Reviewed by Rory Nicol, RP on July 5, 2024
Somatic Therapy: How Your Body Holds the Key to Healing Trauma and Stress
Your mind and body are constantly talking to each other. When you’re stressed, your shoulders tense up. When you’re anxious, your stomach might feel tight. But in our busy lives, we often miss these signals or push them aside.
Somatic therapy is a type of therapy that pays attention to this connection. Instead of only talking about your feelings and thoughts, somatic therapy works with the physical sensations in your body to help you heal from trauma, stress, and emotional pain.
The idea behind somatic therapy is simple but powerful: your body remembers experiences that your mind might have pushed away or forgotten. These memories can get stuck in your muscles, your breathing, and your nervous system. By tuning into what your body is holding, you can release what’s been trapped and find real relief.
This guide explores two main types of somatic therapy: Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP). Throughout this article, we’ll refer to both approaches as “somatic therapy” since they share similar principles and goals.
You’ll learn:
- How trauma and stress affect your body
- What actually happens in somatic therapy sessions
- The benefits backed by research
- What to expect if you’re considering this approach
Whether you’re dealing with past trauma, ongoing stress, or just curious about how your body and mind work together, this guide will give you a clear understanding of how somatic therapy can help.
Somatic therapy is used to address:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Chronic illness and medical issues
- Panic & Anxiety Disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Chronic Stress
- Grief and Loss
- Attachment Disorders
- Substance Use & Struggles
- Chronic Pain
- Eating Disorders
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD)
- Phobias
- Sleep Disorders
- Emotional Regulation Difficulties
TEDxWilmingtonWomen talk by Monica LeSage – Does Somatic Experiencing (SE) Work? SE Practices for Healing.
Looking for a therapist trained in EMDR therapy? We have qualified therapists across Canada who specialize in this approach. Book a free 20-minute consultation to find your right fit.
Part 1: How your Mind and Body are connected
Your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations are all connected. When you’re anxious, you might feel it in your chest. When you’re stressed, your shoulders might tense up. This mind-body connection isn’t just a feeling. It’s backed by both ancient wisdom and modern science.
For thousands of years, people have understood that the mind and body work together. Ancient yogis practiced breathing exercises and yoga not just for flexibility, but for mental clarity and peace. Greek philosophers believed that you couldn’t have a healthy mind without a healthy body.
Today’s research confirms what these ancient practices knew all along. Your mental state directly affects your physical health. Prolonged anxiety doesn’t just feel overwhelming. It can show up as a racing heart, digestive problems, or a weakened immune system.
Somatic therapy works with this connection. It pays attention to what your body is telling you: stories about past trauma, emotions you’ve pushed down, and experiences you haven’t fully processed. By bringing together your mental and physical experiences, somatic therapy helps you heal in a more complete way.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Ergos Institute. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute
Part 2: How Trauma and Stress Live in Your Body
Trauma and stress don’t just affect your mind. They leave physical marks that can stick around long after the event is over. Somatic therapy helps you find and release these patterns so you can truly heal.
When Trauma Gets Stuck in Your Body
Traumatic events (whether they happen suddenly or build up over time) create physical reactions that your body remembers. You might notice:
- A constant knot in your stomach
- Heaviness in your chest
- Feeling tired all the time
- Tension that won’t go away
Your body holds onto these memories, waiting for a chance to process and release them.
The Everyday Weight of Stress
Even daily stress leaves its mark. The pressure of work deadlines, relationship challenges, and endless to-do lists can show up as headaches, tight muscles, or trouble sleeping. These physical symptoms are your body’s way of saying it needs support.
The Freeze Response
When something traumatic happens, your body has three main responses: fight, flight, or freeze. You’ve probably heard of fight or flight, but the freeze response is just as important.
Freezing is what happens when you can’t fight back or run away. It’s like your body plays dead to protect you. But when this happens, energy can get trapped inside, leading to ongoing physical and emotional symptoms.
How Your Body Remembers
Your mind might try to forget traumatic experiences, but your body often keeps the memory. This can show up as:
Chronic tension and pain
Traumatic experiences often create lasting muscle tension, especially in your neck, shoulders, and back. Over time, this tension can turn into chronic pain.
Changes in breathing
Trauma can affect how you breathe, making your breaths shallow or fast. This can make anxiety worse and leave you feeling on edge.
Digestive issues
Your gut has its own nervous system (sometimes called the “second brain”). Trauma can disrupt this system, causing problems like IBS, indigestion, or other stomach issues.
Being easily startled
If you’ve experienced trauma, you might jump or react strongly to unexpected sounds or movements. Your body is staying alert, always ready to protect you from threats.
Part 3: What Is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a specific type of therapy designed to help you process trauma through your body. Dr. Peter Levine developed SE after observing something interesting: wild animals physically shake off traumatic experiences. Humans often hold these experiences in because we’re taught to suppress our natural reactions.
How SE Works
SE is built on the idea that your body knows how to heal itself. Instead of just talking about traumatic events or trying to remember details, SE focuses on the physical sensations connected to trauma.
In SE sessions, your therapist helps you pay attention to what’s happening in your body. They’ll guide you to notice where you feel tension, tightness, or discomfort. This process is called titration. It means learning to experience difficult sensations in small, manageable doses.
As you become more aware of these sensations, you can start to release the trapped energy that’s been stuck since the trauma happened. The goal is to help your body complete the responses it couldn’t finish during the traumatic event.
Finding Balance Again
The ultimate goal of Somatic Experiencing is to restore balance. By helping you process and release trapped energy, SE supports your body and mind in working together again. This approach recognizes that with the right guidance, you have the ability to heal and feel whole again.
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a therapeutic approach specifically designed to address trauma and its manifestations in the body.
