Somatic Therapy: Five Somatic Exercises To Release Trauma And Improve Mental Health

Researchers have been studying the brain-body connection for decades, exploring how each part of the body connects with and impacts the others. Often, physical symptoms can manifest due to a mental health challenge or change in the brain. 

Conditions of the nervous system can cause physical ailments

The nervous system travels throughout the body in a complex weave of interconnected parts. Mental health conditions affecting the nervous system, including those caused by traumatic events, can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, shakiness, headaches, and various other physical ailments. For this reason, somatic (bodily) exercises may be a way to cope with trauma. Exploring the research behind this approach may help you decide whether you might benefit. 

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What is somatic trauma work?

According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, somatic means “of, relating to, or affecting the body.” Somatic trauma work is inspired by the somatic trauma therapy modality, which aims to reduce the impacts of physical stress often caused by traumatic events. 

How traumatic stress affects the nervous system and body

People who have experienced trauma may report a myriad of physical symptoms, even years or decades after the event occurred. Traumatic stress directly affects the nervous system, often causing it to be caught in the fight-flight-freeze response. Due to this impact, studies have found that people with a traumatic history are at risk of high blood pressure, and heart disease. 

In the book The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, the author explains how traumatic memory is often expressed in the body’s stress response, often causing individuals to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Changes in the brain may also be observed, especially in the amygdala and hippocampus regions. People experiencing pain or uncomfortable symptoms after a traumatic event may not know how to manage these symptoms, especially if their lab results come back normal.

Somatic therapy

Somatic trauma work posits that focusing on physical sensations and being mindful of how the body responds to emotions can pave the way to trauma healing. A person with trauma might benefit from getting closer to their body and learning to pick up on signs that they are triggered or dissociated. 

Is somatic therapy healing evidence-based?

Effectiveness in improving the mental health of people with PTSD

Another study done in 2017 found the same results, showing a reduction in PTSD symptom severity for participants after 15 sessions of somatic experiencing therapy. However, although early studies are positive, there are not enough to classify this modality as “evidence-based.” Regardless, researchers believe the modality shows promise, and future studies are recommended to understand the impacts fully. 

Five somatic exercises to release trauma

Somatic trauma therapy exercises focus primarily on the physical sensations in the body instead of talk therapy. Instead of a client talking about the traumatic event or explaining how it impacted them, the therapist may help them make associations to their emotions based on how their body “interacts” with them. 

Somatic exercises to release trauma that you can try at home

Although somatic therapy can only be provided by a therapist, below are five somatic exercises you can try at home to potentially work through a traumatic memory. 

1. Mindful grounding

Grounding is an exercise grouped under the umbrella term “mindfulness,” which refers to any activity done with the mindful intent of focusing on the present moment. Grounding aims to help someone be more “in their body,” which may be helpful for those who dissociate due to trauma or a condition like PTSD. 

In the case of somatic exercises, grounding can involve paying attention to your body through the following mindfulness techniques: 

• Walking barefoot in the grass and feeling your connection with the Earth
• Hugging yourself
• Tensing each of your muscles and then releasing them 
• Noticing your body in the mirror and reminding yourself you are real
• Putting on lotion 
• Getting a massage
• Exercising and noticing how your body feels 
• Lightly tracing your fingers over different parts of your body
• Using a weighted blanket and noticing how it feels on you 
• Noticing all the ways your body is touching your environment and what sensations occur (for example: your feet are touching the floor, your thighs are on the chair, and your hands are touching your phone) 

When grounding, it may help to take deep breaths and focus only on the physical sensations instead of any thoughts. If you have the sensation that you are “unreal,” “fake,” or “floating above yourself,” you may be experiencing dissociation. In these cases, grounding may help you reconnect with your body and the human experience. Talking to a trauma therapist can help you learn more about how to reduce the impacts of dissociation. 

2. Breathing exercises

Breathing is directly connected to the body’s stress response system (the nervous system). When stress occurs, breathing often picks up pace to prepare a person to respond to a stressor. During a freeze response, breathing may slow down, allowing a person to better hide in a traumatic moment. 

