What exactly is Integrative Somatic Yoga Therapy and how do I know if I need it?
You may have heard the term “somatic therapy” pop up in conversations about wellness lately, but what exactly does it mean? And more importantly, could somatic therapy be beneficial for you?
Suppose you’re struggling with stress, unresolved emotions, or physical symptoms that don’t seem to have a clear cause. In that case, somatic therapy might be worth exploring.
Somatic therapy offers a holistic way to heal, focusing not just on the mind but on the body, where so much of our emotional experience is stored.
What Does “Somatic” Mean?
The word somatic comes from the Greek word “soma,” which means body. In wellness, somatic practices focus on the connection between mind and body—specifically, how the body holds onto emotions, stress, and trauma.
In simpler terms, somatic refers to the physical sensations, movements, or changes in the body in response to emotions or experiences. For example, when you’re anxious, you might feel tension in your shoulders or tightness in your chest. These physical sensations are a somatic response to what’s happening emotionally or mentally.
Somatic therapy, also known as Somatic Experiencing (SE), has become more frequently used over the past few years as scientific research has shown that we store memories, experiences, and emotions on a cellular level. It seems that it’s not “all in your head” after all. Our bodies also hold data about past unprocessed events.
What Is Integrative Somatic Yoga Therapy?
Integrative Somatic Yoga (ISY) focuses on healing through the body through somatic experiencing using techniques to help you become more aware of physical sensations, release stored tension and process emotions. The idea is that one can achieve deeper healing by addressing both the mind and body. Somatic approaches are focused primarily on the body rather than the mind.
Integrative Somatic Yoga addresses problems like chronic and post-traumatic stress by focusing on body awareness. ISY is sometimes called a bottom-up approach to treating trauma-related conditions.
Somatic experiencing uses movement, breathwork, and awareness of physical sensations to help release and process unresolved emotions. SE follows the theory that trauma is stored inside your body and mind. After a frightening or overwhelming experience, some people may develop a dysfunctional stress response. In this case, the body’s alert system gets “stuck” in an excessively reactive state.
The many benefits of Somatic Yoga Therapy
Somatic Yoga can improve posture, mobility, strength, balance, coordination and proprioception. It can reduce neuromuscular pain and symptoms related to chronically tight muscles such as headaches, frozen shoulder and breathing issues. It can mitigate symptoms of anxiety, depression, sleeping issues and fatigue.
I teach various styles of yoga threading in the importance of a somatic experience. Curious exploration and mindful compassion are the keys to a somatic yoga practice, where you can use your yoga practice to establish a deeper mind-body connection.
Yoga, as a somatic practice utilizes and changes your muscular skeletal system by changing your nervous system and thus can reduce tension throughout your body. Paying attention to what’s happening in your body is the first step toward regulating your nervous system and feeling more balanced and comfortably present.
Over time, identifying and processing feelings in the body related to safety, comfort, and trauma help reduce the harmful effects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Final Thoughts: Is Somatic Therapy Right for You?
Whether you’re looking to overcome trauma, reduce anxiety, or simply feel more connected to yourself, somatic therapy could be a powerful tool on your journey to wellness.
In my client Lynn’s words, “I would never have moved past having breast cancer without Hope’s help. Through our work, I could let go and finally get back to living!” Lynn attends my yoga classes weekly to help manage her stress level and ensure she stays connected and on course for the days ahead. If you have more questions or want to know how to get started, please let me know—I’m here to help guide you!