Introduction to Somatic Experiencing
Part 4: Understanding Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is another body-centered therapy that combines talk therapy with physical awareness. Dr. Pat Ogden developed SP based on the understanding that trauma affects both your mind and your body.
Trauma can create patterns that stick with you: the way you hold your posture, how you move, or even chronic pain that doesn’t seem to have a clear cause.
Why Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Is Different
While many therapies focus mainly on thoughts and emotions, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy recognizes that trauma lives in your body too. It brings together:
- Cognitive insights (understanding your thoughts and patterns)
- Body-centered techniques (working with physical sensations and movement)
This isn’t just mixing two approaches. It’s recognizing that healing needs to address all parts of your experience, from your conscious thoughts down to the subtlest body sensations.
The Science Behind SP
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is grounded in neuroscience research. Studies show that trauma can actually change your brain, especially in areas that:
- Detect potential threats (like the amygdala)
- Regulate emotional responses (like the prefrontal cortex)
SP uses body-focused techniques to help rewire these neural pathways. The goal is lasting healing that helps you feel safe and in control of your life again.
How SE and SP Compare
Both Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy work with the body to heal trauma, but they have some differences:
- SP has more structure. It follows a specific framework
- SE is more fluid. It follows your unique experience more closely
- Both are effective. They just use different techniques and focus areas
In these approaches, therapists and clients work together to navigate through bodily sensations. However, they are different in several ways. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy adopts a more structured framework, while Somatic Experiencing aligns more fluidly with the client’s unique experience. Additionally, they work with different techniques and interventions, and their training dives differently into other areas of psychotherapy beyond trauma.
Part 5: The Benefits of Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy offers unique benefits because it works with your body’s natural ability to heal. Here’s what research and client experiences show:
Complete Healing
Traditional therapy often focuses on thoughts and emotions. Somatic therapy also addresses the physical side of trauma, giving you a more complete healing experience.
Relief from Physical Symptoms
Many people with trauma experience chronic pain, muscle tension, or constant fatigue. Somatic therapy can help ease these symptoms by releasing trapped energy and helping your body find its natural balance again.
Better Emotional Control
Somatic therapy gives you tools to manage overwhelming emotions. Many clients report feeling more emotionally stable and less reactive over time.
Rebuilding Trust
Trauma can shatter your sense of safety, both in yourself and in the world. Through somatic therapy, many people rediscover a sense of trust in their body and their surroundings.
Avoiding Re-traumatization
Some traditional therapies ask you to repeatedly talk through traumatic events, which can sometimes make you feel worse. Somatic therapy focuses on body sensations rather than detailed memories, which is often gentler and safer.
Building Resilience
As you work through trauma using somatic therapy, you often become more resilient. This strength helps you handle future challenges with more confidence.
Deeper Self-Connection
By tuning into your body and recognizing your patterns, you develop a stronger connection with yourself. This self-awareness supports personal growth and understanding.
What the Research Shows
Studies on Somatic Therapy have found:
- 67% of clients showed complete or partial improvement in symptoms immediately after SE sessions
- 90% of participants maintained this improvement one year later
Want to know more? Recent Research on Somatic Therapy
Part 6: What Happens in Somatic Therapy
Starting somatic therapy can feel unfamiliar at first. Here’s what you can expect:
Your First Session
Understanding your story
Your first session usually involves talking about your history, past experiences, and what brought you to therapy. This helps your therapist understand your needs and create a plan that works for you.
Setting your goals
Together with your therapist, you’ll decide what you want to achieve. This might be processing a specific traumatic event, releasing physical tension, or strengthening your mind-body connection.
Exploring Body Sensations
Tuning in
A big part of somatic therapy is learning to notice what’s happening in your body. Your therapist will guide you to pay attention to different sensations: tension, warmth, tingling, numbness, or anything else you notice.
A safe space
Your therapist makes sure you feel safe throughout this exploration. You’re always in control, and you can pause or redirect the session anytime something feels like too much.
Grounding Techniques
Staying present
Grounding exercises help you stay anchored in the present moment. These might include deep breathing, focusing on your five senses, or visualization exercises.
Made for you
Your therapist will adapt these techniques to fit your comfort level and what works best for you.
Movement and Expression
Gentle movement
Depending on what feels right for you, sessions might include movement. This could be simple stretches, guided postures, or more expressive movement like dance.
Releasing what’s stuck
Movement in somatic therapy helps release trapped energy, especially from areas holding onto trauma. It’s a way to physically let go of past experiences.
Making Sense of It All
Connecting the dots
After exploring sensations, you and your therapist will talk about what came up. This is when you can connect physical sensations to emotional experiences and start to understand your patterns.
Between-session practices
Your therapist might suggest exercises to practice at home. These could be grounding techniques, journaling prompts, or mindfulness exercises.
Ongoing Support
Open communication
Throughout treatment, you’re encouraged to share any discomfort, insights, or shifts in how you’re feeling. This keeps therapy aligned with your needs as they evolve.
How long it takes
Everyone’s timeline is different. Some people find relief in a few sessions, while others benefit from longer-term work. Your therapist will work with you to find the right pace.
Somatic therapy is a partnership. You and your therapist work together to explore, understand, and heal the connection between your mind and body.
Part 7: Finding a Somatic Therapist
The journey through somatic therapy (from understanding how your mind and body connect to learning grounding techniques and movement practices) shows how powerful this approach can be for healing.
At its core, somatic therapy offers hope. It’s a path toward complete healing for people dealing with trauma and stress.
If what you’ve read here resonates with you and you’re curious about starting your own somatic healing journey, we have trained and experienced somatic therapists ready to support you. Our therapists understand the details of this work and are here to guide you with care, understanding, and expertise.
Clinically Reviewed by Rory Nicol, RP on January 21, 2026