Somatic therapy is talk therapy that pays attention to the body. Along with talking, your counselor helps you notice physical signs of stress, such as a tight chest or shallow breathing, and practice ways to settle them, like slow breathing and grounding. Research is still limited, so it works best as one part of a broader plan.
Key takeaways
- "Somatic" means "of the body." Somatic therapy adds body awareness to an ordinary counseling conversation.
- A session usually includes talking plus short, optional practices: noticing sensations, slow breathing, grounding, gentle movement, and pacing.
- The evidence is honest but thin. Harvard Health notes that somatic therapy does not yet have the research backing of CBT.
- For PTSD, the treatments with the strongest research support are trauma focused talk therapies. Somatic skills can sit alongside them, not replace them.
- Foundations offers somatic therapy in Fort Collins and Loveland, and online anywhere in Colorado.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy starts from something most people already know: stress and painful experiences do not stay only in our thoughts. They can show up as a clenched jaw, a racing heart, a knot in the stomach, or a feeling of being far away from your own body. As Harvard Health Publishing puts it, "Somatic therapies posit that our body holds and expresses experiences and emotions."
Amanda Baker, a clinical psychologist and director of the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, describes it to Harvard Health this way: "It's a treatment focusing on the body and how emotions appear within the body."
Somatic therapy is a broad label, not one single method. Somatic Experiencing is one specific, trademarked approach to trauma with its own training. Many counselors, including counselors at Foundations, use body focused skills within talk therapy without following one branded program. If you want a particular method, ask about a counselor's training.
What does a somatic therapy session look like?
A somatic session looks more like regular counseling than many people expect. You sit and talk, fully clothed, in a chair you choose. At Foundations, somatic work happens within talk therapy and does not involve touch. Every invitation is optional, and you can say no or stop at any point.
A first session usually covers what brings you in, how stress shows up in your body, and what you want to feel different. From there, your counselor may invite you to try a few of these practices.
1. Noticing body sensations
Your counselor may pause the conversation and ask what you notice right now: warmth, tightness, heaviness, or nothing much at all. Noticing very little is common, especially after long stress, and that is a fine place to start.
2. Slow breathing
Slow, steady breathing with a longer exhale is a simple way to help the body settle. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) describes the relaxation response as "characterized by slower breathing, lower blood pressure, and a feeling of calm and well-being."
3. Grounding
Grounding means coming back to the present through your senses: feeling your feet on the floor, noticing the chair under you, or naming a few things you can see.
4. Gentle movement
A small shift in posture or a slow stretch can help you feel the difference between tension and ease.
5. Pacing
Pacing means moving toward hard material slowly and stepping back when your body signals it needs a break. Harvard Health describes a related skill called titration, "which guides people through a traumatic memory while noting any accompanying physical sensations." Your counselor will not push you to retell every detail.
The goal, in Harvard Health's words, is therapy that "teaches people to feel safe in their bodies while exploring thoughts, emotions, and memories."
Does somatic therapy work? What the research says
Here is the honest answer: the research is still early. Harvard Health reports that "Scant scientific research has focused on somatic therapy and its benefits," and that "it doesn't have the same research backing yet as CBT and some other forms of therapy." Baker told Harvard Health she recommends cognitive behavioral therapy, which has proven benefits, as at least a starting point.
The individual skills used in somatic work, such as slow breathing and relaxation, are generally low risk. NCCIH says, "Relaxation techniques are generally safe, but there is limited evidence of usefulness for specific health conditions." That is a fair way to think about somatic therapy as a whole: a reasonable, gentle addition to counseling, with more research still needed.
Can somatic therapy help with trauma and PTSD?
It can be one part of trauma care, but it is not the first line treatment for PTSD. In its 2025 guideline, the American Psychological Association rated cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, and trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy as recommended treatments. As the APA Monitor on Psychology explains, "These interventions were rated as recommended because there are many high-quality studies that show large effects." Somatic therapy is not on that list.
That does not make body awareness useless after trauma. Many people feel constantly on alert, or shut down and numb. Grounding and breathing skills can help someone notice early signs of panic or shutdown and steady themselves, which can make other trauma work feel more manageable. At Foundations, counselors combine body based skills with approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) within trauma counseling when that serves you better.
