Somatic therapy is based on the belief that our mind and body are connected meaning that emotional responses to negative life events are stored in both the mind and body. Thus, holistic healing requires both psychotherapies and physical therapies.
Somatic therapy can be used to work with a variety of psychological challenges such as stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma.
Somatic therapists achieve holistic healing by helping clients to recall adverse or traumatic memories in a safe and secure environment. They, then, encourage clients to pay attention to any physical responses associated with the memory. Finally, somatic therapists use physical techniques, such as relaxation exercises, deep breathing, or meditation to help relieve the physical symptoms.
Ultimately, the goal of somatic therapy is to help clients release lingering physical tension, anger, frustration, and pain resulting from past negative experiences.