Diaphragmatic breathing can be used as a somatic technique to reduce the impact of flashbacks, anxiety, and heightened stress. When a person is in control of their breathing, they may experience a greater sense of control over their body and environment. Common deep breathing techniques include the following: 

• Box breathing: Breathe in for a count of five, and then hold your breath for five seconds. Breathe out for a count of five, and then hold your breath for five seconds. 
• Intuitive meditative breathing: Breathe slowly, in through your nose and out through your mouth. Move your body intuitively alongside the breathing, exploring motions that offer a sense of stress relief, such as shrugging the shoulders or stretching your limbs.
• Alternate nostril breathing: Close one nostril with your thumb. Take a breath out of the other nostril, then close that nostril with your ring finger while releasing your thumb from the other and breathing out. This exercise may be a form of bilateral stimulation for the brain, causing you to use both sides at once. 

3. Checking in on body parts

A technique some somatic therapists may use is a “check-in” with the body to help a person develop a deeper understanding of their inner experiences in trauma recovery. When remembering a traumatic event or having a difficult emotional or physical symptom, you might ask yourself what part of the body you’re experiencing the sensation in. Certain emotions are often tied to certain body parts, which may offer awareness of your feelings if you often have difficulty labeling them. Below are a few of these associations: 

• Sadness is often felt in the chest and face.
• Anger is often felt in the head, chest, and arms.
• Fear is often felt in the back, stomach, and head.
• Surprise is often felt in the head and chest.
• Anxiety is often felt heavily in the chest and back.
• Love is described as a “warm” sensation in all of the body except for the legs.
• Depression is described as an absence of sensation, except for limited sensation in the limbs.
• Contempt is felt mainly in the face and neck.
• Pride is felt primarily in the chest and head.
• Shame is often felt in the chest and face.
• Envy is felt mostly in the upper regions of the body.

Talking to a therapist about your sensations can be another way to learn more about what your body is telling you.  

4. Progressive muscle relaxation 

Progressive muscle relaxation is one of the most popular exercises for trauma. It involves focusing on your body and potentially releasing stress via the release of muscle tension. According to a 2021 study in the Evidence-Based Complementary Alternative Medicine journal, progressive muscle relaxation increases emotional relaxation and reduces stress. To practice this technique, you can start with one muscle group in your body and tense it as much as possible for 5 to 10 seconds. Then, you can release the physical tension and take a deep breath out, allowing a physical and emotional release. You can then repeat this exercise with other muscles in the body until you experience a physical and emotional sense of calm. 

5. Bilateral brain stimulation 

Bilateral brain stimulation is a technique commonly used in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). This technique involves stimulating both sides of the body at once, which is thought to activate both sides of the brain, making it easier for individuals to mentally process trauma without becoming re-traumatized. 

Individuals can practice this technique at home by alternating non-painful hand buzzers, throwing a ball back and forth between their hands, or watching a light move back and forth while thinking about the traumatic memory. This technique may be most effective when led by a licensed therapist who can offer support in case of flashbacks and lead a client through the full steps of EMDR. 

Somatic activities for well-being

Somatic connections don’t only have to be made through specific therapeutic techniques. Any connection with one’s body in a positive way may make an impact on the adverse effects of trauma. Consider the following physical activities: 

• Engaging in exercise, such as running or going to the gym
• Dancing in a group or at home alone 
• Going swimming 
• Practicing tai-chi or another form of mindful movement
• Using your hands to make an item, such as woodworking or DIY furniture 
• Getting a massage
• Going to a spa 
• Laying in the grass in nature
• Going hiking 
• Practicing outdoor sports like kayaking, rock climbing, or skiing 
• Hugging someone 
• Cuddling with a pet 
• Taking a bubble bath 

You can come up with other ways to stimulate your senses and try to incorporate one of these activities at least once into your routine.  

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Professional support options to improve mental health

Somatic therapy is a therapeutic modality led by a therapist. Although somatic exercises can be done at home, some people might not know how to connect the bodywork with the trauma itself. In these cases, talking to a therapist may be more effective. However, if you face barriers like cost, time, or distance, it may be challenging to find options. You may find more viable options through online therapy. 

Online therapy to release trauma with somatic therapy

An online therapist can lead you through somatic exercises and other coping mechanisms from home or any location with an internet connection. In addition, you can typically find more cost-effective care compared to the out-of-pocket costs of in-person therapy without insurance.

Studies show that online therapy may be effective for those living with PTSD. In one study published in 2023, researchers found that internet therapy reduced PTSD symptoms in participants, and the results were maintained after one year.