Somatic Healing: Grow and Recover Through Somatic Experiencing
Feeling stuck by emotional pain or trauma? It’s a heavy weight to carry. Trauma often stays in the body, not just the mind, and somatic healing offers a way to let it go. Somatic therapy techniques help by bringing your mind and body back together, creating space for healing.
Take the first step—your journey toward peace can start here.
Key Takeaways
- Somatic healing focuses on releasing trauma stored in the body through physical sensations and nervous system responses. It uses techniques like breathwork, sensation tracking, and pendulation to help process emotional pain.
- Developed by Peter Levine in the 1970s, somatic experiencing addresses trauma trapped in the freeze response, helping people reconnect with their bodies and release tension. Therapies include hypnosis, NLP, Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT), metaphorical mind healing, and Reiki.
- Key components of somatic healing include body awareness, systematic desensitization, and releasing stored trauma. These practices restore balance by addressing physical manifestations of stress and emotional distress.
- Benefits include improved emotional regulation, relief from chronic pain or muscle tension linked to trauma, and a stronger mind-body connection that fosters overall well-being.
- Adding somatic techniques into daily life involves simple practices like joy-spotting (1–5 minutes), grounding exercises (3–5 minutes), mindful walking (10–15 minutes), gentle movement such as yoga (10–15 minutes).
- Collaborating with professionally trained practitioners provides deeper guidance and spiritual and emotional growth. Working with a professional for a tailored approach will give personalized support a comprehensive approach to promoting lasting transformation. This goes beyond temporary fixes by applying methods grounded in evidence-based approaches that offer meaningful change both mentally and physically. This also empowers individuals to regain control over their lives, making sense of past and present experiences while moving forward with confidence and positivity. By developing the tools needed to succeed, the progress made can have measurable and impactful benefits, significantly improving overall quality of life and fostering recovery, healing, and personal growth.
What is Somatic Healing?
Somatic healing is a body-focused approach that helps release trauma stored in the body. It centers on physical sensations and nervous system responses to process traumatic experiences. It works to ground the body and mind in a more expansive way so that you can feel more connected to yourself and the universe which is always working to help you heal and grow. It offers an experience so that you can not only understand things in a conscious way but at a deeper and more subconscious level. This will help you to move from a victim state into a more empowered state of being that will propel you forward.
Unlike talk therapies, somatic healing explores how trauma and other stressors manifests physically, offering a deeper pathway for emotional freedom. Somatic healing can also be done by coaches and trained practitioners that work with the mind body system not just a therapist. I am not a therapy practice and I am not a licensed mental health professional. At Grounded Visions Wellness I offer a holistic coaching approach that addresses somatic healing through modalities such as Integral Eye Movement Therapy, hypnosis, breathing, sound, and neurolinguistic programming. These modalities all work with the mind body system as a whole so we can see trauma and healing as a whole and how it effects the entire system.
Trauma impacts us at a cellular level, often creating tension in the body and chronic pain. Somatic practices like breathwork, eye movement work, sound healing, metaphorical healing, and sensation tracking help reconnect with your body safely and effectively. This allows a transfer from the head and into the heart where integrative healing can take place and the spirit can lead the way on what is needed for your highest healing,
This newer form of transformational healing and therapeutic change bridges the gap between mind-body connection, helping you heal from within and unlock your own inner healer which knows the way to support you and guide you in a way that goes beyond anyone else doing it for you.
The body keeps the score. – Bessel van der Kolk
Working as a somatic and holistic coach, I’ve seen clients find relief by releasing pent-up emotions through bodily awareness. Techniques like pendulation and systematic desensitization as well as eye movement work through Integral Eye Movement Therapy guide people to liberation from disturbing thoughts tied to past events and any other energy that is taking place within their nervous system.
It’s not just about talking; it’s about feeling, reconnecting, and reclaiming your sense of safety. Through this work at Grounded Visions Wellness, I empower individuals to transform pain into profound emotional healing using somatic psychotherapy techniques customized to their unique needs.
Understanding Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Healing Therapy leads us to somatic experiencing. It’s a powerful approach developed by Peter Levine in the 1970s. This method focuses on trauma trapped in the freeze response, helping people release stored tension and reconnect with their bodies. It also helps to become more of a witness to the emotions and feelings that are present with the body, ultimately using them as a teacher and catalyst for change and transformation.
I’ve seen firsthand how it transforms lives.
Coaches and therapists use techniques like acupressure, hypnosis, IEMT, EMDR, Sound, Reiki, Mindscaping, NLP and breathwork to address physical manifestations of trauma. Dance and yoga can also play a role. While scientific research is limited, anecdotal evidence shows significant benefits for emotional and physical healing.
Health insurance coverage is sparse unless severe symptoms like seizures are present and you would have to utilize a provider that accepts insurance such as a therapist. The US Association for Body Psychotherapy offers a helpful “Find a Therapist” tool for those interested in exploring this path further. The Association for IEMT Practitioners also utilizes a directory for those looking for healing through eye movements which is a revolutionary new practice that offers much healing and support.
