What is somatic therapy? Plus 5 ways it can support healing

Mental Health

Oct 9

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Stress lives in your body, not just your mind. Discover what somatic therapy is, how it works, and 5 body-based exercises to release tension and feel better.

The busyness of life can leave you feeling tense from head to toe — jaw clenched, chest tight, stomach in knots, shoulders up to your ears. For many of us, stress creeps up slowly, settling into your body even after your mind has moved on, until tension starts to feel normal.

Somatic therapy works with the mind-body connection directly. It's a body-based approach, most often used to work through chronic stress, anxiety, and trauma. The idea is that tuning into physical sensations can help you process what your mind and body have been holding onto.

Ahead, we’ll break down what somatic therapy involves, what the evidence supports, and a few gentle practices to start noticing what your body’s been carrying.

What is somatic therapy?

In somatic therapy, a therapist helps you become aware of physical sensations like tension, breathing, posture, and restlessness. This is often called a "bottom-up" approach. It starts with the body and works toward the mind. Traditional talk therapy tends to move “top-down,” from thoughts toward feelings.

Somatic Experiencing, developed by Peter Levine, is the most studied approach. Others include sensorimotor psychotherapy, which blends talk therapy with movement, and body-focused techniques that are integrated into broader trauma treatment.

Note: Some of the theories behind somatic therapy remain scientifically debated. Polyvagal theory, often used to explain why the nervous system gets "stuck" in a stress state, has been challenged by researchers who argue the evidence doesn’t support its core physiological claims.

How does somatic therapy work?

In a session, a therapist might open the conversation by asking what you notice physically as feelings and memories come up. For example, if a hard memory makes your chest tighten, they may guide you to gently stay with that sensation, rather than pushing through or ignoring it.

They may draw on a range of tools: breathing exercises, grounding techniques, gentle movement, and sensation tracking. The aim is to help your body and mind feel safe enough to process difficult experiences at a manageable pace.

Is somatic therapy right for you?

Somatic therapy is most established as a support for trauma, though it may also be worth exploring if:

you feel stuck in traditional talk therapy
stress tends to show up physically for you
you prefer an approach that involves movement and physical awareness

If you're working through trauma, it’s especially worth finding a licensed professional trained in a somatic approach. This process can bring up intense feelings, and they can help you move at a comfortable pace.

Somatic therapy isn't a fit for everyone, and it’s not a substitute for other evidence-based treatments when those are recommended.

5 potential benefits of somatic therapy for trauma and stress

The research here is early but promising. Most studies are small, and somatic therapy hasn't been tested as thoroughly as treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Here's what the current evidence points to.

1. It may reduce PTSD symptoms: The first randomized controlled trial of Somatic Experiencing found meaningful drops in post-traumatic symptoms and depression in people with PTSD. While the results were positive, researchers noted more study is needed.

2. It may help when talk therapy isn’t working: Some people find it hard to put their trauma into words or haven’t felt any relief from talking about it. A body-based approach offers another path to processing trauma.

3. It may support people with both pain and trauma: One trial looked at a brief Somatic Experiencing intervention for chronic low back pain and PTSD. It found reduced trauma symptoms and less fear of movement, though the overall effect was modest.

4. It can ease the physical side of stress: Stress and anxiety often show up as muscle tension, shallow breathing, or a racing heart. Somatic work targets these physical patterns.

5. It may build body awareness over time: Learning to pick up on early signs of stress, like restlessness or a churning stomach, can help you catch stress before it builds up.

How to try somatic-inspired practices: 5 techniques for beginners

The research above looked at somatic therapy involving trained professionals. These practices below can be done on your own as a complement to everyday self-care — not a trauma treatment. If any of this brings up feelings of distress, it may be useful to reach out to a professional.

1. Try a body scan to catch tension early

A body scan is a mindfulness practice and a foundational way to build physical awareness. You move your attention slowly through your body, noticing where you're holding tension without trying to fix it.

Over time, this makes it easier to recognize tension early, so a tight jaw or clenched shoulders doesn’t turn into a headache or a bad night's sleep.

