to build awareness of how it responds to stress, and to regulate the nervous system over time.
What conditions can this therapy treat?
Somatic therapy can be helpful for a wide range of concerns, including stress, anxiety, trauma, and emotional overwhelm. It’s often used alongside other approaches, and can be particularly supportive when words feel hard to find, or when talking alone hasn’t felt like enough.
For example, in 2021, a review published in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology found significant, long-term post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom reduction due to somatic experiencing treatment.
The findings also suggest that somatic therapy is highly adaptable; the number of sessions ranged from just one to 15, and participants came from a wide mix of ages, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The types of trauma also differed, yet somatic therapy was linked to meaningful symptom reduction in almost every study.
Everyday somatics
The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to visit a practitioner to see results. While you may have tried ancient somatic practices such as yoga, and meditation, even simpler activities, such as a guided body scan, progressive muscle relaxation, or walking, can offer the chance to connect with its benefits. The difference isn’t the activity itself, but the quality of attention we bring to it.
According to Ksenia Belash, a relational somatic therapist, walking offers what she calls ‘organic bilateral stimulation’. “As we move our legs in a rhythmic manner, we bring our right and left brain hemispheres into dialogue, which supports emotional processing and integration of events that took place before.
“We also discharge accumulated stress and fight-or-flight charge that tends to build up in our limbs. If we walk for longer, we increase oxygen and blood flow to the brain. So walking, even when we’re not aware of it, is healing to our nervous system.”
What makes somatic therapy especially accessible is that its benefits can be amplified by noticing more. “We can start to feel the rhythm of our legs, the contact of our feet with the ground, subtle changes in breath, and, perhaps, a growing sense of inner spaciousness or mental clarity,” says Ksenia. This kind of mindful attention deepens the impact of something we already do, allowing therapy to be integrated into life with little expense or effort.
What to expect from somatic therapy
While everyday somatic practices can be supportive, it can sometimes feel safer to work with a trained professional, particularly when related to trauma, PTSD, depression, or persistent anxiety.
Although sessions vary depending on the practitioner and your individual needs, three elements are common across most somatic approaches: a slower pace; attention focused on the present moment; and gentle invitations to connect with bodily sensations.
Your practitioner will invite you to explore a range of body-based techniques – this could be anything from placing a hand on your chest, or experimenting with posture, movement, and breathing patterns. If at any point an exercise feels overwhelming rather than settling, that’s important information – and something a practitioner can help you navigate safely.
It’s also normal to feel nervous about starting somatic therapy. As with any therapeutic relationship, trust matters, so it’s OK to try a different therapist or approach if something doesn’t feel right.
Practitioners like Ksenia often integrate somatic therapy with other methods to tailor the work to each individual. “If I notice that a client responds better to working cognitively or creatively, I’ll bring that in, and introduce somatic elements when appropriate,” she says.
“One could argue that this is the essence of the somatic approach – attuning to the needs of the person moment by moment, rather than pushing a particular technique, or following a rigid protocol.”
Getting started at home
Because everyone’s nervous system is unique, Ksenia encourages approaching somatic practices with curiosity, rather than expectation. “Try it out and notice whether it brings you even 5% more relief, ease, comfort, or goodness,” she says. “If you notice some positive change in your state, that’s usually a sign it’s working.”
One exercise she recommends is called ‘orienting’. To try it, soften your gaze and slowly allow your eyes to travel around the space you’re in – to the left and right, above and below – letting your head, neck, and spine gently follow the movement.
The emphasis is on going much more slowly than feels natural – around three to five times slower. This matters, Ksenia explains, because “slow conscious movement helps our nervous system regulate, fostering a sense of safety”, while survival states tend to make movement fast and the body rigid.
As you look around, notice any colours, shapes, or objects that feel pleasant, comforting, or at least neutral. Stay curious about what is happening inside your body. Perhaps your breathing softens, or a small amount of tension releases.
“Even if you notice 1% of positive change, that’s great,” she says. If at any point the exercise feels uncomfortable or activating, it’s OK to stop, rest, or bring your attention back to something grounding in the room.
Ultimately, somatic therapy is a different way to look at feelings of discomfort. Instead of trying to think or talk our way out of it, we get the chance to feel into it, to listen to what it has to say. By paying attention to the body’s cues that are so often overlooked, we create space for safety and regulation, reminding us that sometimes, healing begins simply by slowing down, and feeling what’s already here.
