Somatic Work

Somatic psychotherapy (or body-based therapy) is a type of therapy that focuses not just on your thoughts and feelings but also on what’s happening in your body—because your body holds onto stress, trauma, and emotions, even when your mind isn’t fully aware of it.

The word “somatic” comes from the Greek word soma, meaning body. So instead of just talking about your problems, somatic therapy helps you feel what’s going on inside your body and use that awareness to process past experiences, especially trauma.

You might notice a tight chest, a fluttery stomach, or a tense jaw — and your therapist will help you explore what those sensations might be trying to tell you. It’s based on the idea that the body and mind are deeply connected and that healing can happen by working with both.

As part of this therapy, you may be guided through breathing exercises, grounding techniques, very gentle movement, or mindful observation of physical sensations. These techniques help your nervous system regulate itself—which is a fancy way of saying it helps you calm down and feel safer.

A Quick History Lesson

Somatic therapy as a formal practice has roots going back to the 1970s, when psychotherapists began exploring how trauma affected the nervous system and not just the mind.

One of the big names is Dr. Peter Levine, who developed a method called Somatic Experiencing. He was inspired by watching animals shake off stress after a near-death experience (like a gazelle escaping a lion). He noticed that humans tend to hold onto trauma and not release it physically, which can lead to all sorts of mental and physical issues.

Around the same time, Dr. Pat Ogden developed Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, which combines body awareness with elements of cognitive and emotional therapy. Ogden worked with clients who had experienced trauma and realized that traditional talk therapy often didn’t go deep enough—especially for people with PTSD. Her work emphasizes noticing how trauma shows up in posture, tension, movement, and sensation, and helping clients process it from the bottom up (body to mind), rather than just the top down (mind to body).

Why Use Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is especially helpful for people dealing with:

• Trauma or PTSD

• Anxiety

• Chronic stress

• Depression

• Dissociation (feeling disconnected from yourself or your surroundings)

It can be very gentle and empowering — people often feel more “in their body” and more grounded. It’s not about reliving trauma but about safely reconnecting with your body’s natural ability to heal and feel whole.

Somatic psychotherapy is about using the wisdom of the body to help process emotions and trauma. Your body often knows things your mind hasn’t caught up with yet. By tuning into your body—gently and with support—you can release stuck patterns and feel more present, resilient, and alive.

It’s like learning a new language—the language of sensation—and once you speak it, you start to see how much your body has been trying to tell you all along.

References

Levine, P. A. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. North Atlantic Books.

Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. W. W. Norton & Company.

Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.

Heller, D. P., & LaPierre, A. (2012). Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship. North Atlantic Books.

If you feel that Somatic Work could help you

Then