The term somatic, derived from the Greek word soma (meaning body), is usually defined as “affecting or characteristic of the body as opposed to the mind or spirit.”
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The word as used in Somatic Therapy — also called Mind-Body Therapy — refers to a very broad field of therapeutic work with numerous types of treatment modalities, typically combining and integrating Talk Therapy, hands-on somatic (i.e. body-oriented) practices, conscious body awareness techniques, and counseling and coaching competencies. What all these treatments modalities have in common is their approach that the body — not the mind — is the starting point to achieve healing.
Somatic Therapy may integrate a range of disciplines and realms, such as Sexology, Somatic Sex Education, Embodied Sex Coaching, Tantra and Taoism, Sexological Bodywork, Dance & Movement Therapy, Breathwork, Neurobiology, Energy Healing, Applied Kinesiology, Psychology, Psychoanalysis, Attachment & Trauma work, Body De-Armoring, acupressure, massage, Yoga, hypnosis, mindfulness, meditation, music, and imagery, just to give some examples. Therefore, you’ll find different types of combinations of focus, approaches, and techniques, and thus different forms of somatic therapies.
In the context of therapeutic healing, it’s thought that through education, conscious awareness, touch, exercises, massage, bodywork, and intentional movements people can become better aware of the sensory experiences of their body (internally and externally), reestablish or enhance their mind-body connection, change movement patterns and posture, and release (and heal) a variety of tensions, discomforts and illnesses on the physical, but also emotional/mental and spiritual level.
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The underlying concept of somatic therapies is that a person’s mind and body are intimately connected and reflect or influence each other’s function. Apart from actively helping clients through body-mind techniques to release their bodily tensions and restrictions, somatic therapies also specifically aim at cultivating the client’s body awareness as a means to understanding how physiological processes relate to emotional/psychological experiences to subsequently teach clients to use this awareness to self-manage disturbing physical habits, distressing emotions, and trauma triggers by using a variety of body-oriented techniques.
In addition, somatic therapists and practitioners often also guide and support clients in and through actual emotional and trauma release, in moments of Catharsis (forceful and strong emotional relief), and in the necessary aftercare and integration.
You’ll find that somatic therapies commonly focus on emotional and trauma healing, and a range of modalities specifically address sexual trauma, sexual dysfunctions and disorders, intimacy and relationship problems, LGBTQIA+ issues, and sexual healing.
Nevertheless, there are also many somatic therapies that are rather aimed at treating other types of emotional discomforts or trauma, giving tools for stress relief and relaxation, or promoting the participant’s mind-body connection for other (health) benefits.
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