What is Somatic Healing?
It is a holistic approach that integrates the body, mind, and nervous system to release trauma, chronic stress, and emotional tension. Rooted in the understanding that the body holds memories, emotions, and survival patterns, somatic healing helps individuals process unspoken pain and re-establish a sense of safety, regulation, and connection.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, it works “bottom-up,” starting with the body to influence the mind. By tuning into bodily sensations, breath, posture, and energy, people can release stored trauma and build new pathways for emotional resilience.
How It Works
Trauma and stress aren’t just mental—they’re embodied. When we experience a threat or overwhelming event, our nervous system stores that experience as tension, restriction, or energetic shutdown.
It helps to:
- Activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest)
- Complete unprocessed fight/flight/freeze cycles
- Bring awareness to sensations, movements, and breath
- Release held patterns and restore natural flow
Benefits of Somatic Healing
- Reduced anxiety, panic, and hypervigilance
- Release of chronic muscular tension and pain
- Improved emotional regulation and grounding
- Greater self-awareness and nervous system resilience
- Relief from trauma-related symptoms (e.g. dissociation, flashbacks)
- Enhanced capacity for joy, rest, intimacy, and creativity
Somatic Healing Techniques and Practices
1. Breathwork
- Regulates the nervous system
- Releases emotional tension
2. Body Scanning and Felt-Sense Awareness
- Helps clients identify where trauma is held
- Builds mindfulness of bodily sensations
3. Grounding and Movement
- Walking, stretching, shaking, or dancing to move energy
4. Somatic Touch or Energy Work
- With consent, therapeutic touch may help release stuck patterns
5. Vocal Toning or Sound Therapy
- Vibrational healing that activates the vagus nerve and calms the system
6. Titration and Pendulation
- Slowly exploring difficult sensations without overwhelm
- Alternating between comfort and challenge to build tolerance
Who is Somatic Healing For?
Somatic healing is beneficial for:
- Individuals with PTSD or stored trauma
- ADHDers and neurodivergent people with chronic stress patterns
- People with anxiety, depression, or emotional burnout
- Survivors of physical, emotional, or relational trauma
- Anyone seeking deeper body-mind-spirit integration
Somatic Healing vs Somatic Therapy: What’s the Difference?
| Feature | Somatic Healing | Somatic Therapy |
|---|---|---|
| Practitioner | May include coaches, healers, bodyworkers | Licensed therapists trained in clinical methods |
| Focus | Energetic, emotional, and spiritual release | Trauma processing, therapeutic goals |
| Methods | Intuitive, experiential, integrative | Structured, evidence-informed |
Where to Experience Somatic Healing in the UK
- Private Somatic Practitioners – Often found in holistic wellness or trauma-informed spaces
- Trauma Healing Centres – Integrate bodywork, breathwork, and nervous system education
- Retreats and Workshops – Focused on somatic release and personal transformation
- Online Somatic Coaches – Offer guided sessions, nervous system education, and integration
Final Thoughts: Trusting the Wisdom of the Body
Somatic healing is a reminder that healing doesn’t always require words. It invites you to feel, move, and breathe through old pain—at your own pace, in your own way. When we learn to listen to the body, we find pathways to freedom that the mind alone can’t unlock.
For trauma-informed somatic resources, ADHD coaching, and nervous system support, subscribe to our newsletter and visit adhdtribe.co.uk.
Meta Title:
Somatic Healing UK: What It Is, How It Works, and Who It Helps
Meta Description:
Discover the power of somatic healing to release trauma, regulate the nervous system, and restore emotional balance. Learn practices, benefits, and how to find support in the UK.
Tags:
somatic healing, body-based therapy UK, healing stored trauma, nervous system regulation, somatic practices, breathwork healing, ADHD and somatic healing, trauma release UK, energy healing UK, somatic coaching
