Somatic EMDR Therapy: Healing Trauma Through the Body and Nervous System

Somatic EMDR is a trauma-informed therapy approach that helps the nervous system release unresolved experiences—not just by talking about them, but by working directly with how trauma lives in the body.

If traditional talk therapy hasn’t created lasting change, or if you feel “stuck” despite insight and awareness, Somatic EMDR may offer a different path—one that supports healing at a deeper, embodied level.

What Is Somatic EMDR?

Somatic EMDR combines Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with somatic (body-based) awareness.

While EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories, the somatic component focuses on the physical sensations, impulses, and nervous system responses that often remain long after an event has passed.

Rather than revisiting trauma through storytelling alone, Somatic EMDR works with:

• Body sensations (tightness, numbness, heat, pressure)

• Nervous system states (fight, flight, freeze, shutdown)

• Subtle movements, impulses, and emotional shifts

• A sense of safety and regulation before going deeper

This approach respects the body’s natural pacing and avoids pushing or reliving experiences before the system is ready.

Why Trauma Lives in the Body (Not Just the Mind)

Trauma isn’t defined only by what happened—it’s shaped by what the nervous system couldn’t complete or process at the time.

When an experience feels overwhelming, the body may:

• Hold tension or collapse

• Stay on high alert

• Shut down or disconnect

• React strongly to present-day triggers that resemble the past

Even when you know something is over, the body may still respond as if it’s happening now.

Somatic EMDR gently helps the nervous system update these stored responses, allowing the body to recognize safety in the present moment.

How Somatic EMDR Is Different From Standard EMDR

Traditional EMDR focuses primarily on memory processing through bilateral stimulation. Somatic EMDR expands this by placing equal importance on embodiment and regulation.

Key differences include:

• Slower pacing, guided by the nervous system

• Less focus on detailed storytelling

• Greater attention to physical sensations and signals

• Built-in resourcing and grounding throughout sessions

This makes Somatic EMDR especially supportive for people with:

• Developmental or attachment trauma

• Chronic stress or emotional overwhelm

• Dissociation or emotional numbness

• Anxiety that feels “in the body” rather than in thoughts

What a Somatic EMDR Session Feels Like

Sessions are collaborative, gentle, and responsive.

You won’t be asked to relive trauma or push through discomfort. Instead, sessions often involve:

• Tracking sensations as they arise and shift

• Noticing moments of settling, relief, or activation

• Using bilateral stimulation only when appropriate

• Pausing often to orient to safety and the present

Many clients describe the experience as subtle but deeply impactful—less about dramatic emotional release and more about feeling grounded, present, and internally organized.

What Somatic EMDR Can Support

Somatic EMDR may be helpful if you’re experiencing:

• Anxiety, panic, or chronic stress

• Trauma or complex trauma (C-PTSD)

• Emotional shutdown or numbness

• Difficulty with boundaries or relationships

• Persistent body tension or fatigue

• Feeling “stuck” despite self-work or insight

Rather than forcing change, this approach supports integration, allowing healing to unfold in a way that feels sustainable and respectful.

What It’s Like to Work With Me

In our work together, Somatic EMDR is offered within a safe, attuned, and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship.

Sessions are paced to your system, not a protocol. We focus on building stability and trust first, then gently explore what’s ready to shift—always honoring your capacity and choice.

Whether we’re working with early experiences, recent stress, or long-standing patterns, the goal is not to “fix” you, but to help your nervous system rediscover flexibility, safety, and self-trust.

A Gentle Path Toward Integration

Healing doesn’t have to be forceful or overwhelming.
Somatic EMDR offers a way to work with trauma that feels grounded, embodied, and respectful of your whole system.

If you’re curious whether this approach might be a good fit, I invite you to explore it at your own pace.

🌱 Interested in Somatic EMDR?

You’re welcome to book a free 15-minute consultation to ask questions, share what you’re navigating, and see if Somatic EMDR feels right for you.

There’s no pressure—just a space to connect and explore next steps.