What are Somatic based and mindfulness based therapies?
Talk therapy can be very helpful, but the body can hold a lot of trauma, and be used as a valuable tool. With mindfulness skills and somatically informed therapy techniques, we can deepen talk therapy and work in a more wholistic way.
“The Body Keeps The Score” –Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Trauma is often held in the body as much as in the mind—showing up in chronic tension, shallow breathing, digestive issues, pain, or a heightened stress response. When the nervous system becomes stuck in “fight, flight, or freeze” after overwhelming experiences, the body may continue to carry the imprint of that event long after it has passed. Somatic therapy works by helping clients gently reconnect with their physical sensations to release this stored energy. Evidence shows that practices such as breathwork can calm the nervous system, grounding exercises can restore a sense of safety in the present moment, and guided trauma release techniques can gradually process what was once too overwhelming to face and instead was stored in the body. Over time, clients often experience reduced anxiety, better regulation of emotions, and a renewed sense of connection to their bodies, allowing healing to happen on a deeper, whole-person level. For some clients, this can speed up healing beyond talk therapy alone.
Mindfulness can be integrated into therapy by helping clients cultivate greater awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment without judgment. This practice can reduce stress and anxiety, improve emotional regulation, and interrupt automatic patterns that contribute to suffering. Therapists may use mindfulness exercises such as guided breathing, body scans, or grounding techniques to help clients slow down and connect with themselves during sessions. Over time, clients can apply these skills outside of therapy to respond more thoughtfully to challenges, deepen their sense of self-compassion, and create more intentional choices in their relationships and daily lives. Mindfulness helps us to catch our automated thoughts and actions, reducing the tendency to continue with patterns we want to change and opening the door to make new choices.
Somatic techniques can be integrated into therapy by focusing on the connection between the body and mind, helping clients notice and release the ways stress, trauma, or emotions are held physically. This may involve practices such as guided breathing, grounding exercises, body awareness, gentle movement, or visualization to build safety and presence. By tuning into bodily sensations, clients can access information beyond words, process unresolved experiences, and develop healthier regulation of their nervous system. Integrating somatic tools alongside talk therapy supports healing on both emotional and physical levels, fostering resilience, self-awareness, and a deeper sense of calm. My practice likes to work in a wholistic way between cognitive mind, body, and spirit.
Therapy that goes beyond
If you haven’t felt traditional therapy has gotten you very far, somatic techniques may be the missing link. Book your free consultation call today.