Somatic Therapy: What It Is and How It Releases Trauma From the Body

Can your body hold on to trauma long after your mind has made sense of it? In this episode of RECOVERable, host Terry McGuire sits down with trauma therapist and author Simone Saunders to separate somatic therapy facts from social media hype.
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Somatic therapy is body-based therapy that bridges the connection between the mind and body. It is far more than deep breathing or relaxation. Simone explains why you can understand your trauma intellectually and still feel stuck: your nervous system may not have caught up. She breaks down what it means that the body holds trauma, from muscle bracing and jaw tension to gastrointestinal issues, and how complex trauma like childhood emotional neglect builds up over time. Using the window of tolerance, she describes how hyperarousal (fight or flight, panic, anger, impulsivity, substance use) and hypoarousal (freeze, numbness, dissociation) can show up in adulthood. She also shares how the sweating she once thought was hyperhidrosis eased as her nervous system became more regulated.
You will learn what actually happens in a somatic therapy session, why consent and pacing matter, and why touch is optional. Simone explains why people who over-intellectualize often seek this work, how procedural learning drives automatic reactions, and why the real goal is choice. She compares top-down approaches like CBT, DBT and ACT with bottom-up approaches like somatic therapy and EMDR, talks about how long somatic therapy takes, whether online therapy works, and why viral techniques like ice-water face dunks are not quick fixes. She also suggests free starting points, such as noticing your hunger, thirst and sleep cues, and recommends resources from Janina Fisher, Pat Ogden and The Embody Lab.
Whether you have tried talk therapy and still feel stuck, or you are curious about healing trauma through the body, this conversation offers a clear and practical guide, plus a reminder that you are not a project to be fixed.
Subscribe to RECOVERable for more expert insights on mental health recovery, leave your questions in the comments below, and share this video with someone who is ready to reconnect with their body.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro: Somatic Therapy Myths vs. Facts
06:00 – What Is Somatic Therapy?
07:20 – What Can Somatic Therapy Treat?
12:00 – What Does It Mean That the Body Holds Trauma?
16:00 – The Window of Tolerance: Hyperarousal vs. Hypoarousal
19:40 – Can Emotional Stress Cause Physical Symptoms?
21:40 – What Happens in a Somatic Therapy Session?
30:20 – Over-Intellectualizing: Why Insight Isn't Enough
34:20 – Procedural Learning and the Power of Choice
39:20 – Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Therapy
42:20 – The Risks of Viral Somatic Trends
Questions the Video Answers:
What is somatic therapy and how does it work?
Is somatic therapy just deep breathing and relaxation?
Is somatic therapy backed by science?
Do you have to relive your trauma for somatic therapy to work?
Does somatic therapy involve physical touch?
What is the difference between somatic therapy and talk therapy?
What does it mean that the body holds trauma?
Why can't I move on even though I understand my trauma?
What is the window of tolerance?
Can trauma cause physical symptoms like sweating, tension or stomach problems?
What happens in a somatic therapy session?
What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up therapy?
How long does somatic therapy take to work?
Are viral somatic techniques on social media safe?
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