What Are Somatic Exercises and How Can They Heal Trauma

What Are Somatic Exercises and How Can They Heal Trauma

 

 

Have you ever woken up with stiff shoulders, a tight neck, or an aching back that just doesn’t seem to go away? Maybe your hips pop when you walk, or you catch yourself clenching your jaw all day. These physical symptoms might feel unrelated, but they could be signs your body is holding onto something deeper—stored trauma.

Somatic exercises could be the key to helping you heal. Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, unresolved stress, or even difficulty losing weight, these gentle, body-based movements offer a way to release emotional and physical tension trapped in your body.

What Does “Somatic” Mean?

The word “somatic” comes from the Greek word soma, meaning “body.” It’s more than just a focus on the physical aspects of health—it’s about understanding the profound connection between your physical body and your emotional, mental, and psychological well-being.

Research supports this connection. For example, a Bodily Map of Emotions study found that emotions like fear, anger, or happiness are felt in specific areas of the body, confirming how deeply interconnected our emotional and physical states are. Similarly, chronic stress has been linked to inflammation and conditions like heart disease, cancer, and even autoimmune disorders (Chronic Stress Promotes Cancer Development, 2018).

Somatic exercises tap into this connection, addressing the root causes of physical symptoms by helping your body process and release stored trauma.

How Do Somatic Exercises Heal the Body?

Somatic exercises use gentle, intentional movements to communicate with the nervous system, releasing the tension caused by stored trauma. These exercises aren’t about pushing your body to its limits; they’re about listening to it, understanding where the pain or discomfort lies, and allowing it to let go of years of built-up stress and trauma.

Benefits of Somatic Exercises:

  • Release chronic muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, hips, and back
  • Improve gut health and alleviate digestive issues
  • Relieve headaches, jaw clenching, and sciatica
  • Support hormone balance and reduce inflammation
  • Address sleep issues and fatigue
  • Help with mental clarity, reducing brain fog and anxiety

Why Haven’t I Heard of Somatic Exercises Before?

In Western medicine, the focus is often on treating symptoms rather than addressing root causes. While medications or treatments like cortisone shots, mouthguards, or even yoga can provide temporary relief, they don’t always address the trauma stored in your body.

Somatic exercises are different. They heal the cause of your symptoms by helping your body release the trauma and stress stored in your nervous system. As Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains in The Body Keeps the Score, trauma isn’t just a memory—it’s stored in the body and needs to be physically released to fully heal.

How Can You Get Started?

Your body deserves healing that lasts, and somatic exercises can help you achieve just that. The Soma Online Program offers step-by-step guidance to release stored trauma and restore balance.

With simple exercises you can do at home, it’s designed to target the root cause of your discomfort and help you feel better, fast.

Want to heal your nervous system and get your energy back?
 Start your healing journey with Soma today.
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References

  • Bessel van der Kolk. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
  • Nummenmaa, L., et al. (2014). Bodily maps of emotions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(2), 646-651.

Chronic stress promotes cancer development. (2018). Neuroscience News. https://neurosciencenews.com/chronic-stress-cancer-26067/

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