Somatic Therapy: What is it, Types & Techniques

A Quick Guide

Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach that addresses trauma by integrating physical techniques with psychotherapy. It recognizes that trauma resides in the body and aims to release negative feelings and restore well-being through exercises like breathing, meditation, and movement. It can be used to treat various mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and physical conditions like chronic pain.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a form of body-centered therapy that focuses on the connection of your mind and body. It uses both psychotherapy and other physical techniques to help overcome trauma. 

Practitioners of somatic therapy believe that trauma lives in the body. So just talking about it would not lead to complete healing. In fact, through physical exercises or therapies, you can release the pent-up trauma or negative feelings that are disrupting your physical and emotional well-being. Some of these techniques include breathing, meditation, dancing, or other types of body movements.

How does it work?

Somatic therapy helps you on a cellular level. It works on the foundation that the mind and body are very closely connected.  If a person has gone through some sort of trauma, the negative feelings associated with it will be trapped inside their body. These negative feelings can turn into self-deprecating thoughts that keep them stuck. It will be a feedback loop that even when they do get out of that trauma. They will continue to feel all the symptoms of that trauma. As their body has gone into survival mode. 

Moreover, cortisol which is a stress hormone is continually released. It can start to exhibit physical symptoms in the body. This will start to disrupt their normal life functioning. 

Somatic experiencing therapy helps to recognize underlying sensations arising from your trauma. Then through awareness and other grounding exercises,  you gradually learn to work through those painful and negative feelings. 

What is it used for?

Some of the mental health issues and physical issues somatic therapy can heal are as follows:

• PTSD
• Chronic depression
• Grief
• Stress
• Addiction
• Anxiety 
• Sexual dysfunction 
• Chronic pain 

Types of somatic therapy

Let’s look at some of the most common types of somatic therapies:

Sensorimotor psychotherapy

It helps an individual in re-experiencing a traumatic event though this time they can carry out their incomplete actions. For instance, a person was attacked and was unable to fight in the initial event. Recreating that event and having them fight off the attacker, can bring them a feeling of closure. 

Neurosomatic therapy

This approach is more helpful when a person has more symptoms on the physical side of the mind-body spectrum. It helps you in recognising the underlying causes of tension and physical pain in your body. 

Some of the techniques neurosomatic therapy uses are posture work, exercises, and massage. 

The Hakomi method 

This approach focuses mostly on mindfulness. The practitioner creates a safe space with acceptance. They help the client identify the cues of their body to safely release the negative feelings associated with trauma.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

It is an 8 phase approach, through which the individual recalls their past trauma in a controlled environment. They do it while focusing on an external stimulus like rhythmic eye movements. Hence, it creates a similar effect on the memory processing of the brain.

Techniques used in somatic therapies

Some other techniques used in somatic therapy are as follows:

1. Grounding

It means to tether yourself to the here and now by planting your feet firmly on the ground and realizing that you are in the present.

2. Body Awareness

It refers to manifesting awareness of your body and its sensations. 

3. Resourcing

This means using your resources such as relationships or places that you feel safe with to help calm yourself.

4. Creating Boundaries

It focuses on making you identify your own needs and wants, and how to develop healthy boundaries. 

5. Self-regulation 

It focuses mainly on becoming aware of your body sensations so you can regulate your emotions.

We hope you found this article useful in understanding somatic therapy, its uses, types, and techniques.