Frequently Asked Questions About Somatic Therapy

What is somatic therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body based approach that focuses on the nervous system rather than only thoughts or emotions. It recognizes that stress, fear, and emotional patterns are stored not just in the mind, but in the body through muscle tension, breath patterns, posture, and physiological responses.

In this work, attention is placed on sensation, awareness, and regulation so the nervous system can release what it has been holding. Rather than analyzing experiences, somatic therapy supports the body in reorganizing itself through safety, pacing, and presence.

How is somatic therapy different from talk therapy?

Talk therapy primarily works through conversation, insight, and cognitive understanding. Somatic therapy works at the level of the nervous system and body, where many stress and emotional patterns originate.

Many people understand their challenges intellectually but still feel anxious, overwhelmed, or shut down. Somatic therapy helps address what lives beneath words by working with real time bodily responses such as tension, breath, and impulse. This allows change to be felt, not just understood.

Is somatic therapy helpful for anxiety, stress, or burnout?

Somatic therapy is often helpful for people experiencing chronic stress, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, or burnout, especially when these patterns feel persistent despite other forms of support.

Anxiety and burnout are frequently rooted in a nervous system that has learned to stay on high alert or suppress emotion in order to function. Somatic work helps the nervous system feel safer, which can reduce reactivity, increase capacity, and support a greater sense of ease over time.

This work is educational and supportive in nature and does not involve diagnosis or treatment of mental health conditions.

What happens in a somatic therapy session?

A somatic session is slow, grounded, and guided by your nervous system. Sessions may include noticing physical sensations, tracking breath, identifying patterns of tension or shutdown, and building internal resources that support regulation.

There is no pressure to revisit the past or force emotional release. The work unfolds at a pace your system can tolerate. Over time, many people notice increased body awareness, emotional flexibility, and a greater ability to stay present in daily life.

Who is somatic therapy for?

Somatic therapy is well suited for adults who are high functioning but internally stressed, anxious, or emotionally overloaded. Many clients have tried talk therapy and are seeking deeper, embodied change.

This work is especially supportive for people who carry a lot of responsibility, have difficulty slowing down, or feel disconnected from their bodies despite external success.