Somatic Therapy: How Your Body Holds Trauma and How to Release It

Have you ever noticed how stress or painful experiences seem to stay with you—not just in your mind, but in your body? Maybe your shoulders tighten when you're anxious, or your stomach knots up when something reminds you of a past event.

That’s because trauma isn’t just stored in the mind—it lives in the body too. This is where somatic therapy comes in, helping you process emotions and experiences through the body rather than just talking about them.

At Clear Mind London, I believe in a holistic approach to healing. Let’s explore how your body holds onto trauma and how somatic therapy can help you release it.

Somatic Therapy: How Your Body Holds Trauma and How to Release It

How Does the Body Store Trauma?

When we experience something stressful or traumatic, our body reacts instinctively—heart races, muscles tense, breath becomes shallow. In a healthy situation, we process the event and return to a state of balance.

But when trauma is overwhelming or unresolved, the nervous system stays stuck in survival mode. This can lead to:

• Chronic muscle tension and pain

• Digestive issues

• Fatigue and sleep disturbances

• Feeling disconnected from your body

• Emotional numbness or difficulty expressing emotions

If you’ve ever felt like your body “remembers” a painful experience, even if your mind has tried to move on, you’re not imagining it. Somatic therapy helps reconnect the body and mind, allowing trauma to be processed safely.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body-focused approach to healing trauma. Instead of just talking about your experiences, it helps you tune into bodily sensations and use movement, breath, and awareness to release stored trauma.

It works by activating the body’s natural ability to heal, helping you feel more present, calm, and connected.

Techniques Used in Somatic Therapy

Here are some powerful practices that help release trauma from the body:

1. Breathwork for Emotional Release

Shallow breathing is a common sign of stress and trauma. Somatic therapy uses deep, intentional breathing to calm the nervous system and release stored tension.

I am a qualified breathwork practitioner using conscious connected breathing with my clients, either as part of a talking therapy session, or as a stand-alone session.

Why It Helps: Conscious connected breathwork is a powerful tool for reducing stress and anxiety, improving mental clarity and focus, and increasing overall well-being. The practice can help to release blocked emotions and energy, promote relaxation, and improve oxygenation and circulation throughout the body. It is also known to help with emotional healing, personal growth, and spiritual development.

2. Movement Therapy to Unlock Stuck Emotions

When trauma is stored in the body, movement helps release it. Simple exercises like stretching, shaking, or even dancing can help break the cycle of tension.

Try This:

- Move your wrists in a circular motion for a 1 minute

- Then expand the movement to your arms, moving them in a circular motion for a further minute

- Repeat as necessary

Why It Helps: Trauma often keeps the body frozen in protective mode. Movement helps release that energy and create a sense of safety in your body. These circular motions will send a signal to your brain that you’re not stuck and your energy and movement can move more freely.

3. Grounding Techniques for Feeling Safe in Your Body

When emotions feel overwhelming, grounding techniques help bring you back to the present moment.

Try This:

- Take a sit or lie down?

- Focus on sensations— what does the surface you are seating/lying on feel like? Is it hard, soft, cold, warm?

- Name five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear.

Why It Helps: Trauma can make you feel disconnected from your body. Grounding brings stability, comfort, and awareness.

4. Body Awareness & Gentle Touch

Sometimes, simply placing a hand on your heart or stomach can bring a sense of comfort and connection.

Try This:

- Place your hand on an area where you feel tension or discomfort.

- Breathe deeply and imagine sending warmth and relaxation to that spot.

- Repeat a soothing phrase like, “I am safe” or “I am here.”

Why It Helps: Self-touch and body awareness reconnect you with your body and emotions in a gentle, healing way.

How Somatic Therapy Supports Long-Term Healing

Somatic therapy doesn’t just help with releasing trauma—it also supports:

Emotional regulation – Feel more in control of your emotions

Increased body awareness – Reconnect with how you feel

Stress reduction – Calm your nervous system naturally

Empowerment – Build confidence in your body’s ability to heal

At Clear Mind London, I integrate somatic techniques into therapy sessions to help you heal in a way that feels natural and safe.

Is Somatic Therapy Right for You?

If you’ve ever felt like talking alone isn’t enough or that your body holds onto past experiences, somatic therapy could be the missing piece in your healing journey.

You don’t have to carry your past alone. With the right support, you can learn to release, reconnect, and heal.

Thank You for Reading: Somatic Therapy: How Your Body Holds Trauma and How to Release It