The Power Of Somatic Healing For Trauma – Releasing Pain Through The Body
- Dec 11, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 20, 2025
Brianna Anderson is a well-known and highly skilled trauma resolution practitioner, energy healer, and educator. She is the CEO of Healing with Bri and is the founder of Ascend, an online healing program designed to help people resolve body trauma.
Trauma is a universal human experience. Whether it stems from an accident, abuse, neglect, or even chronic stress, trauma affects not only our minds but also our bodies. Modern neuroscience has revealed a profound truth: trauma is not just a story we remember—it is a physiological state our bodies continue to live in. To truly heal, we must address this embodied pain.
Somatic healing offers a pathway to recovery by working with the mind-body connection to release the tension, fear, and pain that trauma imprints on our nervous system. It allows us to reclaim a sense of safety, connection, and wholeness, transforming what once felt overwhelming into a source of strength and resilience.
Trauma lives in the body
Trauma is a disruption in the natural rhythm of our nervous system. When faced with a threat, our body instinctively enters survival modes—fight, flight, or freeze. In a healthy system, these responses complete, and we return to a state of equilibrium. But for many of us, trauma causes these survival responses to become stuck.
This “stuckness” manifests in physical, emotional, and psychological ways. It can appear as chronic pain, tension, or unexplained fatigue. Emotionally, we might experience anxiety, hypervigilance, or numbness. At its core, trauma disconnects us from the present moment, trapping us in the past and severing the natural harmony between mind and body.
What is somatic healing?
Somatic healing is a body-first approach to trauma recovery. Unlike traditional talk therapies, which focus on processing memories and emotions, somatic healing emphasizes reconnecting with the body. Trauma is stored not just in our minds but also in our tissues, muscles, and nervous system. Healing must happen at this somatic level.
The cornerstone of somatic healing is learning to feel safe in your body again. This involves gently exploring physical sensations, movements, and breath, allowing the nervous system to release the stored energy of trauma. The Somatic Experiencing method works by carefully guiding individuals to complete the instinctive survival responses that were interrupted during a traumatic event.
By engaging with mind-body somatic processes, we create the conditions for the body to heal itself. Somatic healing is not about forcing a “breakthrough” but fostering a compassionate space where the body can naturally let go of its burden.
The benefits of somatic healing
The beauty of somatic healing lies in its ability to address trauma holistically, tapping into the body’s innate wisdom. By working directly with the nervous system, somatic healing:
Releases tension: Trauma often manifests as chronic tension or pain. Somatic practices help release this stored energy, restoring fluidity and ease.
Calms the nervous system: Techniques like grounding and breathwork help regulate the nervous system, shifting it from survival mode into a state of calm and connection.
Encourages presence: Somatic practices anchor us in the present moment, helping us reconnect with ourselves and our environment.
Fosters empowerment: By completing the body’s unfinished survival responses, we regain a sense of agency and control.
Supports overall well-being: Integrating the body and mind creates a profound sense of wholeness, leading to emotional and physical health.
Practices for somatic healing
Somatic healing encompasses a range of practices designed to restore the connection between body and mind. Here are some key approaches:
Grounding exercises: Simple activities like noticing the sensation of your feet on the floor or the weight of your body in a chair can anchor you in the present moment.
Breathwork: Deep, conscious breathing helps regulate the nervous system, signaling safety to the body.
Gentle movement: Practices like yoga or slow, intentional movements help release tension and restore a sense of flow.
Body awareness: Focusing on physical sensations allows you to identify where trauma is held and gently explore it.
Somatic Experiencing involves titration—working in small, manageable steps—so the body does not become overwhelmed during the healing process. By approaching the body with curiosity and care, we allow it to release trauma at its own pace.
Real stories, real transformation
I have witnessed countless individuals transform their lives through the somatic experiencing method. One woman, who suffered from debilitating panic attacks after a car accident, was able to release the trauma trapped in her body by gradually working through the freeze response that had kept her nervous system stuck. Through somatic experiencing she not only calmed her anxiety but also regained her sense of freedom and confidence behind the wheel.
These stories are not uncommon. Scientific studies continue to validate the effectiveness of somatic approaches, showing how reconnecting with the body can improve emotional regulation, reduce symptoms of PTSD, and enhance overall well-being.
Getting started with somatic healing
Beginning your somatic healing journey is an act of courage and self-compassion. If you’re considering this path, start by seeking a trained practitioner who specializes in somatic modalities. A skilled guide can create a safe space for exploration and healing.
You can also begin at home with simple practices like grounding, breathwork, or gentle stretches. Take small steps, and listen to your body’s cues. Healing is not a race—it is a journey toward reclaiming your life.
Conclusion
The power of somatic healing lies in its ability to address trauma at its root: the body. By releasing the pain and fear stored in our nervous systems, we can reconnect with the present, cultivate resilience, and create a life of safety, freedom, and joy.
Trauma may leave its mark, but it does not have to define you. The body holds the key to transformation, and when we learn to listen to it, profound healing becomes possible.
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Brianna Anderson, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
Brianna Anderson is a forerunner in Mind, Body & Spirit healing. She endured 10 major reconstructive hip surgeries in childhood that severely altered every aspect of self. This led her down a path of studying multiple forms of bodywork, spiritual and energetic healing, psychology, art therapy, breathwork and multiple forms of trauma resolution. She has since devoted herself to helping others heal and transform pain and trauma. Brianna is the CEO of Healing with Bri and the founder of Ascend, an online program designed to help people resolve body trauma.