Key Components of Somatic Healing Therapy
Somatic healing therapy focuses on reconnecting with your body, breath, and tracking sensations by gently releasing stored trauma to restore balance and peace—read more to explore how these techniques can transform your healing journey.
Body Awareness and Sensation Tracking
Body awareness starts with tuning into your physical sensations without judgment. It’s about noticing where tension lives—your neck, shoulders, or elsewhere—and understanding it’s not just “tight muscles” but often emotional distress stored in the body.
This practice helps calm the mind by grounding you in the present moment.
Sensation tracking takes it deeper. You’ll learn to observe uncomfortable sensations linked to past trauma or stress. Over time, this builds emotional regulation and a stronger connection between mind and body.
It’s like having a map to navigate your inner world. You can then use these sensations to understand your body and your mind on a deeper level. You can also use tools like mindscaping to be able to understand the way these show up on the map inside of your mind and then use the subconscious to change the representation so that you can experience positive change in your outer world.
“The body keeps the score. To heal, we must listen to what it’s telling us.”
At Grounded Visions Wellness, I will guide you to release stored emotions and representations to reclaim emotional freedom. It’s not just another healing modality —it’s transformation, growth, and empowerment. This is your pathway to inner peace.
Pendulation and Systematic Desensitization
Pendulation helps to shift between relaxed states and tough emotions. It’s like moving gently between calm and tension, letting the nervous system reset. Systematic desensitization guides you through traumatic memories, bit by bit, while focusing on physical sensations. These are practices that I use in my own life.
This also keeps overwhelming feelings at bay. I use grounding techniques, like feeling my feet on the floor or deep breathing, to stay present. These tools counter fear and dissociation effectively. I also use sound and guided visualization to help myself and others feel more comfortable in their mind and body. Anything that I use in my own life are what I will share with others to help them on their journey as well. This way I can know what works and how it works so I am always speaking from firsthand experience.
These things have been monumental in my own healing journey, and I see clients experience the same breakthroughs. Combining movement, breath, visualization and meditation, is an approach that naturally releases stored trauma.
Release of Trauma Stored in the Body
I’ve seen firsthand how emotions manifest physically, often trapping stress in muscles and tissues and even creating headaches and tension that are stored in the mind at a subconscious level.
Somatic healing guides clients to process these feelings safely, helping the nervous system shift out of fight/flight/freeze responses and allowing emotions to come up as they are not as they were. We see things not as they are but as we are so when feelings are approached in this way it allows a reprocessing of the past so you can have a new upgraded vision.
Through awareness of bodily sensations, you can uncover tension held for years. Techniques like pendulation and sensation tracking allow gradual release of suppressed emotions. This creates resilience and reduces overwhelming feelings tied to past events.
Incorporating eye movements from Integral Eye Movement Therapy (IEMT) also allows this to release from the mind bringing about a new sense of identity.
It’s not magic—it’s about letting your body do what it knows best: heal naturally.
Benefits of Somatic Healing Therapy
Somatic healing helps you feel calm in your body, even when stress hits hard. It also builds a strong link between how you think and how you feel physically, making life more balanced and clear. When you create a new relationship with your body it now becomes your greatest ally. A friend and a teacher that you call on to help and that you can listen to for higher understanding and communication. By living in this new way you will feel a lift come about and there will a deeper purpose in how you operate moving forward.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is about finding balance in times of chaos. I’ve seen it work wonders in my practice at Grounded Visions Wellness. By tuning into bodily sensations, clients learn to manage stress responses more effectively. Clients will also learn where these emotions come from and how they learned to respond in this way to whats coming up so that they can turn that switch off. This helps people respond rather then react to what is showing up in their lives.
This isn’t just about calming the mind—it’s about healing the nervous system.
Somatic therapy helps release suppressed emotions, often trapped in the body after traumatic events. It’s not just talk. It’s about feeling and processing. Through body awareness and sensation tracking, people gain control over overwhelming feelings. Its about experiencing and taking something to a deeper level so the mind and the body understand things from a higher vantage point. Its like connecting the dots so you can see the full picture.
The result? A clearer mind and a calmer heart. Emotional regulation becomes second nature, creating lasting change.
Relief from Physical Manifestations of Trauma
Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind—it stays in the body too. Muscle tension in the neck or shoulders, for example, can signal emotional distress. Somatic healing addresses these physical symptoms head-on.
It helps regulate the nervous system, moving you out of fight, flight, or freeze responses. Chronic anxiety often shows up as ongoing physical discomfort, impacting daily life. By focusing on body awareness, somatic therapy identifies tension and promotes calming thoughts.
This approach releases trauma stored in the body, offering real relief. It’s not just about feeling better emotionally—it’s about healing physically too.
Through practices like yoga and craniosacral therapy, somatic techniques reconnect you with your body. They help release tension trapped in specific parts of your body. This isn’t just about temporary fixes.
It’s about creating lasting change. Somatic healing allows you to process physiological aspects of trauma, restoring balance. Healing trauma isn’t just mental—it’s deeply physical.
