What Does Somatic Therapy Look Like?

May 16, 2024 Maring Higa

What Does Somatic Therapy Look Like?

When people find out that I include somatic therapy in my sessions the first questions usually are: “What does that look like?” and “What is Somatic Therapy?”

While Somatic Therapy has been around for many years, it is still not as well-known as traditional talk therapy.

Ihope to bring some understanding to what Somatic Therapy can look like in a session and who might benefit from seeing a Somatic Therapist.

Somatic Therapy Quickly Defined

Simply put Somatic therapy involves bringing awareness to the body’s sensations as they relate to the discomforts of the mind.

There are many ways that somatic therapy is practiced but at the core somatic therapy is about including the body into the therapeutic process.

So, what does that look like in Real Life?

I will speak to what a Bioenergetic Somatic Therapy session may look like as that is where I am receiving my training but know there are many other modalities out there. Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi Somatics, to name a few.

In the beginning of a session, you may start with sharing your concerns with the Therapist just as you would if you were in a talk therapy session.
The Therapist may then ask you to become aware of sensations in your body and to describe to them what you are feeling.
The Therapist will then guide you towards body movement, breathing exercise or grounding techniques.
Grounding is at the foundation of Bioenergetics Somatics and serves to help build energy and awareness in the body and to connect you to potential emotions that may arise. This could look like doing a forward fold while bending and straightening your legs or placing a ball under your foot to build sensation.

From this point on the Therapist will follow your lead as you share any insights into the emotions and sensations that are coming up in your body.

They may then offer interventions such as stretches, sounds, movement, etc. that may help you to release emotional blockages that are stored in the body.

What am I supposed to feel/experience in A Somatic Session?

In my experience it takes some getting used to understanding the language of our body. Most often when I ask people what they feel in their body their response is something like “I feel stressed” or “I feel tired”.

And to that I ask, “How do you know that?” “What sensations tell you in your body that you are tired, stressed, anxious, happy, or sad? Can you describe what you are feeling?”

This helps them to share what the sensations feel like in the body.

“I feel heaviness in my arms, a flutter in my chest, warmth in my hands, a stuckness in my throat.”

This is the body’s language. The tiny signals that we feel in our bodies are important information.

So, the answer to the question “what am I supposed to feel/experience?” is:

Whatever arises.

how will Somatic Therapy help me feel better if I’m not talking in my session?

Somatic therapy still includes talking in the therapy session so not to worry that you won’t be able to talk about what is going on.

The big distinguishing difference is that a Somatic Therapist will continually bring you back to the body’s sensations and help you to find ways to release the stored body memory.

Author Bessel Van Der Kolk of The Boody Keeps the Score writes:

There is a biological memory of trauma, a somatic memory, a body memory, that manifests in the form of physiological symptoms, physical sensations, and behaviors."

Somatic therapy seeks to help you to find where there is stored body memory from the past and assist in interventions to release them from the body.

"The more tension you release, the more alive you become. When you release tension, you open to experiencing more pleasure and joy in your body. To be in touch with your body is to be in touch with life and the vibrant energy that flows through it." -Alexander Lowen

Is Somatic Therapy right for me?

Somatic therapy can have profound and lasting effects when done with a skilled practitioner. If you are curious about the mind body connection this may be a great therapy modality to try.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more cognitive approach then somatic therapy might not be a good fit. There are so many modalities out there that can have therapeutic and healing benefits, and it’s important to find what works best for you.

My goal in this post was to give you a sense of what you might expect when working with a somatic therapist and to answer some of the questions that come up around Somatic Therapy.

You are always welcome to reach out to me and ask any further questions or set up a 15 min consultation.

What Does Somatic Therapy Look Like?

When people find out that I include somatic therapy in my sessions the first questions usually are: “What does that look like?” and “What is Somatic Therapy?”

While Somatic Therapy has been around for many years, it is still not as well-known as traditional talk therapy.

Ihope to bring some understanding to what Somatic Therapy can look like in a session and who might benefit from seeing a Somatic Therapist.

Somatic Therapy Quickly Defined

Simply put Somatic therapy involves bringing awareness to the body’s sensations as they relate to the discomforts of the mind.

There are many ways that somatic therapy is practiced but at the core somatic therapy is about including the body into the therapeutic process.

So, what does that look like in Real Life?

I will speak to what a Bioenergetic Somatic Therapy session may look like as that is where I am receiving my training but know there are many other modalities out there. Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi Somatics, to name a few.

In the beginning of a session, you may start with sharing your concerns with the Therapist just as you would if you were in a talk therapy session.

The Therapist may then ask you to become aware of sensations in your body and to describe to them what you are feeling.

The Therapist will then guide you towards body movement, breathing exercise or grounding techniques.

From this point on the Therapist will follow your lead as you share any insights into the emotions and sensations that are coming up in your body.

They may then offer interventions such as stretches, sounds, movement, etc. that may help you to release emotional blockages that are stored in the body.

What am I supposed to feel/experience in A Somatic Session?

In my experience it takes some getting used to understanding the language of our body. Most often when I ask people what they feel in their body their response is something like “I feel stressed” or “I feel tired”.

And to that I ask, “How do you know that?” “What sensations tell you in your body that you are tired, stressed, anxious, happy, or sad? Can you describe what you are feeling?”

This helps them to share what the sensations feel like in the body.

“I feel heaviness in my arms, a flutter in my chest, warmth in my hands, a stuckness in my throat.”

This is the body’s language. The tiny signals that we feel in our bodies are important information.

So, the answer to the question “what am I supposed to feel/experience?” is:

Whatever arises.

how will Somatic Therapy help me feel better if I’m not talking in my session?

Somatic therapy still includes talking in the therapy session so not to worry that you won’t be able to talk about what is going on.

The big distinguishing difference is that a Somatic Therapist will continually bring you back to the body’s sensations and help you to find ways to release the stored body memory.

Author Bessel Van Der Kolk of The Boody Keeps the Score writes:

There is a biological memory of trauma, a somatic memory, a body memory, that manifests in the form of physiological symptoms, physical sensations, and behaviors."

Somatic therapy seeks to help you to find where there is stored body memory from the past and assist in interventions to release them from the body.

"The more tension you release, the more alive you become. When you release tension, you open to experiencing more pleasure and joy in your body. To be in touch with your body is to be in touch with life and the vibrant energy that flows through it." -Alexander Lowen

Is Somatic Therapy right for me?

Somatic therapy can have profound and lasting effects when done with a skilled practitioner. If you are curious about the mind body connection this may be a great therapy modality to try.

On the other hand, if you prefer a more cognitive approach then somatic therapy might not be a good fit. There are so many modalities out there that can have therapeutic and healing benefits, and it’s important to find what works best for you.

My goal in this post was to give you a sense of what you might expect when working with a somatic therapist and to answer some of the questions that come up around Somatic Therapy.

You are always welcome to reach out to me and ask any further questions or set up a 15 min consultation.