Somatic Psychotherapy:
Healing Through the Wisdom of Your Body

Mind and body go hand in hand.

Have you ever noticed how your body reacts when stressed or upset? Maybe your neck and shoulders tighten into knots before a big presentation, or your stomach drops when you get bad news. These reactions remind us that our emotions live not just in our minds, but also in our bodies.

Somatic psychotherapy is a form of therapy that recognizes and uses this mind-body connection to help you heal. (The word “somatic” means “relating to the body.”) This approach starts with a simple idea: when we’ve been through a lot of stress or trauma, sometimes talking about it isn’t enough – we also need to work with how those experiences are held in the body.

If you’ve ever tried to “think your way” out of anxiety or depression and felt like you hit a wall, somatic therapy might be the missing piece. It’s an approach that goes deeper than words, tapping into the body’s wisdom. And if you find it hard to put feelings into words, that’s okay. In somatic therapy, you don’t need to have the perfect explanation for what you’re feeling.

We can begin with whatever is happening for you, even if it’s just a tight chest, a shaky hand, or a blank numbness. Those bodily feelings are the story and can guide us when words fall short.

Here’s what to expect in somatic therapy.

Somatic psychotherapy is still a conversation between us, but it’s a conversation that also includes your body. I will sometimes invite you to pause and check in with your physical sensations in our sessions. For instance, you might describe a conflict you had at work; I might gently ask, “As you talk about this, what are you noticing in your body right now?”

When asked that question, you could discover that your jaw is clenched or your heart is racing. You don’t have to change it or make it stop; just noticing is a decisive first step. In that moment, you’re bridging the connection between your mind and your body, acknowledging that both are telling part of your story. Perhaps we might dig deeper into what memories come up as you feel those sensations.

A somatic therapy session with me will feel safe and guided. Though we often start just like a traditional therapy session, discussing what’s on our mind, eventually, we move a layer deeper. I’ll be right there with you, quietly supporting that process. This isn’t about pushing you into discomfort but creating a space where you can truly listen to yourself with compassionate guidance. You’re always in control of how much we process in a session. If, at any point, an exercise feels like it’s too much, we’ll pause.

Think of somatic therapy as a collaboration with your body: we only go as far as your body (and you) are ready to go. Don’t worry if the process is new to you. What matters is that we have tools beyond just talking; we have tools that can help you feel better holistically. And importantly, all of this can be done through virtual sessions. My entire practice is online so that you can do it from the comfort of your own home. During our session, you might be sitting on your couch with a blanket and a cup of tea.

Heal from the inside out.

Why does therapy have to include the body at all? Because our bodies remember what our minds sometimes forget. When you face a threat or endure long-term stress, your body goes into survival mode – heart pounding; muscles tense; ready to fight, flee, or freeze. That’s your nervous system trying to protect you. But when a traumatic or overwhelming experience isn’t fully processed, your body can stay stuck in that high-alert state long after the danger has passed.

It’s as if the “pause” button on your fight-or-flight response was never released. This can lead to all sorts of difficulties: chronic tension, a feeling of being on edge, or numbness and disconnect where there used to be vibrancy. Somatic therapy helps to gently complete and release these unfinished stress responses. By working directly with your bodily sensations and breath, we signal to your nervous system that it can finally let go and return to a state of balance.

People often find that this approach leads to profound shifts. As your nervous system settles and resets, you may experience changes that ripple through your mental and physical health. You might notice that the tight knot you’ve had in your stomach for years starts to loosen. Maybe your chronic headaches come less often, or your sleep improves.

Emotions become more approachable, too. Instead of a vague cloud of anxiety following you all day, you begin to recognize specific sensations or triggers and respond to them before they overwhelm you. Somatic practices help balance the nervous system, improving your emotional responses and reducing feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. You find that you’re not as quickly thrown off balance by stressors that used to knock you down.

Gain self-awareness and resilience by listening to your body.

Listening to what your body has to say is like being given a new language, the language of your inner world. Now, you can understand what your tension, fatigue, or racing heart are trying to tell you. With that understanding comes empowerment: you can finally respond to your needs in real-time, whether setting a boundary, taking a few moments to breathe, or reaching out for support.

Over time, including the body in therapy can lead to deep, lasting healing. Clients describe it as finally letting go of something they’d been carrying unknowingly for years. Others say they feel more “themselves” and more grounded than ever – like they’ve come home to their bodies after living in their heads for so long. This transformation doesn’t mean you’ll never feel stress or sadness again – those are natural parts of life. But it does mean you won’t feel as stuck as you once did.

When complicated feelings arise, they can flow through you and be released rather than getting trapped and causing suffering for days or weeks. Your body becomes an ally in your healing rather than a source of puzzlement or pain. And perhaps most importantly, many people come out of somatic therapy with a newfound sense of safety and trust in themselves. By releasing the old trauma and tension held within, you create space for vitality, peace, and genuine connection to enter. You start to experience what it’s like to feel safe inside your skin. That safety is the foundation for living a fuller, freer life.

Begin your embodied healing.

If you’re curious about somatic psychotherapy or if a quiet part of you is saying, “This sounds like what I need,” I encourage you to text me. You don’t have to have it all figured out or even be able to articulate exactly what’s wrong. Part of our work together can be discovering that gently and patiently.

Whether you’re entirely new to therapy or you’ve been in therapy before and sensed something was missing, a body-based approach can offer a fresh path forward. It’s especially worth considering if you’ve done a lot of talking about your problems (with friends, family, or a therapist) and still feel stuck or disconnected.

Somatic therapy might be the key to unlocking a level of healing you haven’t reached yet. And if you’re a newcomer, we’ll go step by step because there’s no rush and no pressure to dive into anything you’re not ready for.