Somatic Strategies for Rebuilding Trust in Your Body After Burnout
When Burnout Leaves You Disconnected
You wake up after eight hours of sleep and feel like you’ve already run a marathon. A simple request from a coworker or family member makes your chest tighten. Even rest doesn’t feel restful anymore.
Burnout is not just about working too hard or being “tired.” It is a nervous system state where the body has been in survival mode for so long that it shuts down to protect itself. And when that happens, many people describe a sense of betrayal as though their own body has failed them.
Rebuilding trust after burnout is not about pushing harder. It’s about learning how to listen differently, respond gently, and create new rhythms of safety. Somatic strategies can help.
Why Burnout Impacts the Body So Deeply
Burnout is the end point of prolonged stress without recovery. The nervous system, designed to keep you safe, shifts between states of fight, flight, freeze, and collapse. When these responses go on for too long, they can feel permanent.
You might notice:
Chronic exhaustion that rest does not resolve
Tension headaches or muscle pain that never fully release
Digestive upset or changes in appetite
Brain fog that makes simple tasks feel impossible
Numbness or flatness, as though life is muted
These are not personal failures. They are signs of a body protecting itself the only way it knows how by slowing down, shutting down, or pulling away.
Somatic therapy helps reframe these signals, not as proof of weakness, but as invitations to slow down, regulate, and rebuild trust step by step.
Somatic Strategies for Reconnecting with Your Body
Somatic practices focus on the language of the body, sensation, movement, and rhythm. They help you move from mistrust to reconnection. Some supportive strategies include:
Grounding through sensation
Feel the pressure of your feet on the floor or the weight of your back against a chair. Placing a hand on your chest or stomach while breathing can remind your nervous system: I am supported here.Gentle movement practices
Begin with small actions like rocking side to side in your chair, stretching arms overhead, or taking a slow five-minute walk. These movements communicate safety without overwhelming the system.Release exercises
Shake your hands after a stressful email, bounce gently on your toes, or roll your shoulders in circles. These actions mimic the body’s natural way of discharging tension, much like animals shake after stress.Boundaries with the body
Notice when you’re about to push through exhaustion. Experiment with pausing instead, even for a minute. Choosing rest without guilt builds a new sense of reliability between you and your body.Rebuilding rhythm
Create small, consistent rituals, a glass of water first thing in the morning, five minutes of stretching before bed, or pausing to breathe before a meeting. Over time, rhythm restores trust and steadiness.
These practices are not about fixing burnout overnight. They are daily signals to your body that you are listening now.
How Therapy Can Support Burnout Recovery
While individual strategies are helpful, counselling creates the relational safety and guidance many people need to recover from burnout. At Tidal Trauma Centre, our therapists integrate somatic approaches into therapy using modalities such as:
Somatic Therapy: Helps you map where stress lives in your body and teaches grounding, release, and restorative practices.
IFS (Internal Family Systems): Explores the inner parts of you, the one that pushes through at all costs, the one that feels guilty for slowing down, and the one that longs for rest. Therapy helps these parts find balance.
EMDR Therapy: Processes unresolved experiences that reinforced burnout patterns, such as relentless deadlines, medical stress, or caregiving demands, so they no longer dominate the nervous system.
AEDP & Emotion-Focused Therapy: Create space to express the grief, anger, or shame that often surface after burnout, while helping your body stay present and regulated.
Together, these modalities provide tools, perspective, and safe connection for the long work of rebuilding trust in your body.
Signs You May Benefit from Somatic Therapy After Burnout
Rest never feels restorative
You notice constant tension or shallow breathing
Daily tasks feel overwhelming or unmanageable
You cycle between overwork and collapse
You avoid social, relational, or professional commitments due to exhaustion
You feel like a stranger in your own body and long to reconnect
Rebuilding Trust, Step by Step
Burnout can leave you feeling disconnected, mistrustful, and depleted. But through somatic strategies, it’s possible to begin listening to your body differently with curiosity, patience, and compassion. Over time, you can rebuild rhythms of rest, resilience, and even vitality.
Contact us or fill out a New Client Form to be matched with a therapist.
If you’re ready, book a free consult or appointment today.
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No. While exercise has health benefits, somatic therapy is about awareness and nervous system regulation. It often involves subtle practices like breathwork, grounding, or gentle movement.
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This is common after burnout. Therapy helps you explore that frustration and gradually shift toward compassion, recognizing that your body was trying to protect you.
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Yes. Many people carry patterns of exhaustion long after the acute phase of burnout. Somatic work can help unwind those patterns and restore balance.
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Somatic therapy won’t erase those demands, but it can help you regulate stress, set boundaries, and create sustainable practices that reduce overwhelm even in challenging environments.
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Not necessarily. Somatic therapy often begins with body-based practices that do not require detailed storytelling. You set the pace and focus.
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Disclaimer: The content on this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or mental health advice. It is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.