What Is Somatic Therapy & How It Helps With Stress and Burnout

Stress and burnout have become common experiences in today’s fast-paced world. Long work hours, constant digital connection, and emotional strain take a toll not just on the mind but on the body as well. While traditional talk therapy can help process thoughts and emotions, many people find they still hold tension physically in their muscles, breath, or even posture.

This is where somatic therapy comes in. Unlike traditional therapy that focuses mainly on thoughts and behaviors, somatic therapy works with the body as a pathway to healing. By paying attention to physical sensations, movement, and the nervous system, patients learn how to release stress and recover from burnout. As trauma expert Dr. Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, explains, “When humans experience trauma, they can become trapped in the freeze part of the fight, flight, or freeze response. The goal of somatic therapy is to redirect this stuck energy into healthier directions.” This insight underscores why somatic approaches are so effective for both trauma recovery and everyday stress management.

Let’s explore how somatic therapy works, the science behind it, and why it’s becoming a powerful option for addressing stress, trauma, and chronic burnout.

What Is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body-centered form of psychotherapy that combines talk therapy with physical awareness. The word “somatic” comes from the Greek word soma, meaning “body.” It recognizes that mental health isn’t separate from physical experience: stress, trauma, and emotions leave an imprint on the nervous system and body.

A somatic therapist helps patients notice physical sensations, such as tightness, shallow breathing, or a racing heart, and guides them through techniques to release tension. This approach is used for a range of issues, including PTSD, stress, burnout, somatic symptom disorder, and trauma recovery.

Somatic therapies may include:

• Somatic experiencing: focusing on bodily sensations linked to trauma.

• Somatic movement: exercises that reconnect mind and body through gentle movement.

• Somatic psychotherapy: combining traditional talk therapy with somatic awareness.

• Somatic education: teaching patients how to recognize and respond to stress signals in the body.

The Science Behind Somatic Therapy

The effectiveness of somatic therapy lies in its focus on the nervous system. Stress activates the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary muscle movements through motor nerves. It also impacts the peripheral nervous system, which carries signals between the brain and body.

When stress or trauma is unresolved, the nervous system can stay “stuck” in fight, flight, or freeze mode. This can lead to symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety, fatigue, or emotional numbness. Over time, it even affects the brain’s structure, including axons, myelin, and glial cells that support neurological health.

Somatic therapy works by calming these stress responses and rewiring the brain’s connection with the body. Through repeated practice, the nervous system learns how to reset, building resilience against future stressors.

What Does Somatic Therapy Feel Like?

Many people ask, what does somatic therapy feel like? Sessions often feel very different from traditional talk therapy. Instead of focusing only on conversation, a therapist may guide you to:

• Notice sensations in the body, like warmth, tingling, or tightness.

• Slow down breathing and deepen awareness of the nervous system.

• Use somatic movement or gentle exercises to release tension.

• Pay attention to emotions that arise alongside body sensations.

Patients often describe the process as grounding, calming, or eye-opening. It’s common to notice physical shifts such as relaxed muscles, improved breathing, or reduced pain after a session. The focus is on helping both the mind and body process stress together.

Somatic Therapy and Trauma Recovery

Stress and burnout are often tied to deeper experiences of trauma. Somatic therapy is widely used in treatment for PTSD because trauma is stored in the body as much as in the brain. Traditional therapy may help patients understand their experiences, but somatic approaches help release the physical grip trauma holds.

Techniques like somatic experiencing guide patients to safely revisit sensations linked to traumatic memories without becoming overwhelmed. Other approaches, such as EMDR (eye-movement desensitization reprocessing) and bilateral stimulation, also integrate body awareness to reprocess trauma.

By working with both the brain and body, patients often find they experience fewer physical symptoms of trauma, such as hypervigilance, muscle pain, or nervous tension, while gaining greater emotional balance.

Somatic Therapy for Stress and Burnout

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight; it builds from prolonged stress, emotional strain, and overwork. Common symptoms include exhaustion, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and even physical pain.

