Somatic Approaches in Therapy
In recent decades, somatic psychotherapy has emerged as a powerful approach for healing from the imprints of trauma. In this presentation Raymond discusses ways to develop a deeper relationship with our bodies as a pathway towards healing. He discusses and demonstrates body-based exercises that anyone can practice.
In this video from the Somatic Approaches in Therapy Summit, clinical social worker Raymond Rodriguez (an EMDR-certified trauma specialist) offers a simple but powerful idea: the body belongs in the therapy room. The body is often a faithful source of information, especially when clients feel overwhelmed, stuck, or disconnected from what they “should” be able to explain. When therapy includes the nervous system, posture, breath, and sensation, it becomes easier to work with what’s happening in real time—not just what someone can describe after the fact.
Somatic approaches don’t require a complete shift in your orientation as a therapist, and they don’t need to feel intimidating. The practices in this talk are practical, gentle, and adaptable. They fit alongside many models, and they can be introduced in small ways that feel safe for both clinician and client.
Why Bring The Body Into Therapy?
Our feelings aren’t separate from our bodies. When we say “I’m depressed,” we may also be describing a felt experience—energy dropping, shoulders collapsing, a heaviness that’s hard to shake. Joy often shows up in the opposite direction: more upward energy, more movement, more expressiveness. Because the nervous system and emotional life are intertwined, tracking the body gives us more information to work with.
Even everyday language points us in this direction. People talk about “gut feelings,” “butterflies,” and wanting to “get something off my chest.” Those phrases are reminders that we often sense something internally before we can organize it into a clear story. Somatic work gives us permission to slow down and listen to those signals instead of rushing past them.
Start With Yourself And Start Small
Somatic work becomes more natural when we practice it personally, not just clinically. A helpful starting point is simply noticing: How do I relate to my own body right now—like a friend, a foe, or something I ignore? When we become more familiar with our own signals, it’s easier to guide clients without forcing anything.
If you’re newer to somatic approaches, it helps to go slowly. Small interventions build confidence over time, especially if you’ve already been working with a client in a more talk-therapy frame. The goal isn’t to “do somatics perfectly.” The goal is to widen the lens of what you’re paying attention to, and to offer clients simple tools that help them feel steadier, more present, and more connected to themselves.
Speak The Language Of Sensation
Many of us are trained to track thoughts and feelings, but it’s easy to skip over the body because we don’t always have the vocabulary. Somatic language is often surprisingly simple: describe what’s happening with sensation.
If someone says, “I feel heavy,” you can slow it down and get curious:
Where do you notice that heaviness—chest, shoulders, stomach, throat?
Does it feel sharp or dull? Warm or cool? Dense or hollow?
Does it stay still, pulse, spread, tighten, or soften?
How do you feel toward it—curious, annoyed, scared, tired, protective?
This kind of inquiry isn’t about interpretation. It’s about building awareness, creating choice, and helping a client stay with what’s true in the moment without getting swallowed by it.
Four Simple Somatic Practices You Can Use
The video offers several approachable exercises that can be integrated into many therapy sessions. They work especially well as quick “resets” when someone is anxious, shut down, or flooded.
Check-in (present-moment awareness). Ask: “How is your body doing right now?” A menu helps clients who feel blank or overwhelmed—tired, heavy, alive, grounded, centered, in pain, disconnected. The point is noticing, not judging.
Orienting. Slowly scan the room and notice what’s around you. For anxious clients, make it concrete: name three green things, or look for specific shapes. Turning the head and looking behind you can also support a felt sense of safety.
Grounding. Bring attention to the feet as anchors. Imagine roots extending downward. Press the feet gently, engage the legs, then release. You can add small movements—rock heel-to-toe or side-to-side. Throughout, check: does this feel better or worse? If it makes things worse, stop and try something else.
Centering. Find a comfortable, upright alignment. Roll the shoulders back and down. Sense the spine stacking. Many clients can immediately feel the difference between collapse and centeredness, even with subtle shifts.
A Trauma-Sensitive Note
For many trauma survivors, the body can feel unsafe. Some people feel betrayed by their bodies, or “phobic” of sensation because it brings up too much, too fast. In those moments, the goal isn’t to push body awareness. The goal is titration: going slowly, staying curious, and building safety.
Sometimes the most helpful question is gentle and future-oriented: “Would you like to have a kinder relationship with your body someday?” If a protective “no” shows up, that’s not a problem—it’s valuable information. That response can be met with the same curiosity and respect you’d offer any other protective strategy.
The Takeaway
Somatic therapy doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. It can begin with small moments of noticing, simple language, and brief practices that support regulation. When clients learn to track their bodies with curiosity—rather than fear, judgment, or avoidance—they often gain access to more clarity, more steadiness, and more choice. And over time, that shift can change the entire therapeutic process: the body becomes less of an obstacle and more of an ally.