Think trauma only lives in your memories? Your body begs to differ.
That chronic shoulder tension, the knot in your stomach, that shallow breathing—they’re not random. They’re your body’s filing system for unprocessed emotions. After teaching somatic practices for 15 years, I’ve witnessed bodies literally shake off decades of stored pain.
Ready to unlock what your muscles have been guarding?
Here’s what your therapist might not tell you: Talk therapy can’t always reach what your body remembers.
When you experience something overwhelming, your nervous system takes notes. Not in words, but in sensations. Tight jaw from swallowing angry words. Collapsed chest from carrying grief. Rigid spine from always being “on guard.” This is particularly true for highly sensitive people who often absorb and store emotional experiences more intensely than others.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk put it perfectly: “The body keeps the score.” And somatic therapy exercises are how we settle that score.
During overwhelming experiences, your prefrontal cortex goes offline. But your body? It records everything.
That’s why you might:
Your body is trying to protect you from threats that ended years ago. Understanding the connection between emotional reactions and physical pain is crucial for recognizing how trauma manifests in our bodies.
Watch a dog after a stressful encounter. They shake, stretch, and move on. Humans? We apologize, intellectualize, and store tension for decades.
Somatic therapy exercises work because they:
No lengthy analysis required. Just you, your body, and permission to feel. This approach complements traditional CBT techniques for managing triggers by addressing the body’s stored responses rather than just cognitive patterns.
Starting point for all somatic work.
How to practice:
What you might notice: Warmth, coldness, tightness, tingling, numbness, pulsing, or nothing at all. All responses are valid data. This practice enhances mental imagery and visualization abilities while building body awareness.
Borrowed from trauma release exercises (TRE).
The practice:
Your body knows how to shake. Trust the process, even if it feels silly. This technique is particularly effective for releasing the physical tension that accompanies stress and shoulder blade pain.
Self-soothing meets neuroscience.
Steps:
This bilateral stimulation calms both brain hemispheres simultaneously. Research from EMDR International Association shows how bilateral stimulation helps process traumatic memories effectively.
The sound that soothes your nervous system.
Method:
The vibration stimulates your vagus nerve, activating your rest-and-digest response. This technique naturally reduces cortisol and stress hormones while promoting nervous system regulation.
Teaching your nervous system flexibility.
Practice:
This builds tolerance for discomfort while maintaining connection to resources. The technique helps expand what trauma therapists call the “window of tolerance”—your capacity to handle stress without becoming overwhelmed.
Creating internal safety.
Visualization:
Physical containment creates psychological boundaries. This is especially helpful for empaths who struggle with emotional overwhelm from absorbing others’ emotions.
Reconnecting with here and now.
Simple steps:
Orienting tells your nervous system: “We’re safe in this moment.” This grounding technique is particularly effective for managing anxiety in teens who often feel disconnected from their bodies.
For when you need to move big emotions.
Instructions:
This completes the “fight” response your body might be holding. It’s particularly effective for releasing the trapped energy associated with different types of stress responses.
Mimicking early comfort patterns.
How to rock:
Rocking activates the same soothing system as being held. This technique can be particularly comforting when dealing with the connection between anxiety and digestive issues that often accompany trauma.
The ultimate nervous system reset.
Position:
This reverses blood flow and activates deep relaxation responses. The Yoga Journal provides detailed guidance on this restorative pose and its benefits for anxiety relief.
Start small. Sustainability beats intensity.
Morning Check-In (2 minutes)
Midday Reset (5 minutes)
Evening Release (10 minutes)
This approach helps prevent hyperstress by creating regular opportunities for nervous system regulation throughout the day.
Tingling: Energy moving, circulation increasing Warmth: Relaxation response activating Trembling: Natural discharge happening Yawning: Nervous system downshifting Tears: Emotional release through body Numbness: Protection mechanism active
All sensations are information, not problems to fix. For those dealing with TMJ and anxiety, facial tensions and jaw clenching are particularly common during somatic work.
Sometimes, opening body awareness unleashes unexpected responses.
If You Feel Overwhelmed:
Building Your Window of Tolerance:
Remember: You’re not behind. Your nervous system sets the timeline. This is especially important for those managing CPTSD and sleep issues where trauma responses can be particularly intense.
The real magic happens between formal practices.
Micro-Practices:
Body Check-In Questions:
These micro-practices help interrupt overthinking patterns by redirecting attention to present-moment body sensations.
Somatic therapy exercises aren’t just about feeling better (though that’s nice). They’re about:
Your body has been trying to keep you safe. These practices help it know the danger has passed. For those dealing with depressed empath symptoms, somatic practices can be particularly powerful for reconnecting with joy and vitality.
Tonight, before bed, try just one exercise. Maybe the butterfly hug. Maybe three Voo breaths.
Start where you are. Your body has been waiting patiently for you to listen. These somatic therapy exercises are simply the language it speaks.
Healing happens in small moments of awareness. In gentle movements. In finally feeling safe enough to feel.
Your body remembers how to heal. These exercises just remind it that it’s finally time. Remember, as discussed in building healthy daily habits, consistent small practices create lasting transformation.
Q: Can somatic therapy exercises re-traumatize me if I do them alone? A: When practiced gently and mindfully, basic somatic exercises are generally safe for self-practice. Start with grounding techniques like the body scan or orienting exercises. Avoid pushing into intense sensations or memories. If you have severe trauma, practice initially with a trained somatic therapist. Always stop if you feel overwhelmed, and use orienting techniques to return to the present. Your body has built-in safety mechanisms—trust them. For additional support, consider consulting resources from the International Somatic Movement Educators & Therapists Association.
Q: How long before I see results from somatic therapy exercises? A: Some people feel immediate relief after their first body scan or shaking session. Others need weeks of consistent practice to notice shifts. Generally, expect subtle changes within 2-3 weeks: better sleep, less reactivity, more body awareness. Major trauma patterns might take months to fully release. Remember, you’re rewiring nervous system patterns that took years to develop. Small daily practices create more lasting change than intense occasional sessions.
Q: Why do I feel more anxious when I first start body awareness practices? A: Initially feeling worse is actually common and even indicates the practice is working. When you start paying attention to your body, you notice tensions and sensations you’ve been unconsciously avoiding. It’s like turning on lights in a messy room—the mess was always there, but now you see it. This temporary increase in awareness (and anxiety) typically settles within a few sessions as your nervous system learns it’s safe to feel. Start with shorter practices and build tolerance gradually. This phenomenon is similar to what happens when apologizing for overthinking in relationships—increased awareness can initially feel uncomfortable.
Q: Can I do somatic exercises if I dissociate or feel disconnected from my body? A: Yes, but start extra gently. Dissociation is your nervous system’s protective mechanism, so honor it. Begin with exercises that keep you grounded: orienting (looking around the room), or gentle movement while keeping eyes open. Avoid deep body scans initially. Try “body mapping” instead—simply noting “I have hands, I have feet” without diving into sensations. Work with a trauma-informed somatic therapist if dissociation is severe. Building connection slowly is key.
Q: Is it normal to cry, shake, or yawn excessively during somatic exercises? A: Absolutely! These are signs of successful nervous system discharge. Crying releases stress hormones, shaking discharges trapped survival energy, and yawning indicates nervous system downregulation. Other normal responses include: stomach gurgling, temperature changes, muscle twitches, or sudden fatigue. Your body is literally releasing what it’s been holding. Let these responses happen without forcing or stopping them. They typically decrease as your system learns to regulate more efficiently. Personal accounts like this trauma recovery story show how these releases can be part of healing.
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