Somatic Therapy
Release trauma, tension, and stress stored in your body
Online somatic therapy | In-person somatic therapy
Do you feel stress and heaviness in your body?
Emotional experiences can be stored in the body (not just the mind) even for years after they have passed. Somatic therapy is for you if you are experiencing:
- A tight chest or rigid body
- Anxiety / an anxious nervous system
- Constant tension
- Stress, fear, or shame
- Physically restless
- Difficulty relaxing or resting or being still
- Struggle with intense emotions and emotional regulation
- Emotional reactions that feel physical
- Have experienced traumatic experiences
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body based therapy method that focuses on the connection between the mind and the body. Somatic therapy recognizes that our bodies often hold onto experiences, fear, stress, trauma – and other things we experience, long after the events themselves have passed.
When we experience overwhelming situations, the nervous system may become stuck in patterns of Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Shutdown.
Somatic therapy helps your body to process and release the stored stress while restoring balance in your nervous system.
Issues that somatic therapy can help with:
- Trauma
- PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic
- Grief and loss
- Career and financial stress
- Chronic stress and burn out
- Ancestral trauma
- Emotional regulation
- Nervous system dysregulation
- Releasing tension
How our somatic therapy works
Our somatic therapy process creates a space where you can safely reconnect with your body, your emotions, and regulate your nervous system.
In our somatic therapy sessions, you can expect:
- Personalized somatic practices that suit your needs and you can incorporate into your everyday life
- Gentle movements at a pace that feels safe and manageable for your nervous system
- A combination of techniques that help calm the nervous system and release stored stress
We offer both in-person somatic therapy and online somatic therapy. Our online therapy services ensure accessibility, privacy, and flexibility for people with busy schedules or in different locations.
**Our therapists are committed to their own healing journey, bringing you both professional insight and genuine lived experience. We’re human too; we understand, we get it, and we’re here to help!
With somatic therapy, you'll gain:
- A regulated nervous system
- Healing from trauma
- A calm body and mind
- Reduced anxiety and stress
- Improved emotional regulation
- Trauma, tension, and stress release
- Feeling safe in your body again
- A healthy and stronger mind-body connection
Frequently asked questions
Who is somatic therapy best for?
Somatic therapy can benefit many people, especially those who have experienced traumatic events and feel that talk therapy alone hasn’t fully helped. It may be particularly helpful for individuals who:
- Have a dysregulated nervous system
- Have a history of trauma
- Struggle with emotional regulation
- Experience chronic stress or anxiety
- Feel disconnected from their bodies
- Feel stuck in repeated behavioral or relationship patterns
- Experience physical symptoms linked to stress
- Want a more holistic approach to mental health alongside talk therapy
Somatic therapy can also benefit people who want to develop deeper self-awareness and a regulated / resilient nervous system.
What happens during a somatic therapy session?
A somatic therapy session usually involves brief conversation followed by guided practices that focus on different body parts and give attention to bodily sensations. Your therapist may invite you to notice tension, breathing patterns, or subtle physical responses while discussing experiences or emotions
Is somatic therapy the same as somatic experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing is a specific method of somatic therapy developed for trauma recovery. Somatic therapy is the broader category of this method of therapy and it includes several body-based therapeutic approaches.
Can somatic therapy help with trauma?
Yes. Somatic therapy is widely used in trauma treatment because trauma often affects the nervous system, body responses, and is often stored in the body. This approach helps release stored survival responses safely.
Do I need to move or do physical exercises in somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy involves physical movement, but not intense physical activity. All movement or exercises are usually gentle and optional, such as breathing, grounding, or easy movements.
How long does somatic therapy take to work?
As we always say, every person’s healing process is different. Some people notice improvements in stress and body awareness within a few sessions, while deeper healing may take longer.
A gentle reminder, healing is not a straight path and it unfolds differently for everyone. You may begin to notice small yet meaningful shifts within yourself or your life after only a few sessions, and over time, these changes grow into deeper transformation. As you continue to apply what you learn in therapy to your daily life, the impact becomes even more clear to you and to many parts of your life. At the heart of lasting change is the commitment to show up for yourself each day with curiosity and compassion.
What are the benefits of combining somatic therapy with talk therapy?
When you combine somatic therapy with traditional talk therapy, you access a holistic approach that helps you process emotional experiences on multiple levels. While talk therapy provides a platform for you to express yourself verbally and gain cognitive insights, somatic therapy equips you with tools to address emotional distress stored in your body. This integrative approach enhances your self-awareness, emotional regulation, and overall well-being, resulting in more profound and lasting healing.
How do I get started with somatic therapy or how do I find a somatic therapist?
We do have somatic therapists at Normalize Therapy Africa. All our somatic therapists are trained, vetted, and have lots of experience in somatic therapies of all kinds.