Experts say this type of exercise can help you let go of emotional baggage

Below, experts explain what’s behind this new form of exercise, as well as what you need to know about somatics in general.

Meet the experts: Alixandra Blackman, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist based in Brooklyn. Lauren Roxburgh is an integrative Hellerwork trained physical therapist who also incorporates somatic healing into her movement practice.

Somatics 101

The word “somatics,” which generally means “of the body” (from the Greek word “soma”) and is directly related to the inner experience of the body, was coined by philosophy professor Thomas Hanna , who published the book. The Body in Rebellion: A Primer on Somatic Thinking in 1970.

Although the practice of somatic therapy began in recent years, “somatics” is a general term that can refer to many different types of methods that rely on the body, says Blackman. One of the most popular forms of somatic therapy, which Blackman uses, is called Somatic Experience, which was invented in the early 1970s by Peter A. Levine, PhD, a biophysicist and psychotherapist.

What Somatic Experiencing aims to do is bring awareness to the body and, ultimately, release stress, which practitioners believe is stored in the nervous system. Blackman uses different methods to do this. He starts slowly, usually by “deepening” the patient. He will make them sit on a chair with their knees bent and their feet on the ground. You will invite them to become aware of their place and how that awareness feels in their body. Maybe they’ll feel something, like relief or anxiety, and be able to describe what that feeling is—maybe they won’t. Another trick called “pendulation” moves the patient between the trauma zone and the healing zone.

Somatic therapy may not work for everyone, Blackman says, and it’s rarely used alone — it’s often combined with other treatment methods, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Research on the effectiveness of somatic therapy is emerging, and often focuses on the benefits of Somatic Experiencing. For example, Somatic Experience has been shown to reduce levels of anxiety and depression in a small group of breast cancer survivors in Italy, according to a 2023 study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. There is also preliminary evidence showing a positive effect on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, according to a 2021 literature review European Journal of Psychotraumatology.

Unexpectedly, Blackman has seen many people’s lives become more filled with Somatic Experience.

What is somatic exercise?

Somatic exercise, or somatic movement, focuses on the internal experiences of the body (how you feel emotionally, mentally and physically) during movement rather than the external benefits (such as burning ‘calories or building muscle) of it. At its most basic, the goal is mind-body connection through movement. At a deeper level, the goal is to find emotional release.

Many types of movement can be described as somatic (ie, strengthening the mind-body connection) – such as yoga, Pilates, Rolfing (deep tissue manipulation), and the Alexander Technique (back and movement technique) – actually predates, and in some cases, like Rolfing and the Alexander Technique, influenced the formal concept of “somatic therapy.”

“‘Somatic’ means recognizing that the body also talks to the mind—it’s not just the mind and the body,” says Lauren Roxburgh, an integrative Hellerwork-trained physical therapist who also includes somatic healing in his movement work. . The body has its own language, so that’s what we do is try to help people identify body language.

There has been an increase in self-motivated group classes such as the somatic movement. Depending on what type of practitioner you work with (and their training), somatic exercises can take many forms. It could be breathing work, it could be mat work, it could be rolling down on a foam roller (one of Roxburgh’s favorites), it could be of jumping on the floor, or it may be a simple exercise of self-control, such as tapping. . It really goes along with the game, which means that the line between “somatic exercise” and what isn’t can be blurred.

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“Moving with a purpose” is the definition Roxburgh gives: “I think you need to be present in your body and not just lift and throw yourself around,” he says. So, run on the treadmill while you are Fixer Upper is it playing in the background? Not somatic. (That doesn’t mean all exercise should be, though!)

Benefits of Somatic Exercise

There is no real peer-reviewed research investigating the benefits of somatic exercise. (Also, much of the research is based on Somatic Experiencing, which is its own thing.) Unusually, however, Roxburgh has seen many benefits to incorporating somatic techniques into his bodywork.

“The benefits are letting go of emotional baggage, feeling lighter, feeling less uncomfortable, feeling calmer more often, feeling like your baseline is in the parasympathetic zone, so you can’t fight or flight. so you can sleep better,” he says. “More connection with your heart, your instincts, your intuition.”

How to Do Somatic Exercises

If you want to increase awareness of your body and/or release stress, there are many online resources to help you start integrating somatic exercise techniques into your daily life. . Roxburgh regularly posts practices on her Instagram that include somatic movements to develop the nervous system. The Embody Lab is another resource she recommends.

Roxburgh recommends trying to incorporate some form of somatic movement (even just a few minutes) into your daily routine. “I like to think of it as a daily emotional cleanse or stress cleanse that can benefit you throughout the day or before you go to bed or when you wake up,” she says.

That said, you’ll want to schedule some free time after any long somatic practice: “Make sure you leave a little time and space to process what you’ve removed and what you’re going through in it,” he says. . “Sleep or meditate, be quiet for a few moments, then let the energy and emotions come to the surface so that you can let them go. They may come out during the exercise, but sometimes it’s just the movement. and to then the process will take place. ”

If you want to dig deeper and work with Trauma, Blackman recommends working with someone certified in Somatic Experiencing, including any type of movement they offer (like yoga or Rolfing). (There is a directory of Somatic Experiencing therapists here.) “Look for someone who is trained, who understands the nervous system and the trauma that works, and can hold you to it.”

Amy Wilkinson is an entertainment editor who also specializes in health and wellness. When she is not editing or writing, she can be found teaching Pilates as a fully certified instructor.