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What Is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a broad term for counselling approaches that include awareness of the body alongside thoughts, emotions and relationships.

Traditional talk therapy may focus primarily on what happened and how you think about it. Somatic approaches also explore what you notice physically when an emotion, memory or situation arises.

This might include changes in:

• Breathing

• Muscle tension

• Posture or movement

• Heart rate or energy

• Temperature

• Sensory awareness

• Feelings of heaviness, numbness or restlessness

• The urge to move toward, avoid or withdraw from something

Somatic therapy does not assume that every sensation has a hidden psychological meaning. Instead, physical experiences can provide additional information about how you respond to stress, connection and perceived threat.

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Is Trauma Stored in the Body?

The phrase “the body keeps the score” is often used to describe the physical effects of trauma. However, trauma is not literally stored in one muscle or body part like an object.

Traumatic stress can influence memory, attention, muscle tension, sleep, emotional responses and patterns of activation or shutdown. Somatic therapy helps you notice these experiences without making unsupported claims about what a particular sensation means.

The goal is not to force the body to “release” trauma. It is to build awareness, safety and greater flexibility in how you respond to physical and emotional cues.

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What Can Somatic Therapy Support?

Somatic and body-aware strategies may be incorporated into counselling for:

• Trauma and difficult life experiences

• Anxiety and chronic worry

• Emotional overwhelm

• Shutdown, numbness or disconnection

• ADHD and neurodivergence

• Burnout and chronic stress

• Attachment and relationship patterns

• Shame and self-criticism

• Panic symptoms

• Grief and loss

• Body image concerns

• Difficulty recognizing emotions or physical needs

• People-pleasing and boundary difficulties

• Feeling disconnected from yourself

• Persistent tension associated with stress

Somatic therapy does not replace medical assessment or physiotherapy for pain, neurological symptoms, injuries or other physical health concerns.

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What Happens in a Somatic Therapy Session?

Somatic therapy can look different for each person. Sessions still involve conversation, reflection and a collaborative relationship with your therapist. Body awareness is included only when it supports your goals.

Your therapist may invite you to:

• Notice physical sensations connected to an emotion

• Observe changes in tension, energy or breathing

• Orient to your present surroundings

• Identify sensations associated with comfort or support

• Explore the body’s response to boundaries

• Use gentle movement or changes in posture

• Move between difficult and more manageable experiences

• Recognize early signs of overwhelm or shutdown

• Develop personalized grounding strategies

• Practise responding to physical cues with less judgment

You remain in control of what you participate in. You can keep your eyes open, change position, pause an exercise or decline any invitation that does not feel useful.

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Does Somatic Therapy Involve Touch?

Somatic counselling at Everest Therapeutics does not require therapeutic touch, massage or physical manipulation. Somatic work can be completed through conversation, observation, movement and awareness of your own physical experiences.

Your therapist will explain any proposed exercise and obtain your consent before proceeding. You can change your mind or stop at any time.

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Somatic Therapy for Trauma

People who have experienced trauma may become highly aware of possible danger or disconnected from physical sensations altogether. Some feel constantly tense and alert, while others experience numbness, exhaustion or shutdown.

Somatic therapy can help you notice these patterns gradually. You do not need to begin by recounting every detail of a traumatic experience. Therapy may first focus on present-day safety, stabilization, boundaries and recognizing what helps you remain connected to the present.

The pace should be guided by your capacity and goals—not by pressure to access intense emotions or memories.

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Somatic Therapy for ADHD and Neurodivergence

ADHD, autism and other forms of neurodivergence can affect sensory processing, emotional intensity, body awareness, transitions and energy regulation.

Somatic therapy may help you notice signs of overstimulation, understimulation, fatigue or emotional overload earlier. This information can support practical changes involving sensory needs, pacing, movement, boundaries, rest and environmental accommodations.

The goal is not to make you appear more neurotypical or calm at all times. It is to understand your needs and develop strategies that work with your brain and body.

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What If Focusing on My Body Feels Uncomfortable?

Body awareness is not helpful in the same way for everyone. For some people, focusing inward may increase anxiety, dissociation or discomfort.

Somatic therapy should be flexible. You may begin by noticing neutral objects in the room, sounds, external sensations or the support of the chair beneath you. Your therapist can reduce or avoid internal body-focused exercises when they are not helpful.

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You do not need to close your eyes, breathe in a particular way or remain still.

Combining Somatic Therapy With Other Approaches

Somatic strategies may be combined with:

• Attachment-based therapy

• Internal Family Systems and parts work

• Polyvagal-informed therapy

• Cognitive Processing Therapy

• CBT and DBT-informed approaches

• Emotionally focused therapy

• Other trauma-informed counselling methods

Your therapist will develop an approach based on your needs rather than assuming that one technique is appropriate for everyone.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is somatic therapy different from talk therapy?

Somatic therapy still includes conversation, but it also considers physical sensations, movement, posture and nervous-system responses. It may be integrated into talk therapy rather than offered as a completely separate treatment.

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Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?

No. Therapy can begin with present-day patterns, safety and stabilization. You and your therapist can decide whether discussing particular memories supports your goals.

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Do I need to be comfortable with mindfulness?

No. Somatic work can be adapted if mindfulness or internal body awareness feels uncomfortable. Your therapist can use external, movement-based or conversational strategies instead.

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Can somatic therapy help with anxiety?

Somatic strategies may help you recognize physical signs of anxiety and develop different ways of responding to them. Your therapist may combine this work with cognitive, behavioural or relational approaches.

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Is somatic therapy available online?

Yes. Somatic therapy can be offered through video appointments. Your therapist can guide awareness, movement and grounding exercises without being physically present.

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Is somatic therapy the same as Somatic Experiencing?

No. Somatic therapy is a broad category of body-oriented approaches. Somatic Experiencing is a specific, trademarked method with its own training pathway. A therapist should only describe their service as Somatic Experiencing if they have the relevant training.

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Begin Somatic Therapy

You do not need to choose between understanding your thoughts and listening to your body. Somatic therapy can help you explore both with greater curiosity, compassion and choice.

Book a free 15-minute consultation to connect with a somatic therapist in Moncton or online.

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