By addressing both, somatic therapies offer a holistic path to freedom and well-being.
Enhanced Connection Between Mind and Body
Relief from physical manifestations of trauma often leads to a deeper exploration of the mind-body connection. Somatic healing bridges this gap by integrating mindfulness, talk therapy, and physical techniques like deep breathing, hypnosis, sound, and other experiential techniques.
These practices help me guide clients to reconnect their mind with their bodies, releasing stored tension and fostering emotional regulation. This paired with hypnotherapy and other subconscious work assist to move this forward into a persons life far beyond the session.
In my work, I’ve seen how somatic therapy techniques, such as body awareness, IEMT, hypnosis and sensation tracking, create a stronger link between mental and physical experiences. This enhanced connection allows for greater self-awareness and healing, empowering individuals to move beyond disturbing thoughts and behavior patterns.
The mind-body split is challenged, opening doors to lasting transformation. As a transpersonal hypnotherapist when you also add in a persons spiritual beliefs the move to the beyond mind-body realm into the spirit world adds another layer of transformation and growth.
How to Incorporate Somatic Techniques into Daily Life
Adding somatic techniques to your day doesn’t have to be complicated. Small, consistent practices can make a big difference.
- Start with Joy-Spotting for 1–5 minutes. Notice moments of joy and connect them to your body’s sensations. This simple act trains your brain to focus on the positive.
- Practice Grounding Exercises for 3–5 minutes. Stand barefoot on the earth or sit firmly in a chair. Feel your connection to the ground, which helps calm your nervous system.
- Spend 5 minutes on Breath Awareness. Focus on your natural breathing rhythm. This helps reduce stress and anchors you in the present moment.
- Add Gentle Movement for 10–15 minutes. Stretch, sway, or do yoga. Movement releases tension stored in your body and improves your overall well-being.
- Explore Emotion-Body Connection for 5–10 minutes. Notice where emotions show up in your body. This helps you process feelings rather than just thinking about them.
- Try Mindful Walking for 10–15 minutes. Pay attention to each step and how your body feels as you move. It’s a great way to combine mindfulness with physical activity.
For more advanced techniques, work with a trained somatic therapist or coach to guide you safely through deeper healing.
Conclusion
Somatic healing techniques changed how I approach trauma recovery and growth work. By tuning into the body’s wisdom, we release what words can’t express. It’s not just about feeling better—it’s about feeling whole again.
At Grounded Visions Wellness, I guide clients to reconnect with their bodies and reclaim their power. This isn’t just therapy; it’s a pathway to true freedom.
FAQs
Q: What is somatic experiencing therapy?
A: Somatic experiencing therapy is a body-oriented therapeutic technique that focuses on the connection between the body and emotional experiences. It helps individuals process healing by tuning into bodily sensations and releasing stored tension.
Q: How does somatic healing differ from traditional talk therapies?
A: Unlike traditional talk therapies, which primarily focus on cognitive aspects, somatic healing and coaching is a newer form of mental health counseling that emphasizes the physical body and its sensations, helping individuals connect with and process their trauma on a deeper level.
Q: What techniques are commonly used in somatics?
A: Somatic therapy techniques may include breath work, hypnosis, IEMT, NLP, mindfulness, movement, and guided imagery. These practices aim to bring awareness to the body, allowing individuals to release trauma and promote relaxation. They are all experientially inviting someone to understand things cognitively but also with feeling.
Q: When should someone consider somatic therapy?
A: Individuals may consider somatic work when they are struggling with unresolved trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other stress disorders, and are seeking a holistic approach to healing that incorporates the body and mind. It is also helpful for those who suffer from anxiety or intellectually understand things should be different in their lives but energetically are still having trouble.
Q: Can somatic therapy help with anxiety and stress management?
A: Yes, somatic therapy can be effective for anxiety and stress management as it teaches individuals to recognize bodily sensations related to stress and provides tools for relaxation and emotional regulation.
Q: How does the concept of “the body keeps the score” relate to somatic therapy?
A: The phrase “the body keeps the score” reflects the idea that trauma is stored in the body. Somatic therapies posit that by addressing these physical sensations, individuals can successfully process and heal from trauma.
Q: What should I expect during a somatic therapy session?
A: During a somatic therapy session, you can expect to engage in various body-focused techniques while discussing your experiences. Practitioners of somatic therapy may guide you through exercises that help you connect with and process your bodily sensations.
Q: Is somatic experiencing therapy effective for everyone?
A: While many people find somatic experiencing therapy beneficial, its effectiveness can vary. It is important to discuss your specific needs and trauma history with a qualified practitioner to determine if this approach is suitable for you.
Q: How can I find a qualified somatic therapy practitioner?
A: You can find a qualified somatic therapy practitioner through professional directories, mental health organizations, or referrals from healthcare providers. Ensure that the practitioner is trained in techniques and that you feel connected to them as rapport between the client and practitioner will allow you to go to deeper levels.