What Is Somatic Therapy?
What Somatic Therapy Really Means and How It Helps When Talk Isn’t Enough
When you’ve lived through stress, trauma, or long-term anxiety, your body doesn’t just “move on.” It adapts. It holds tension, habits, and survival responses, sometimes long after the event is over.
At Tidal Trauma Centre in Surrey, we offer somatic therapy for people who want more than just insight. Somatic therapy is a body-based approach that helps you reconnect with your body, process stored trauma, and regulate your nervous system with care and skill.
Whether you’re feeling disconnected, shut down, reactive, or exhausted, somatic therapy can help your system find safety again from the inside out. This isn’t just about symptom relief, it’s about helping your body feel like home again.
Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Always Enough
Traditional therapy focuses on thoughts and emotions, but trauma is also stored in the body. You might feel "fine" cognitively while still dealing with:
Muscle tension that won’t go away
Chronic pain or digestive issues
Emotional numbness or shutdown
Startle responses or difficulty relaxing
A vague sense of unease that has no clear cause
Somatic therapy gently works with the body’s wisdom. By exploring breath, posture, and internal sensation, this approach helps complete stress cycles, discharge held survival energy, and restore a sense of calm. It supports the body in doing what it wasn’t able to do in the moment, whether that’s shaking off a threat, crying in safety, or finally letting the breath drop.
It’s not about digging up the past. It’s about noticing what your body is still carrying, and giving it the support it needs to let go.
What to Expect in Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is experiential. That means you’ll do more than talk, you’ll learn to tune into your body in safe, structured ways.
In a typical session, your therapist may guide you to:
Notice tension, numbness, or activation in your body
Track sensations with curiosity and without judgment
Practice grounding, orienting, or breathwork
Explore small, gentle movements
Bring awareness to posture, facial expression, or body impulses
Gently notice how certain stories, thoughts, or images land in the body
Everything is client-led and consent-based. You are never pushed to relive painful memories or disclose more than you’re ready to share. Many clients are surprised by how subtle, and powerful these sessions can be. The goal isn’t catharsis, it’s connection.
Who Is Somatic Therapy For?
This approach is especially helpful for people who:
Feel chronically anxious or “on edge”
Have trouble relaxing or sleeping
Experience shutdown, emotional numbness, or dissociation
Struggle with touch, boundaries, or interoception
Notice body tension, tightness, or stiffness that won’t resolve
Feel disconnected from joy, aliveness, or internal cues
At Tidal Trauma Centre, we often recommend somatic therapy for clients navigating:
PTSD and trauma recovery
Anxiety and panic disorders
Chronic stress or burnout
Religious trauma or childhood trauma
Attachment wounds and relational overwhelm
Dissociation or shutdown responses
Somatic therapy works beautifully on its own or alongside other approaches like EMDR or IFS. It’s not about “fixing” you, it’s about supporting you to listen to the parts of yourself that have gone quiet under stress.
Why We Include Somatic Therapy in Trauma Work
We believe therapy should support the whole person, mind, body, and nervous system. That’s why our Surrey-based therapists often integrate somatic work into your overall care plan.
EMDR + Somatic Therapy process difficult memories and support your nervous system between sessions. Body awareness helps EMDR feel less overwhelming and more integrative.
IFS + Somatic Therapy explore protective parts and help the body feel safer to soften, trust, and connect. Somatic tracking often reveals which parts are active before words do.
Talk Therapy + Somatic Work uses body cues to deepen emotional awareness, even when words are hard to find. Movement or breath can express things the mind hasn’t yet named.
Let’s Rewire Survival Into Safety, Together
Your nervous system deserves care, not criticism.
If you’re ready to feel more regulated, connected, and alive in your body again, we’re here.
“You’re not too sensitive. You’re not overreacting.”
Your body remembers what your mind might try to forget, and it does so to protect you.
This doesn’t mean you’re doomed to live in survival mode forever. With the right support, your nervous system can learn what safety feels like again. And that’s where lasting change begins.
Contact us or fill out a New Client Form to be matched with one or more of our therapists. If you’re ready, book a free consult or appointment.
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Somatic therapy is a body-based form of psychotherapy that uses awareness of physical sensation, breath, and gentle movement to support healing. It’s especially effective for trauma and nervous system dysregulation.
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No. Somatic therapy does not require verbal processing of trauma. You can focus solely on present-moment sensations, which often helps reduce overwhelm.
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Absolutely. Disconnection is a common reason people seek this work. You’ll be supported to build body awareness gently, at your own pace.
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No. It’s not hands-on and you remain fully clothed. It’s a therapeutic process guided by a mental health professional and based on consent, collaboration, and respect.
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Yes. Somatic therapy integrates well with EMDR, IFS, and other modalities. At Tidal, we tailor your care plan to support your needs holistically.
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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.