The Healing Power of the Body: An Introduction to Somatic Techniques in Therapy
Somatic therapy is an umbrella term for various therapies that focus on healing through the mind-body connection by utilizing somatic techniques in addition to traditional talk therapy. While many types of therapy focus almost exclusively on the mind (i.e. “talk” therapies), somatic therapies believe the mind and the body are interconnected, and that both must be addressed in order to achieve long-lasting mental wellness. Grounded in the idea that trauma and stress are not only mental but often also physical experiences, the somatic techniques utilized in somatic therapies help us release tension, restore balance, and reconnect with our bodies.
Understanding the Mind-Body Connection
The term somatic comes from the Greek word soma, which means “body.” All somatic therapies operate on the basic principle that the body holds memories, emotions, and experiences that may not always be accessible through traditional talk therapy. For example, when the body experiences trauma or prolonged stress, it can store these experiences as physical sensations, muscle tension, or chronic pain. Somatic techniques aim to help us bring awareness to these sensations within our bodies, allowing us to reconnect with ourselves in a way that may have been cut off after a trauma or due to stress; this can give us a greater sense of self and safety, improving our ability to understand and manage reactions and emotions.
In addition to a focus on bringing awareness to bodily sensations, somatic therapies also assists with the overall regulation of our nervous system. For many people who have been through trauma or dealing with prolonged stress, their bodies can get stuck in a stress response. These responses are powered by the nervous system; somatic techniques allow a direct connect with the system in order to sooth it and provide a sense of safety. Doing so helps to bring the body out of the stress response it may have been stuck in, and return to a calmer, more connected state.
Being able to be more aware of our internal states and regulate them opens the door for us to integrate our experiences. In practice, this means being able to connect our physical sensations to emotional awareness, which can be highly beneficial for working through traumatic experiences. When trauma occurs, the memory of the event is often fragmented, with bits and pieces of the facts, emotions, and sensory information of the event being stored as different “files” within the brains memory network. Somatic techniques allow us to begin putting the pieces back together, so they can be “stored” properly, be put into perspective, and new information can be brought in to fully process the memories and reduce the intensity of them.
Overall, somatic techniques can be beneficial for not only individuals dealing with trauma or stress-related conditions, but also anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. By addressing both the psychological and physiological aspects of distress, we can experience improved emotional regulation, reduced physical symptoms, and a deeper sense of connection to themselves. Somatic work also encourages us to trust and understand our body signals, which aids in developing a sense of control over our emotional and physical responses.
Common Somatic Techniques
As mentioned above, somatic techniques focus on the body. They help bring awareness to our internal states, encourage us to be curious about our physical sensations, and use sensory information to help us regulate and change from states of discomfort, pain (physical or emotional), or disconnection into a state of of safety and connection. Some common techniques include:
Body Scanning: A process of bringing attention to different parts of the body to identify areas of tension or discomfort. This can be done in many ways; one method may involve purposely focusing on a specific part of the body, such as the left hand, and working to notice and describe how it feels. Body scanning can also be done in a more “free form” way, by simply turning our attention inwards and trying to notice and name any sensations in any part of our body. Noticing and naming is always done from a non-judgemental viewpoint, as our physical sensations are neither good nor bad, but simply information and messages to help us better understand our inner worlds and how we’re doing.
Grounding Exercises: Grounding exercises are techniques that help us reconnect with the present moment. Most grounding exercises focus on using our five senses to help our brain and body accomplish this, especially if we are feeling overwhelmed, panicked, or triggered. Because our senses are the basic method of getting information to our brains and bodies, it is often the quickest way to reorient ourselves when feeling disconnected.
Movement and Gesture: Movement and gesture can be a different way to help us communicate and release emotions, instead of strictly through words. Sometimes what is difficult to find words for is more easily expressed with movements, which is something purely talk-focused therapies may miss. Additionally, movement can be a helpful way to release energy or wake up disconnected parts of ourselves. Slow, gentle movements are perfect if we have been feeling numb or disconnected, while big, energetic movement can help us let go of the energy that comes with emotions such as anger or anxiety.
Breathwork: Along with using our five senses, breathing is one of the quickest ways to help calm our nervous system in moments of distress. Breathwork can help in two ways: taking deep slow breaths naturally counteracts the stress response in our body, signaling to our nervous system that it is ok to calm down. Focusing on our breath, either by trying to notice the sensations of our breathing or by counting our breaths, can deepen the effectiveness by giving our brains something else to focus on instead of what may have originally overwhelmed us.
These are only some of the many techniques included in various somatic therapies. Regardless of what modality of somatic therapy is used, all techniques are going to focus on the body and our physical experienced. Including these types of techniques into therapy can help us connect with our feelings and experiences from a different angle, compared to just talking about them (such as with talk therapy only). In therapy, a provider may work mostly from a somatic perspective, preferring to focus on the body and nervous system as the main way to treat mental health concerns. Other providers will blend these sorts of somatic techniques with more traditional talk therapy, effectively helping clients explore their issues from “all sides”.
Integrating Somatic Practices into Daily Life
Somatic techniques are not just for therapy; because most need nothing more than you and your body and are relatively simple to do, these are practices that can be integrated into your every day life. For example, taking a few moments in the day to take deep calming breaths and noticing how it feels can be done almost anywhere and in any moment. Purposely noticing sensory information when we’re stressed, such as intentionally paying attention to what we can see, feel, touch, taste, or smell around us, and noticing any calming effect is also simple to do and can help us better handle difficult situations. Even a simple body scan can be done at almost any time and begin to help us connect better to our inner world.
Practicing somatic type skills throughout the day can help you foster resilience and emotional balance on your own. Long-term, the consistent practice of these techniques help build a stronger mind-body connection and a greater ability to respond to life’s challenges with calm and clarity. And while these techniques can be easy to include in every day life, sometimes it may be difficult to do so or it feels they are not “helping enough”. In these cases, working with a therapist to learn further somatic techniques, combine them with other types of therapy, or utilize them to more deeply process past trauma or stressors can be beneficial.
Whether on your own or with a therapist, learning about the ideas behind somatic therapy and practicing the techniques can have big benefits for our lives. Somatic techniques recognize our bodies as essential partners in our overall emotional well-being, while helping release stored tension, reconnecting us to ourselves, and aiding in processing unresolved trauma. As understanding of the mind-body connection continues to grow, somatic therapy stands as a powerful approach for those seeking deeper, embodied healing.