Why Somatic Therapy & Nervous System Regulation Will Change Your Life

Hey, friend.

I’ve got something I need to share with you today, and honestly, I think it could change everything for you, just like it’s been changing things for me.

I want to talk about somatic therapy and how understanding and regulating our nervous system can have such a profound impact on our lives. It sounds kind of clinical, right? Like something out of a science textbook. But trust me, it’s so much more than that. It’s life-changing.

For most of my life, I didn’t really understand what was going on with my body. I mean, sure, I felt stress, anxiety, tension, but I didn’t realize how much of that was actually being stored in my body. Constantly piling up because I never processed it properly. It wasn’t until I started digging into somatic therapy that I realized wow, my body has been holding onto all these past experiences and emotions—and not in a healthy way.

Somatic therapy, simply put, focusses on the connection between the mind and body. It’s all about recognizing that our bodies hold memories and emotions that we might not even be consciously aware of. That’s where the magic happens. In sessions, I started learning how certain emotions I thought I had "dealt with" were still very much lingering in my body. Even though I thought my mind had moved on, my nervous system was still holding onto those feelings—tightening up, reacting in ways I couldn’t consciously control.

Have you ever noticed how your body reacts when you're stressed or anxious? Maybe your shoulders tense up, or your heart races, your jaw aches, or your stomach feels like it’s in knots? That’s your nervous system responding to stress. Now, imagine what it would be like if you could calm your nervous system on command, bringing your body back into balance. Sounds like a superpower, right? Well, that’s exactly what somatic therapy helps with.

You see, our nervous system is always in one of two modes: fight or flight (sympathetic) or rest and digest (parasympathetic). When we’re constantly stressed or anxious, our sympathetic nervous system gets stuck in overdrive. That’s when we’re overwhelmed, burnt out, or just unable to relax. But with somatic practices, we can retrain our nervous system to spend more time in the rest and digest mode, where we can find peace, feel grounded, and heal.

The research backs this up too. Dr. Stephen Porges, a leading figure in the study of the nervous system, developed the Polyvagal Theory. According to Porges, our nervous system’s response to stress can shape our sense of safety and connection to others. When we learn how to regulate that response, it can actually change the way we interact with the world. It’s not just about calming down in the moment—it’s about healing long-term, resetting our body’s baseline so we’re not constantly running on fumes.

I remember the first time I tried somatic exercises. At first, it felt a little awkward. Lying down, doing deep breathing, focusing on areas of tension—it felt a little weird, honestly. After a few sessions, I also started noticing something incredible: my anxiety wasn’t as loud. The heavy weight in my chest wasn’t there all the time. I could actually feel my body releasing things I didn’t even know I was holding on to.

And it’s not just the emotional stuff. Somatic therapy helps with physical ailments too. Have you ever had a persistent back pain, or a headache that just won’t quit, no matter what you do? Turns out, sometimes our physical pain is tied to emotional stress. Psychologist Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, says that trauma isn’t just something we experience in our minds—it’s also something we store in our bodies. By learning how to release those trapped emotions, we can ease chronic pain too.

The programme I bought lasts 30 days and to be honest, I've had trouble sticking to it. The Workout Witch (I don't receive anything from telling you about her, I just went for this course out of loads of others!) has a bunch of different somatic courses to try. She's super active on Instagram and I stumbled across her one day. One of her videos was talking about how we keep trauma stored in our hips and that really struck a chord with me because my hips "click" and "crack" constantly. Literally, all the time. 

Since I started doing her course (although I do have to keep starting over because I skip too many days...) I've noticed my hips don't click anywhere near as much. I'm convinced it's because I'm slowly releasing all this stored tension!

For me, the combination of somatic therapy and nervous system regulation became like an anchor, grounding me in ways I didn’t expect. It’s not a magic fix, but it’s a tool that’s been so effective for managing stress, anxiety, and even deeper traumas. It’s given me the space to just be, without all the noise and the tension that used to take over.

So, if you’re reading this and feeling like you could use some relief, or if you’re just curious about somatic therapy, I highly recommend giving it a try. It might feel strange at first, but the changes are real. Your body and your nervous system are waiting for you to give them the care they deserve.

Take it from me—if we take the time to heal and regulate ourselves, we can truly show up for our lives in ways we never thought possible. It's a process, but it’s so worth it. Trust me, your body will thank you.