Somatic therapy addresses burnout by helping patients slow down and reconnect with their bodies. A psychotherapist may use somatic techniques such as guided breathing, body scanning, or gentle movement to restore balance. Patients also practice self-awareness exercises to recognize stress before it leads to full burnout.

In addition to reducing immediate stress, somatic therapy builds long-term resilience. Patients often report improved energy, emotional regulation, and mental clarity after engaging in somatic practices regularly.

Common Somatic Techniques

Somatic therapy uses a variety of tools to help patients release stress and restore balance. Some common techniques include:

• Somatic awareness: noticing how stress shows up in physical sensations.

• Somatic movement: using gentle exercises like stretching, yoga, or qigong to restore balance.

• Grounding exercises: focusing on sensations like your feet on the floor to reconnect with the present moment.

• Somatic psychotherapy: blending conversation with body-based practices to explore emotions and stress.

• Breathing exercises: slowing the nervous system and reducing activation.

These techniques can be practiced during sessions with a therapist or at home as part of a daily routine.

Finding Somatic Therapy Near You

If you’re interested in exploring somatic therapy, you might be asking, how do I find somatic therapy near me? Many psychotherapists are now trained in somatic techniques, and online platforms like Talkspace also offer access to providers with somatic training.

When choosing a therapist, consider:

• Their experience with somatic therapies such as somatic experiencing or somatic psychotherapy.

• Whether they specialize in your needs, such as PTSD, stress, trauma, or somatic symptom disorder.

• Comfort level since somatic therapy involves body awareness, feeling safe with your therapist is key.

Working with a qualified professional ensures you receive guidance that matches your mental health needs while giving you tools to practice outside of sessions.

How Somatic Therapy Supports Long-Term Healing

Somatic therapy isn’t just about short-term stress relief. By training the body and nervous system to release tension and regulate more effectively, it creates long-lasting changes. Patients often report improvements such as:

• Lower anxiety and stress

• Better sleep quality

• Reduced pain or physical symptoms

• Stronger mind-body awareness

• Greater ability to manage emotions

This makes somatic therapy a valuable option not just for managing burnout, but for overall mental health maintenance.

Releasing Burnout and Reconnecting Through Somatic Therapy

Stress and burnout can leave you feeling drained, disconnected, and overwhelmed. But healing doesn’t always start in the mind; it often begins in the body. Somatic therapy offers a powerful way to reconnect with yourself, release stored tension, and restore balance to both your body and mind.

Whether through somatic experiencing, somatic movement, or somatic psychotherapy, this approach gives patients the tools to recognize how stress lives in their body and how to let it go. If you’ve been struggling with symptoms of burnout or wondering, what does somatic therapy feel like?, exploring somatic practices may be the first step toward lasting relief.

If you’re curious about somatic therapy and ready to explore how it can help with stress, burnout, or trauma, consider reaching out to a therapist trained in somatic therapies. Whether you’re searching for somatic therapy near me or exploring online options, the right support can help you reconnect with your body and find balance again.

FAQs

1. What does somatic therapy feel like?

Somatic therapy often feels grounding and calming. Patients notice body sensations, practice gentle movement, and release tension while exploring emotions connected to stress.

2. Can somatic therapy help with PTSD?

Yes. Somatic therapies, including somatic experiencing and EMDR, are widely used as treatment for PTSD. They help patients process trauma both mentally and physically.

3. What’s the difference between somatic therapy and talk therapy?

Talk therapy focuses on thoughts and behaviors, while somatic therapy includes body awareness, sensations, and movement as part of the healing process.

4. Do I need a special therapist for somatic therapy?

Yes. Look for a psychotherapist trained in somatic techniques. Many mental health professionals now include somatic education and awareness practices in their sessions.

5. Can I practice somatic exercises on my own?

Absolutely. Techniques like breathing, grounding, and somatic movement can be practiced at home. However, working with a therapist first ensures you’re applying the techniques safely and effectively.