Focusing on the body can sometimes bring up strong feelings or memories. That is a reason to go slowly and to tell your counselor what you notice, not a sign that you are doing it wrong.
Who might somatic therapy help?
Harvard Health lists conditions that somatic therapy "may potentially help alleviate," including PTSD, complicated grief, depression, anxiety, trust and intimacy issues, and self esteem problems. People often look into it when:
- Tension, a tight chest, or a knotted stomach stays with them even on calm days.
- They feel numb, disconnected, or far away from their body.
- Panic seems to build fast, before they can think it through.
- They understand their experiences in their head, but still feel them in their body.
For worry and panic, somatic skills often work alongside anxiety counseling.
When is somatic therapy not the right first step?
- Physical symptoms come first. Chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, or ongoing pain can have medical causes. See your doctor before assuming it is stress.
- Diagnosed or suspected PTSD. Ask about the trauma focused therapies named in the APA guideline, and treat somatic skills as an add on.
- Body focus feels overwhelming. If paying attention to your body floods you, tell your counselor. Starting with very small, neutral observations, or a different approach, is fine.
- Medication questions. These belong with your physician. Foundations offers talk therapy.
If you are thinking about suicide or self harm, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.
Somatic therapy or somatic exercises: what is the difference?
Somatic exercises are self help tools you can use on your own, in minutes. Our guide to 6 somatic exercises to try when you are feeling anxious walks through orienting, grounding, long exhales, and more, and 4 simple breathing exercises for anxiety adds a few breathing patterns. Somatic therapy is different: a counselor helps you notice patterns over time, connect them to what you are going through, and practice at a pace that feels safe.
How somatic therapy works at Foundations
At Foundations, somatic therapy is one on one talk therapy that brings body awareness into the work, at a pace you set. Several counselors list somatic therapy as an approach they use. Tell us what you need, and we will match you with a counselor who fits. Your first meeting with that counselor is a free consultation, a chance to ask about their training and see whether the approach feels right.
Sessions are in person in Fort Collins and Loveland, or through online counseling anywhere in Colorado. If the first counselor is not the right fit, our Counselor Match Guarantee means we will help you find another Foundations counselor.
Frequently asked questions
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is talk therapy that pays attention to the body. Along with talking, your counselor helps you notice physical signs of stress, like tension or shallow breathing, and practice ways to settle them, such as slow breathing, grounding, and pacing. It is a broad label rather than one single method.
What happens in a somatic therapy session?
You sit and talk, fully clothed, as in regular counseling. Your counselor may invite you to pause and notice sensations, slow your breathing, ground through your senses, or try a small movement. Every invitation is optional, and you can stop at any point. At Foundations, somatic work does not involve touch.
Is somatic therapy evidence based?
The research is still early. Harvard Health notes that somatic therapy does not yet have the research backing of CBT and some other therapies. Skills like slow breathing are generally low risk, so many people use somatic work as one part of a broader plan rather than on its own.
Is somatic therapy good for trauma and PTSD?
It can be one part of trauma care. For PTSD, the American Psychological Association recommends cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure, and trauma focused CBT, which have the strongest research support. Somatic skills like grounding can sit alongside those treatments to help you feel steadier.
Do I have to talk about my trauma in somatic therapy?
No. You decide what to share and when. Somatic work often starts with the present, such as how your body feels right now, and moves toward hard memories slowly, if at all. Your counselor will not push you to retell every detail.
How is somatic therapy different from somatic exercises?
Somatic exercises are self help tools, like grounding or a long exhale, that you can use on your own in minutes. Somatic therapy is guided work with a counselor who helps you notice patterns over time and practice at a pace that feels safe.
Clinically reviewed by Chris Berger, M.A., LPC, NCC. Updated November 2026.
More to read: browse our Anxiety and Stress guides, or our Trauma and PTSD guides.
Ready to talk with someone?
We will match you with a counselor who fits, and your first meeting with that counselor is a free consultation. Schedule your free consultation or call 970.227.2770.
If you are thinking about suicide or self harm, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911.