Somatic and body-based approaches focus on what is happening in your body in real time; sensations, muscle tension, breath, posture, energy, fatigue, and the small signals of threat and safety that most people learn to ignore.
The goal is not to push through pain, and it is not to “fix” the body by force. It is to help your nervous system update its expectations, so that normal sensations and movement stop being treated as danger.
Why this can help with persistent symptoms
When symptoms have been around for a long time, the nervous system often becomes highly protective. It can create pain, tightness, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, or other symptoms as a warning signal, even when there is no new injury happening.
Somatic work helps you build a different relationship with those signals. Instead of reacting with fear and bracing, you learn to notice sensations while staying grounded, steady and in control. That shift can reduce threat and lower the volume of symptoms over time.
What “somatic” means in practice
“Somatic” simply means body-based. It usually involves learning to:
- track sensations without panicking or trying to eliminate them
- notice early signs of activation, such as tension, shallow breathing, racing thoughts
- support regulation with breath, grounding, and gentle movement
- build safety in the body through small, repeatable experiences
This is often a more direct route than talking about symptoms, because it teaches the nervous system through experience, not just logic.
What a session often looks like
Different practitioners work differently, but many sessions include:
- checking in on your current state and triggers, without over-analysing
- gentle tracking of sensations, such as tightness, heat, tingling, pressure or pain
- simple regulation tools, such as breathing, grounding, orienting, or micro-movements
- practising a new response to sensations, such as curiosity rather than alarm
- pacing, so you stay within what feels manageable and not overwhelming
The best work feels steady, not dramatic. If it feels like you are being pushed into distress, it is usually too much, too fast.
Common techniques you may hear about
You might come across techniques such as:
- Grounding and orienting - helping your system register the present moment as safe
- Breath and ribcage expansion - reducing bracing and threat signals through calmer breathing
- Tracking and titration - noticing sensations in small doses rather than diving into overwhelm
- Pendulation - moving attention between discomfort and neutrality, so the system learns flexibility
- Gentle graded movement - rebuilding trust in motion without forcing it
Not all techniques will suit everyone. What matters is that the work builds safety and confidence, not pressure and performance.
What progress often looks like
Progress is not always immediate symptom relief. It often shows up first as:
- less fear when symptoms appear
- shorter flare ups, or quicker recovery afterwards
- less bracing, guarding, or holding tension throughout the day
- more confidence doing normal activities
- a growing sense of “I can handle this”
Those shifts are meaningful. They indicate that threat is decreasing, which is often what allows symptoms to reduce over time.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Somatic work can backfire if it becomes another way to monitor symptoms constantly, or if it is used to chase instant relief. A few common traps are:
- treating every sensation as a problem to solve immediately
- doing long practices with high expectations
- pushing into panic, dissociation or overwhelm
- using the body as a battleground rather than a place to build safety
If you find yourself becoming more anxious, more vigilant, or more fearful of sensations, it is worth slowing down, simplifying, or getting guidance.
Who this tends to suit
Somatic approaches can be especially helpful if you:
- feel stuck in a cycle of tension, flare ups and fear
- notice symptoms worsen with stress, pressure or feeling unsafe
- struggle to relax, even when you logically know you are safe
- feel disconnected from your body, or overly focused on it
If you have significant trauma, severe dissociation, or a history of overwhelm, you may still benefit, but pacing and the right practitioner matter a lot.