Somatic Therapy: Techniques, Examples, and How to Practice It at Home

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy takes a bottom-up approach to therapy. It tries to heal the mind through healing the body. This differs from top-down approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which focuses on healing the thoughts and emotions first. 

We store deeply painful and traumatic memories not only in our minds but also in our bodies. For example, if you were in a car accident, you likely experience a physical reaction to getting in the car or driving by the scene of the accident, even years afterwards. This is your body holding on to a painful memory, trying to keep you safe from future harm. Our brain does the best it can to keep us safe, but sometimes it can misinterpret the level of danger we are in, continuing the cycle of distress. 

Somatic therapy acknowledges the role the body has in keeping us from healing from trauma, and seeks to heal by releasing the “trapped” traumatic energy. This is primarily done through somatic exercises. A somatic therapist will guide you through thinking or remembering the trauma, and then grounding your body and regulating your emotions. The goal is to release the pent-up traumatic energy and then bring your body back to a calm, neutral, and healthy state. 

When we feel disconnected from our bodies, it can sometimes impede our progress in traditional talk therapy, especially for complex trauma.  

Does Somatic Therapy Work?

The techniques of somatic therapy are similar in many ways to mindfulness-based therapies, and the overall goal of releasing muscle tension, promoting relaxation, and regulating our emotions are well-proven techniques. 

But does the theory of painful emotions trapped in the body hold any weight with real evidence? 

Yes. Somatic therapy may not have the extreme wealth of research evidence that other modalities like CBT have (partly because somatic therapy hasn’t been around for that long), but there is research pointing to its effectiveness, especially in treating disorders such as:

• Trauma
• Anxiety
• Complicated Grief
• Depression
• Chronic Pain

Many people find somatic therapy especially useful when used together with other therapy models. For example, combining CBT and Somatic Therapy provides a holistic approach to your mental health. 

Many people who experience chronic stress, including anxiety and PTSD, experience a hyperactive nervous system that may cause heightened sensitivity to stress and potential danger, sometimes referred to as hypervigilance. Part of somatic therapy’s goal is to increase nervous system regulation and improve the body's ability to recognize, respond, and recover from the inevitable stressors of life. 

Somatic Therapy Techniques

There are many different techniques that somatic therapy may use. Some of them you can use at home on your own. 

Some common somatic therapy techniques include:

• Mindfulness: Mindfulness has become fully accepted as a proven scientific technique. Many therapy modalities make use of it, and somatic therapy is no different. Many of us live in the future or the past. We are constantly thinking of what we should have done or what we will do. Anxiety, regret, stress, and depression cling to us. Mindfulness brings us all out of that and into a present state of mind, where healing can begin. Some research suggests meditating for just 2-5 minutes a day increases our ability to manage stress and our brain’s neuroplasticity, or the ability to form new connections. 
• Body Awareness: By engaging in the five senses, you bring your awareness to how your body is feeling, the pains, aches, tension, or comfort that you might be feeling. This helps you remain mindful and well-grounded. Through time, you can use body awareness to teach your body that you are safe and not experiencing trauma. 
• Grounding: The goal of grounding is to bring your awareness to the present moment, where you are safe and calm. This can help you when you’re experiencing a trauma response, and is a good coping mechanism to learn outside the therapy office. Grounding exercises reduce the internal “noise” that anxiety, stress, trauma, and depression can bring and allow us to deepen our trust in ourselves and our thoughts. 
• Titration: The goal of titration is to slow things down, so you don’t re-traumatize yourself. Fully recounting a traumatic experience and diving into the deep end of how you feel and think about it can put your body back into that place of extreme fight-or-flight. The goal of titration is to experience your trauma reaction slowly, so that you can approach it with curiosity, empathy, and healing, instead of fear and avoidance.
• Pendulation: The goal of pendulation mirrors that of titration. Through pendulation, a somatic therapist will guide you through short periods of feeling uncomfortable and short periods of feeling calm. By oscillating between the two states, you can keep yourself under the threshold of panic. This will help you heal without retriggering traumatic episodes or symptoms. 
• Bilateral Stimulation: Engaging both hemispheres of our brain has been shown to increase regulation and assist in the processing of trauma. EMDR is a popular technique that requires a specially trained therapist; however, simply tapping alternating sides of our body can provide similar relief 

There are many unique exercises that can stem from these techniques. Check out a full list of somatic exercises in this article.

Who Should Not Use Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy can result in a big emotional release, sometimes leading to re-traumatization or an increase in negative symptoms or emotions. Although the goal of somatic therapy is to always healthily release the emotions and return to a regulated, healthy state, sometimes that emotional release can be too much for people, especially if they are prone to psychosis. Also, some professionals believe somatic therapy may not be as effective or may be harmful to people with certain chronic illnesses. 

Always consult your doctor and make your therapist aware of all ailments before starting somatic therapy. 

Using Somatic Therapy at Home

Somatic therapy has recently gotten popular on social media channels, with countless users (some professional, some not) encouraging the use of somatic exercises at home. Is this safe? 

Some exercises are, but some are not. 

Many somatic exercises are entirely safe and should be encouraged. Things like:

• Dancing
• Yoga
• Breathwork
• Meditation/Mindfulness
• Grounding exercises
• Tai Chi, Qi Gong 
• Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Tapping

Are useful coping strategies that many therapy modalities encourage, and are usually safe to do on your own. (Consult your doctor before engaging in these activities, especially if you have a chronic illness or otherwise preexisting condition.)

However, other aspects of somatic therapy should be left to the professional. Accessing stored trauma to release it is best done in the presence of a trained therapist who can safely help your body return to a neutral, calm, regulated state. Trying to do so on your own could lead to increased negative symptoms like panic attacks, trauma responses, and others. 

If you are interested in trying somatic therapy for yourself, contact Lifebulb. We have online somatic therapists who can help guide you through trauma treatment, learn healthy new coping mechanisms, and feel at home in your body. 

We accept most major insurances and have little to no wait times. Contact our team today or browse our list of therapists to find a good fit near you. 

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