Somatics is the field of study that examines the body as perceived from within. The term comes from the Greek word "soma," meaning the living body.
Unlike traditional approaches that view the body from the outside (as an object to be fixed), somatics explores our first-person, lived experience of being embodied.
Key Principles of Somatics:
• The body holds wisdom — Your body stores memories, emotions, and patterns that influence your thoughts and behaviors.
• Awareness heals — Simply bringing gentle attention to bodily sensations can initiate healing.
• Integration over separation — Mind and body are not separate entities but one integrated system.
• Present-moment focus — Somatic work emphasizes what's happening now in your body, not just talking about past events.
Common Somatic Modalities:
- • Somatic Experiencing (SE)
- • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
- • Hakomi Method
- • Feldenkrais Method
- • Alexander Technique
- • Body-Mind Centering
Somatic practices can help release chronic tension, process trauma, reduce anxiety, and increase overall well-being by working directly with the body's innate healing capacity.