Have you ever felt anxious, but when someone asked you what was wrong, you weren’t sure how to explain it? Or maybe you noticed that your shoulders are always tight, your jaw is clenched or there is a “pit” in your stomach. If any of this sounds familiar, many others feel this as well and it might be your body’s way of trying to talk to you. In therapy, we often focus on our thoughts: the stories we tell, our beliefs, the patterns that emerge from our relationships. That work is incredibly important! But there’s another piece to the puzzle that’s just as vital and can be overlooked…the body. Using a holistic approach to therapy is exploring all aspects that make up you: the mental, emotional, spiritual and physical. Simply put, somatic therapy then means paying attention to how emotions live in the body and learning to tune into what our physical sensations are telling us.

Some of us may be taught, directly or indirectly, to prioritize our minds over our bodies. We learn to “push through”, “get over it”, or “be strong” even when our bodies are screaming that something isn’t right. This is especially true for people who have experienced chronic stress, trauma or are navigating intense life transitions like new parenthood, grief, or burnout. But our bodies don’t forget. Even if we have convinced ourselves we are “fine”, the body keeps score. When we ignore physical symptoms of stress, such as tension, fatigue, shallow breathing, or gut discomfort, those feelings don’t disappear. They often just show up louder later, sometimes as anxiety, emotional outbursts, or chronic pain.

Somatic awareness simply means paying attention to what is happening in your body in the present moment without judgment. It may sound simple, but for many of us, it can be surprisingly hard!

Think of it like this: Emotions don’t just float around in your head. When you’re sad, you might feel a lump in your throat. When you’re anxious, maybe your chest feels tight or your heart races. Anger might live in your clenched fists or your hot face. Even numbness is a body experience. It’s the absence of sensation, which can also be telling.

Somatic therapy helps us slow down and listen to those signals, with curiosity instead of criticism. Over time, this can increase emotional awareness, reduce stress, and help you feel more connected with yourself.

Here is a small somatic practice you can try right now. No equipment needed, only attention and a few quiet moments.

Pause. Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Take a deep breath in through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth.
Notice. Gently scan your body from head to toe. Are there any areas of tightness, tension, warmth, heaviness, lightness? Just observe.
Name. If a sensation stands out, try to name it: “I feel heat in my chest” or “My stomach feels fluttery”. Try not to label it as good or bad. Just as it is.
Ask. If you feel up to it, ask your body gently, “What might this be about?” You might not get an answer right away and that’s okay.
Breathe. Stay with the sensation for a few more breaths. See if it shifts, grows, or softens.

This practice might feel awkward at first, especially if you are used to staying in your head. But over time, checking in with your body can become a powerful tool of self-awareness and emotion regulation.

So why does all this matter in therapy? Emotions are biological as much as they are psychological. When we slow down and pay attention to the body, we access information that our thinking mind might not be able (or ready) to tell us. In therapy, we can learn to notice where you feel certain emotions, or we might use grounding techniques to help regulate the nervous system. We can explore how trauma shows up in the body and learn ways to gently release those stored patterns. Somatic work does not mean re-living painful experiences or becoming overwhelmed. The goal is the opposite: to help people feel safer, more connected, and more present in their bodies one step at a time.

Everyone’s experience with their body is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all for the strategy. Some people are very attuned to their physical sensations while others may feel numb or disconnected. Both are completely valid starting points! Somatic therapy is versatile and can be tailored to the uniqueness of every individual. For example, some people may find that naming a body sensation in session helps them feel more grounded. Others may appreciate learning practical skills they can use in the moment, like orienting to the space around them or using their breath to reset. It’s not about doing it “right.” It’s about building a relationship with your body, maybe for the first time, and listening with compassion.

If you enjoy reading like I do, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van de Kolk, M.D., is a bestselling novel that explores a body-based method of trauma healing that emphasizes how traumatic and emotional events are registered and stored in the body's nervous system and physical sensations. According to the book, trauma causes the brain and body to literally change, resulting in symptoms like anxiety, anger, and a sense of disconnection from one's own body.

Connect Here