How Somatic Therapy Helps Release Trauma Stored in the Body – Virtual Therapy in California
Have you ever felt like your body is carrying the weight of past experiences, even when your mind seems to have moved on? Many people don’t realize that trauma isn’t just something we carry in our thoughts—it can be stored in the body, influencing our posture, muscle tension, and even our physical health. This is where somatic therapy can be incredibly helpful. If you're in California and seeking online therapy, somatic therapy offers a unique, body-focused approach to healing trauma that can help you release long-held tension and emotional pain.
I’ll explain how somatic therapy works, how it helps release trauma from your body, and how it can benefit you in your healing journey. Whether you're dealing with past trauma or simply want to improve your emotional well-being, somatic therapy may be the key to experiencing a more balanced and peaceful life.
What is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach, also known as a “top-down” processing approach, to healing that recognizes the powerful connection between your mind and body. In somatic therapy, we believe that the body holds onto emotional experiences, especially trauma, and that physical sensations can provide valuable insights into how past experiences are still affecting you.
Rather than just talking through your feelings or experiences, somatic therapy invites you to become more aware of physical sensations in your body, such as tension, tightness, or discomfort. These sensations often hold clues about unresolved trauma or emotional blocks.
In our online therapy sessions, I guide you through various techniques, such as deep breathing, body awareness exercises, and gentle movement, to help you release trauma that may be stored in your body. It’s an empowering process that helps you reconnect with yourself and experience emotional release in a safe, supportive environment.
How Does Somatic Therapy Release Trauma Stored in the Body?
You might be wondering, how does your body store trauma, and how does somatic therapy help release it? When you experience a traumatic event, your body reacts by activating the fight, flight, or freeze response. If the trauma is unresolved, your nervous system remains in a heightened state, causing tension to build up in the muscles and tissues. This tension can lead to physical symptoms such as headaches, chronic pain, digestive issues, and even anxiety or depression.
Somatic therapy helps by bringing awareness to the sensations you feel in your body, allowing you to process and release these physical memories of trauma. Here are a few ways somatic therapy helps release stored trauma:
1. Body Awareness and Mindfulness
Somatic therapy helps you become more attuned to what’s happening in your body. You’ll learn to notice where you feel tension, discomfort, or pain—whether in your shoulders, stomach, chest, or elsewhere. By gently bringing your attention to these areas, we can begin to uncover what your body is holding onto and work through it.
2. Movement and Expression
Sometimes, words aren’t enough to express the depth of trauma. Somatic therapy involves gentle movement exercises that encourage your body to express what it has been holding onto. This movement helps release physical tension and emotional energy, allowing you to experience a sense of relief and emotional release.
3. Breathing Techniques
Breathing is one of the most powerful tools in somatic therapy. Deep, conscious breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to calm your body and mind. It can also release stored emotions and reduce physical tension, which is essential in the healing process. I’ll guide you through breathing exercises that help you reconnect with your body and release trauma in a safe, controlled way.
4. Tapping into the Unconscious
Your body often holds onto memories and emotions that your mind may not fully process or understand. Somatic therapy can tap into unconscious memories, helping you uncover trauma that may be buried deep within. By engaging both your body and mind in the healing process, somatic therapy allows you to release these stored emotions and move forward.
Benefits of Somatic Therapy for Trauma Release
If you’ve experienced trauma, you may have noticed that traditional talk therapy alone doesn’t always address the physical aspect of your healing. Somatic therapy goes beyond the mental and emotional layers, offering a more holistic approach to trauma recovery. Here are some of the benefits of somatic therapy for releasing trauma stored in the body:
1. Reduction of Physical Tension
By releasing stored trauma, somatic therapy can help reduce physical symptoms such as chronic pain, tension, and headaches. As your body learns to let go of these stressors, you may experience a greater sense of ease and comfort in your body.
2. Emotional Relief
Somatic therapy can provide deep emotional release, helping you process feelings that have been suppressed or stored away. This can lead to a sense of emotional freedom and a greater sense of peace and well-being.
3. Improved Self-Awareness
Somatic therapy encourages you to connect more deeply with your body, increasing your overall awareness of how stress, emotions, and trauma affect your physical and emotional state. This self-awareness can lead to better decision-making, emotional regulation, and personal growth.
4. Healing from Past Trauma
Releasing trauma stored in the body can help you heal from past experiences that continue to affect your daily life. Somatic therapy allows you to process these experiences, reduce their emotional charge, and move forward with greater clarity and strength.
How Somatic Therapy Can Help You in California
If you’re located in California and interested in exploring somatic therapy, online therapy is a flexible and accessible option. Working with a therapist who specializes in somatic healing can provide the support you need to release trauma from your body and regain a sense of balance and calm.
In online therapy sessions, we can explore somatic techniques from the comfort of your home, ensuring that you feel safe and supported throughout the process. Whether you're dealing with trauma, stress, anxiety, or just want to improve your overall emotional health, somatic therapy can be a valuable tool in your healing journey.
About the Author
Tori Smith is a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Victoria Smith, LCSW, Inc., an online and in-person therapy practice focused on helping young professionals heal from trauma and burnout, and quiet the critical internal voices of perfectionism, so they can live more fulfilling, connected lives. If you’re a California resident, schedule a free consultation call to learn more.
If you’re struggling with trauma and feeling the physical effects in your body, somatic therapy can help. By focusing on the mind-body connection, somatic therapy provides a holistic and effective way to release stored trauma, reduce physical tension, and experience emotional healing.
If you're in California and ready to begin your healing journey, consider reaching out for online therapy today. Somatic therapy offers a powerful approach to trauma recovery, and I’m here to support you every step of the way.
Are you ready to explore somatic therapy and release trauma stored in your body? Contact me today for online therapy in California and take the first step toward healing. Let’s work together to create lasting change and help you live a life of peace and balance.