Somatic Release Therapy: How I Learned to Let My Body Do the Talking

Have you ever felt like you’re fine in your head — but your body is out here staging a rebellion? Tight chest, knotted stomach, shoulders up to your ears like they’re auditioning for a “permanent coat hanger” role? Yep, that’s what happens when trauma sets up camp in the body.

I used to think therapy was all about talking it out. Don’t get me wrong — words are powerful. But the body? She’s been holding onto the receipts. Trauma gets stored not just in memory but in muscle tension, shallow breathing, that restless buzz you can’t shake.

That’s where somatic release therapy comes in. It’s all about helping the body let go of what the mind can’t quite shift on its own.

As a psychotherapist but also a somatic release facilitator and coach I teach people how to invite a safe expression and processing into their body after years of repression.

How somatic release therapy works (the science, but in plain English)

When something overwhelming happens, our nervous system might go into fight, flight, or freeze. If the energy doesn’t get discharged (say, by running, shaking, crying, or yelling in the moment), it gets stuck. Your body literally “remembers” the experience — even if your conscious mind has moved on.

Somatic release practices help you complete that unfinished stress response. Think of it as giving your nervous system a gentle “reset button” so your body stops running an old trauma loop on repeat.

Somatic release practices I swear by

Here are a few of the practices I use personally and with clients in somatic release therapy:

1. Grounding through movement
   Ever feel like you’re floating outside your body? Try stomping your feet slowly on the ground, or marching in place while swinging your arms. It brings your awareness back into the present moment — and bonus, it’s weirdly fun.

2. Shaking
   Yep, like a dog shaking off water. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, and just let your body shimmy and shake for 2–3 minutes. Trauma release exercises like this help your nervous system discharge stuck energy. (Warning: you may look ridiculous. Bonus points if you put music on.) It’s normal behaviour of the body to shake, we just tend to stop it to not upset others or to not be “weird”. Animals naturally do that to regulate themselves and have it over with quicker. Humans instead lock it back into the body by stopping the somatic release.

3. Somatic breathing
   Instead of “deep breathing” (which can feel like pressure), try “sighing out.” Inhale naturally, then exhale with a big dramatic sigh. Do this 5–10 times. It signals safety to your body, telling your nervous system it’s okay to relax.

4. Touch and containment
   Wrap your arms around yourself in a big bear hug. Or place one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. Say to yourself, “I’m here, I’m safe, I’ve got me.” This brings warmth and a sense of containment when you’re spiraling.

5. Orienting
   Slowly look around the room and name five things you see. This helps the nervous system realise: “I’m not back there, I’m here.” (Simple, but powerful for trauma-informed somatic healing.)

A few try-at-home somatic release exercises

Here are some “DIY” practices you can try today:

• Shake it out dance party: Put on a song you love, close the blinds if you want privacy, and just shake every limb until you laugh. (Healing trauma in the body doesn’t always have to be heavy.)

• Butterfly hug: Cross your arms over your chest, tap alternately left and right. This bilateral stimulation is calming and helps regulate your nervous system.

• Progressive release: Tense one muscle group (like your fists), hold for five seconds, then release with an exhale. Repeat head-to-toe. Notice how your body feels softer after.

Why somatic release therapy matters

Because healing isn’t just about “thinking differently” — it’s about letting the body tell its story, too. When I started practicing somatic release, I realised my body wasn’t my enemy. She was my co-pilot. The shakes, the sighs, the yawns — they weren’t weird symptoms. They were my nervous system saying, “Finally, thank you for listening.”

If this resonates, you might want to explore psychosomatic and psychosexual therapy, or check out my post on healing sexual trauma.

And if you want to work with me directly, you can always pop back my contact page.

Explore other articles, books and online courses. Or work with me, explore my services on the Home Page. Book your FREE 15min phone consult.

Final thought

Your body has been holding so much. But she also knows how to release it. With somatic practices — from shaking to breathing to simple touch — you can give yourself the gift of release, regulation, and deep self-trust.

Because, you’re not “too much” or “too broken.” You’re just a human with a nervous system that’s ready to exhale.