Discover how somatic therapy helps clients release trauma stored in the body by working with the nervous system, physical sensations, and mind-body connection. A guide for mental health professionals.
Introduction
Trauma does not live only in the mind—it is also stored in the body and nervous system. Many clients who have survived trauma report not only intrusive thoughts or emotional pain but also physical symptoms such as muscle tension, chronic pain, or gastrointestinal issues. Somatic therapy offers a body-based approach to healing that complements traditional talk therapies by helping clients release unresolved trauma that remains “trapped” in their physiology.
Trauma and the Body: Why Talking Alone Isn’t Enough
Research on trauma and neurobiology shows that overwhelming experiences can leave the autonomic nervous system in a state of dysregulation—cycling between hyperarousal (fight/flight) and hypoarousal (freeze/shutdown). While cognitive therapies like CBT address thoughts and behaviors, they may not fully resolve these embodied survival responses.
Clients often say, “I know I’m safe, but my body doesn’t feel safe.” This disconnect reflects trauma stored somatically rather than cognitively.
What is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is an umbrella term for body-centered psychotherapies that emphasize:
Awareness of bodily sensations as entry points for healing.
Nervous system regulation through tracking, grounding, and resourcing.
Discharge of stored survival energy such as shaking, trembling, or deep breathing.
Integration of the body, emotions, and mind for holistic trauma recovery.
Models include Somatic Experiencing (SE), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and body-based mindfulness practices.
How Somatic Therapy Releases Trauma Stored in the Body
Somatic therapy helps clients by:
Titration – Working with trauma in small, manageable amounts rather than re-exposing clients to overwhelming material.
Pendulation – Guiding clients to move between states of activation and safety, strengthening resilience.
Discharge – Allowing the nervous system to complete thwarted survival responses (e.g., shaking, crying, spontaneous movement).
Re-establishing regulation – Helping clients restore a baseline of calm and presence in their body.
Over time, this process reduces somatic symptoms, enhances emotional regulation, and helps clients reclaim a sense of safety.
Clinical Benefits for Clients
Evidence and clinical reports show somatic therapy can:
Reduce symptoms of PTSD, developmental trauma, and chronic stress.
Improve emotional regulation and reduce hypervigilance.
Alleviate somatic symptoms such as pain, digestive issues, or muscle tension.
Restore a sense of agency and safety in one’s own body.
Complement traditional talk therapy by addressing trauma at the physiological level.
What Therapists Should Consider
For mental health professionals, integrating somatic therapy requires:
Training and certification (e.g., in Somatic Experiencing or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy).
A trauma-informed lens, ensuring safety and pacing for clients.
Awareness of countertransference, as body-based work can evoke strong therapist responses.
Integration with other modalities, such as CBT or EMDR, for comprehensive care.
Final Takeaway
Trauma is as much a physiological imprint as it is a psychological one. Somatic therapy provides therapists with tools to help clients safely access and release trauma stored in the body, restoring regulation, resilience, and connection.
By bridging mind and body, somatic therapy empowers clients not only to process their past but to embody healing in the present.
