Somatic therapy online refers to a type of therapy that focuses on the mind-body connection. This specific type of work focuses on the intersection between bodily sensations, inner experiences, and emotional needs. In somatic therapy, we will work together to better understand the relationship between your body and your emotional wellness. This work can help deepen self-awareness, strengthen emotional regulation, and effectively treat unresolved trauma symptoms.
What Happens During Somatic Therapy Sessions?
Somatic therapy can be used as a standalone treatment, but it’s often part of a more integrative approach. For example, in my practice, I use somatic experiencing techniques with other modalities, including internal family systems (IFS), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and narrative interventions.
Although somatic therapy is body-focused, it does not inherently include touch between a therapist and client (particularly since our work is online!). However, somatic experiencing therapy often includes components of:
Body scans: Body scans focus on directing attention to various parts of the body and noticing the associated tensions or physical sensations. This technique can help you identify where you may be storing stress, and it can subsequently teach you how to release that stress.
Breathwork: Breathwork is one of the core elements of regulating your nervous system, and breathwork may include diaphragmatic breathing, engaging in particular breath patterns, or simply noting your breath. Research consistently shows that engaging in more intentional breathing can be an important part of healing trauma and other mental health concerns.
Grounding exercises: Grounding can help you feel more connected to both your body and the present moment. Grounding exercises might include heightening your focus on certain sensations or using grounding objects to help you orient to the here and now. In therapy together, we’ll explore the various strategies you can use to ground yourself if you become overwhelmed or otherwise emotionally triggered.
Gentle movement: Mindfulness practices are body-based, and together, we may explore ways you can cultivate gentle activity like yoga, tai chi, walking, stretching, or other feel-good movements into your daily life. This can help you strengthen your body awareness and support the work you’re doing in therapy.
Who Can Benefit From Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy can be beneficial for people experiencing numerous challenges. It may be helpful if you haven’t received desirable results in traditional talk therapy. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment that works best for everyone, somatic therapy online can be especially valuable if you experience any of the following concerns:
PTSD Symptoms
PTSD symptoms might include flashbacks, nightmares, ruminating thoughts, and avoidance behaviors. Trauma is a complex and largely misunderstood experience, and the effects of traumatic stress are deeply stored in the body. Therefore, effective trauma therapy needs to focus on releasing this trauma and properly regulating your autonomic nervous system. Body-oriented trauma therapy can help support this process and establish a greater sense of internal empowerment.
Body Image and Disordered Eating
Somatic therapy can be valuable for people struggling with disordered eating and body image concerns. Instead of talk therapy alone, somatic work focuses on exploring the connection between the body’s physical and emotional needs. This can help you strengthen your sense of physical embodiment and develop a kinder relationship with food and your body.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders entail both physical and emotional symptoms, and the effects can range from being mildly distressing to entirely debilitating. Traditional therapy often focuses on changing negative thoughts or “distracting” from the anxiety. However, somatic experiencing treatment focuses on learning how anxiety shows up in the body and using the body to help release pent-up tension or fear. This, in turn, can help you feel less anxious and more empowered as you move through daily life.
Physical Symptoms and Chronic Pain
Somatic work is an effective treatment for physical pain and other somatic symptoms. Although it may seem paradoxical, placing even more deliberate focus on your body can help support physical comfort. It can also help interrupt the automatic fight-or-flight stress response that occurs when the body feels pain. This, in turn, can lessen the intensity of your pain response.
Grief and Loss
Tapping into somatic resources can help you as you navigate the arduous grief process. This isn’t about “forgetting” the loss or blocking how you feel. Instead, it’s about honoring your emotional state and engaging in a dynamic therapy that truly allows you to process your feelings in real-time. While this does not “fix” the pain, it can invariably help you feel regulated as you experience your grief, and it can also support you in making meaning during your healing.
Online Somatic Therapy in Washington State
Somatic therapy online provides a safe, accessible, convenient treatment option for adults struggling with ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health struggles. My goal is to help you feel more authentic in your everyday life. Feeling more connected to your body can help you feel more grounded and attuned, and this can unquestionably support your emotional well-being.
No matter where you are in your healing journey, I would be honored to help you. I provide online therapy for adults residing in Washington State. I welcome you to contact me today to schedule an initial consultation.