Try: Sitting or lying down and shifting your focus from your toes to the top of your head, pausing at each area for a breath or two. If you notice tightness, acknowledge it and keep going.

💙 Dive into this Body Scan Meditation on the Calm app.

2. Ground yourself with the five senses

Tune into your senses to pull your attention back to the present. When your mind races ahead to what might go wrong, or loops back to replay something you said or did, observing what's around you gives it something tangible to hold onto. This works well before a stressful conversation or any time your thoughts start swirling.

Try: Naming five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. Take your time to really notice each one. If a sense isn’t accessible to you, swap in something else to focus on, like your breath.

💙 For a guided sensory experience, listen to Tune Into the Senses on Calm.

3. Slow down with an extended exhale

Slowing your breath tells your nervous system it’s safe to relax. It’s one of the quickest ways to ease a stressful moment, and you can do it anywhere.

Try: Breathing in for a count of four, then out for six. Start with a few rounds, and repeat until you feel settled.

💙 Take a Pause to Breathe on Calm.

4. Move to release pent-up energy

When you’re restless, movement can help you release that energy — in whatever way is comfortable and available to you.

Try: Rolling your shoulders, shaking out your hands, stretching your neck, or gently tensing and releasing different muscle groups for a minute.

5. Name the feeling in your body

When you name a physical sensation, it turns a vague sense of unease into something concrete: tightness in your chest, buzzing in your hands, a knot in your stomach. That specificity alone can make it feel less overwhelming.

Try: When a strong emotion shows up, pausing and locating it in your body. Just noticing it is often enough to feel more in control.

💙 Practice this skill with Calm’s Labeling meditation.

What is somatic therapy FAQs

How does somatic therapy work for healing trauma?

Somatic therapy works by helping you become aware of and gently process physical sensations linked to trauma.

Instead of only talking through what happened, a trained therapist guides you to track what's happening in your body, pausing whenever a feeling becomes too intense. Research on this approach for PTSD is still early, but the results so far are encouraging.

What’s an example of a somatic practice?

A body scan is a common example of a somatic practice. You slowly move your attention through your body, checking in on where you’re holding tightness.

Other examples include grounding yourself using your five senses, slowing your breath, and gently moving by either stretching or shaking out your limbs.

Why does my body hold onto stress and trauma?

When you're stressed, your nervous system reacts as if you're facing a threat, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline and priming your body for action.

Normally, your body relaxes once the moment passes. But ongoing stress can keep those patterns switched on, which is why tension, headaches, or sleep issues can stick around.

Can I try somatic practices on my own?

Somatic practices, including body scans, grounding, and slow breathing, are safe to try on your own — especially if you don't have a significant trauma history.

If you do have a trauma history, it may be worth exploring deeper body-based work with a therapist instead, since it can bring up strong feelings you may want support to work through.

How does somatic therapy help mental health?

Somatic therapy provides another way to work through stress or difficult experiences by connecting how you feel physically to how you feel emotionally.

This can be especially useful if talking through things hasn't brought relief, or if certain emotions are hard to put into words. Over time, tuning into your body can also help you catch stress before it accumulates.

Is EMDR the same as somatic therapy?

EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and somatic therapy are related, but different. EMDR uses guided eye movements or other rhythmic stimulation while you recall a difficult memory, so the memory feels less distressing to recall. Somatic therapy focuses on observing and working with physical sensations as they come up.

EMDR has a larger research base and appears in more clinical guidelines, while the evidence for somatic therapy is still developing. Some therapists draw on both.

What are the criticisms of somatic therapy?

The main criticism of somatic therapy is that the research is still limited. Some of its underlying theories, such as the polyvagal theory or the idea that trauma is stored in the body, are also scientifically contested. Critics argue that body-based approaches are sometimes marketed as more proven than the evidence supports.

How long does somatic therapy take to work?

The timeline for somatic therapy depends on what you’re working through. Research trials have generally used treatment courses of several months.

If you're working on everyday stress, you may notice a shift in how you handle pressure fairly quickly, while deeper trauma work usually takes longer. A good therapist will check in on your progress along the way.

Calm your mind. Change your life.

Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.

therapysomatic therapybodywork

Calm Editorial Team