Talk therapy can be helpful in improving your mental health. It gives us language for what we’ve been through, space to feel heard, and the validation many of us never received growing up. Personally, I’ve found it helpful in navigating mental health, both as a client and a therapist.
But sometimes there comes a point where awareness isn’t enough. You can know all your triggers. You can explain your trauma with perfect clarity. And still feel anxious, stuck, or disconnected in your day-to-day life.
That’s where somatic therapy comes in...
Why Talk Therapy Sometimes Hits a Wall
Talk therapy gives us insight, reflection, and coping tools. But if you’ve ever thought, “I know I shouldn’t react this way, so why do I still do it?” - you’re not alone.
Many of my clients are deeply self-aware. They can explain their patterns, unpack their childhood, and tell me all about self-care. And yet, they still find themselves battling anxiety, depression, or emotional numbness. That’s because trauma isn’t just stored in our minds. It’s stored in our bodies.
Healing has to go deeper than thinking about the problem. It has to help you feel different in your body; calm, safe, and grounded. That’s what somatic therapy does.
What Is Somatic Therapy (And Why It Works)?
Somatic therapy is a body-focused approach to mental health that helps regulate the nervous system. It helps you feel more connected to your body, notice internal sensations, and develop tools that help you get out of survival mode.
There are several types of somatic approaches, including:
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Somatic Experiencing (SE): Helps release trauma stored in the body by slowly and gently processing it through physical sensations.
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Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Integrates body awareness with talk therapy to address trauma responses.
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Polyvagal-Informed Therapy: Based on the vagus nerve and how it impacts safety, connection, and social engagement.
At the core, the idea that safety comes first is essential. If your nervous system doesn’t feel safe, healing can’t begin. That’s why grounding (tools to bring you back to the present moment), nervous system regulation, and reconnecting with your internal sensations are so important. This isn’t about digging up your trauma for the sake of talking about it again....it’s about building up your capacity to handle whatever surfaces.
How the Body Stores Trauma (And Why That Matters)
You’ve probably heard of fight, flight, or freeze, but what does that actually look like?
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Fight might look like irritability, chronic anger, or being quick to snap.
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Flight can show up as constant busyness, perfectionism, or avoidance.
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Freeze often looks like dissociation, numbness, or feeling shut down.
These are nervous system responses, not character flaws. The body remembers what the mind might not, this is often referred to as “body memory.” Your heart rate, muscle tension, or breathing can all react to past trauma, even if your mind tries to override it with logic.
The vagus nerve, which runs from your brain to your gut, plays a key role in regulating these responses. If your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, it can lead to chronic symptoms like anxiety, fatigue, and emotional disconnection.
That’s why talk therapy alone may not be enough for some people. Trauma isn’t always accessible through words. It’s felt.
What Somatic Healing Might Look Like in A Session
Somatic work is gentle and paced. You might start by simply noticing what you feel in your body - tension, warmth, shakiness, or even nothing at all. Over time, you’ll learn to track sensations, regulate your breath, and ground through movement or imagery.
You may practice titration - meaning you work with small pieces of trauma at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. You might be guided to move, stretch, shake, breathe, or use visualization to safely release any stuck energy.
The goal isn’t to relive your trauma. It’s to help your body feel safe again...not just understand why it doesn’t.
Who Is Somatic Therapy Especially Helpful For?
This kind of work can benefit anyone, but it’s especially powerful for people who:
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Feel like they’ve “done all the work” but still feel stuck
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Want more than just insight; they want change that they can feel in their body
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Have experienced complex trauma, childhood neglect, or emotional abuse
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Tend to intellectualize everything and struggle to feel or express emotions
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Are neurodivergent — meaning they process information, emotions, or sensory input differently, and may have felt unseen in traditional talk therapy
If you’ve ever left therapy thinking, “That made sense, but I still feel off,” you’re probably ready for a deeper kind of healing.
Ready to Reconnect With Your Body?
Somatic therapy is about coming home to yourself — learning what safety feels like in your body, and giving yourself tools to create it again and again.
If you're curious about body-based healing, here's what to look for:
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Therapists trained in Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor, or polyvagal theory.
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Language that emphasizes nervous system regulation, not just "talking through it."
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A slow, collaborative approach that helps you build internal safety first.
You can also start exploring this at home.
🧠 Grab my free Reset Ritual Toolkit: a simple, therapist-created guide to help you reset your anxious brain, reconnect with your body, and feel more grounded — one ritual at a time.
Or if you’re looking for deeper support, I offer therapy sessions (MD + FL) that integrate somatic and trauma-informed approaches.