How Somatic Therapy Helps You Heal From Trauma
- Kristen McCarthy
- May 21
- 3 min read
Listening to the Wisdom of the Body to Reclaim Safety and Connection
“This is your body, your greatest gift,
pregnant with wisdom you do not hear,
grief you thought was forgotten,
And joy you have never known."
-- Marion Woodman
Many of us move through life carrying invisible wounds -- wounds that were formed in moments we didn’t feel safe: physically, emotionally, or relationally.
For some, trauma stems from a single overwhelming event. For others, it’s rooted in subtle, ongoing experience, often in childhood -- like emotional neglect, chronic stress, or a lack of attunement. These early adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) shape our nervous systems and influence how we feel, relate, and cope.
While talk therapy can be a meaningful part of healing, trauma lives in the body. It shows up in our tissues, our breath, our muscle tension, and the nervous system patterns that keep us stuck in survival mode.
This is where somatic therapy becomes a powerful practice, as it offers a gentle return to the safety and wisdom of the body.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
“Soma” comes from the ancient greek word for body. But more than just the physical body, it refers to the lived, felt experience of the body—the body in its fullness, aliveness, and wisdom.
Somatic therapy is an evidence based counselling modality that offers a holistic, body-centred approach to healing that recognized the intimate connection between our physical sensations, emotions, and past experiences.
Rather than focusing solely on thoughts or stories, somatic therapy helps you tune into the sensations of the body, and fluctuations of your nervous system.
You sense and feel what is present, and over time, learn the language of your body. You rediscover the safety and connection of trusting in your body’s wisdom.
In a somatic session, you might be invited to:
• Slow down and notice areas of tension, numbness, or constriction.
• Track subtle sensations or nervous system shifts in your body.
• Follow your breath as a guide toward an embodied experience of safety and connection.
• Gently explore emotions, memories and sensations without needing to relive past trauma
• Use grounding exercises and imagery to regulate your nervous system
• Learn to express sensations as images, symbols or metaphors that are rich with meaning
Somatic work is slow, intentional, and led by your body’s wisdom - there is no pressure to “figure things out” or “move on.” Your healing process unfolds with perfect timing.
How Trauma Shows Up in the Body
When we experience overwhelming events, especially in childhood -- our nervous systems adapt in order to survive. We might become hypervigilant, shut down emotionally, dissociate, or stay in a state of constant anxiety, movement or collapse.
These responses are not wrong. They are intelligent, protective mechanisms arising from our bodies. But when they persist long after the original threat has passed, they can cause:
• Chronic tension, fatigue, or pain
• Emotional reactivity or numbness
• Difficulty trusting or connecting in relationships
• Anxiety, depression, or a sense of being “stuck”
• A feeling of being disconnected from the body or from life itself
This is particularly common for people who’ve experienced adverse childhood experiences, such as emotional neglect, substance abuse in the home, or physical or emotional abuse. These early stressors can imprint deeply on the nervous system and shape how we relate to ourselves and the world around us.
The Healing Power of Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy offers a path to gently unwind the survival patterns stored in your body. Through present-moment awareness and compassionate support, you learn to:
• Reconnect with your body as a place of safety
• Develop internal resources for regulation and resilience
• Process stored trauma without being overwhelmed
• Reclaim a sense of aliveness and wholeness
Somatic therapy helps your nervous system feel safe, supported and connected. You embody and integrate new insights, understanding and wisdom as a felt experience.
If You're Ready to Begin
I offer somatic therapy and trauma-informed counselling in Vancouver and online for those who are navigating the effects of trauma, chronic stress, or life transitions. If you’re curious about this sensitive and body-centred approach to counselling, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you.
Comments