Somatic Exercises for Releasing Trauma from the Body: A Healing Guide
May 28, 2025
When we experience trauma, particularly the complex emotional wounds of narcissistic abuse or childhood adversity, our bodies become the keepers of stories our conscious minds may not fully remember or understand. As trauma researcher Bessel van der Kolk famously noted, "The body keeps the score" – storing unprocessed traumatic experiences in our tissues, nervous system, and even our posture.
Traditional talk therapy offers valuable cognitive understanding of our experiences, but often misses a crucial dimension of healing: the wisdom and healing capacity of the body itself. This is where somatic exercises – body-based practices designed to release trauma – become essential tools in the healing journey.
As a trauma-informed practitioner working with women healing from narcissistic abuse and generational trauma patterns, I've witnessed the profound transformation that becomes possible when we bring gentle awareness to the body's stored experiences. These somatic exercises create pathways to healing that complement and deepen the cognitive work of recovery, helping to integrate mind, body, and spirit.
Understanding How Trauma Lives in the Body
Before exploring specific somatic exercises, it's important to understand how trauma manifests physically. Trauma fundamentally changes how our nervous system functions, often leaving us stuck in states of hyperarousal (anxiety, hypervigilance) or hypoarousal (numbness, disconnection, depression).
During traumatic experiences, our bodies activate survival responses: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn (people-pleasing). These responses are automatic, instinctual, and designed to protect us. The problem arises when these protective states become chronic patterns that persist long after the danger has passed.
Common physical manifestations of unresolved trauma include:
- Chronic muscle tension, particularly in the jaw, shoulders, neck, and pelvic area
- Shallow breathing or breath-holding patterns
- Digestive issues like IBS, bloating, or stomach pain
- Sleep disturbances and chronic fatigue
- Heightened startle response to sudden movements or sounds
- Difficulty feeling sensations in certain areas of the body
- Chronic pain without clear medical cause
These physical manifestations aren't weaknesses or failures—they're normal responses to abnormal situations. And they provide important entry points for healing work through somatic exercises.
The Science Behind Somatic Exercises for Trauma Release
Somatic exercises work by addressing trauma at the level of the nervous system, helping to complete interrupted survival responses and restore regulation. When we experience trauma, particularly ongoing relational trauma, our natural responses are often thwarted – we couldn't fight or flee, so the energy of those responses becomes trapped in our bodies.
Neuroscientist Stephen Porges' Polyvagal Theory helps explain why somatic approaches are so effective. According to this theory, our autonomic nervous system has three main states:
- Ventral vagal (social engagement): A state of safety, connection, and calm
- Sympathetic (fight/flight): A state of mobilization and activation
- Dorsal vagal (freeze): A state of immobilization and shutdown
Trauma can leave us stuck in sympathetic activation or dorsal vagal shutdown. Somatic exercises help us gently pendulate between these states, gradually expanding our "window of tolerance" and capacity to return to the regulated ventral vagal state.
As Brené Brown reminds us, "We cannot selectively numb emotions. When we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions." Somatic exercises help us safely reconnect with bodily sensations, allowing us to process trapped emotions without becoming overwhelmed.
7 Somatic Exercises for Releasing Trauma from the Body
The following somatic exercises are designed to gently release trauma stored in the body. Remember that this work should be approached with patience and self-compassion. There's no timeline for healing, and each person's journey is unique.
1. Grounding Through Orienting
Purpose: To help regulate the nervous system by connecting with the present environment, particularly helpful during moments of anxiety, flashbacks, or dissociation.
Exercise:
- Sit comfortably in a chair with your feet flat on the floor.
- Slowly turn your head to look around the room, noticing what catches your attention.
- Allow your gaze to rest on objects that feel pleasant or neutral.
- Notice colors, textures, shapes, and the space between objects.
- Feel your feet on the floor as you continue to visually explore your surroundings.
- Notice any shifts in your body sensations as you orient to the present moment.
Why it works: Orienting activates the social engagement system (ventral vagal branch of the vagus nerve), helping to signal safety to your nervous system. This exercise reminds your body that you are here, now—not back in the traumatic experience.
2. Resourcing and Pendulation
Purpose: To build capacity to move between activation and regulation, gradually expanding your window of tolerance.
Exercise:
- Identify a "resource"—a memory, person, place, or image that brings feelings of safety, comfort, or joy.
- Bring this resource to mind and notice the pleasant sensations that arise in your body (perhaps warmth, relaxation, or expansion).
- Stay with these pleasant sensations for 30-60 seconds.
- Then, briefly bring awareness to a mild discomfort in your body.
- Return to your resource and the associated pleasant sensations.
- Gently pendulate between resource (comfort) and activation (mild discomfort) several times.
- End with the resource.
Why it works: This exercise, developed by Peter Levine for Somatic Experiencing, helps build the nervous system's capacity to move between activation and regulation. Over time, this expands your ability to process more intense emotions without becoming overwhelmed.
3. Therapeutic Tremoring
Purpose: To release tension and complete interrupted survival responses through gentle, neurogenic tremors.
Exercise:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Gently bend your knees further and hold this position for 1-2 minutes until you feel fatigue in your thighs.
- Slowly straighten your legs and notice any spontaneous trembling or shaking.
- Allow this trembling to continue for as long as it feels comfortable.
- If the trembling becomes too intense, simply straighten your legs completely to stop it.
- After the trembling subsides, take a few moments to notice how your body feels.
Why it works: Based on TRE (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises) developed by Dr. David Berceli, this exercise activates the body's natural mechanism for releasing tension through tremoring. These neurogenic tremors help discharge the energy of incomplete fight/flight responses stored in the body.
4. Boundary Setting Through Movement
Purpose: To physically experience and reinforce healthy boundaries, particularly important for survivors of narcissistic abuse whose boundaries were consistently violated.
Exercise:
- Stand in a comfortable position with enough space around you.
- Extend your arms in front of you, palms facing outward in a "stop" gesture.
- Feel the strength in your arms and the clear message of "no" or "stop" this gesture communicates.
- Experiment with saying "no" or "stop" aloud while holding this posture.
- Notice sensations in your body as you maintain this boundary-setting position.
- Then, bring your arms to your heart, holding yourself in self-compassion.
- Alternate between the boundary-setting posture and the self-compassion hold.
Why it works: This exercise helps rewire the nervous system's response to boundary violations by physically embodying the capacity to say "no." For many trauma survivors, particularly those who developed fawning (people-pleasing) responses, physically practicing boundary-setting helps build new neural pathways.
5. Container Exercise for Overwhelming Emotions
Purpose: To develop the capacity to hold difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them.
Exercise:
- Imagine a container of your choosing (a box, vault, chest, etc.) that can hold difficult emotions safely.
- Notice an emotion or sensation in your body that feels challenging.
- Visualize placing this emotion or sensation into your container, giving yourself permission to set it aside temporarily.
- Feel your feet on the ground and take several deep breaths.
- Remember you can return to work with this emotion when you feel resourced to do so.
- Notice how your body feels after creating this containment.
Why it works: This exercise, adapted from EMDR therapy, helps develop emotional regulation by creating psychological distance from overwhelming feelings. It teaches the nervous system that you can acknowledge difficult emotions without being consumed by them.
6. Incomplete Actions Completion
Purpose: To release trapped energy from interrupted survival responses during traumatic experiences.
Exercise:
- Sit comfortably and recall a situation where you couldn't respond as you wanted to (perhaps you couldn't speak up, move away, or protect yourself).
- Notice what your body wanted to do in that situation but couldn't.
- In slow motion and with mindful awareness, allow your body to complete that action now.
- This might be pushing away with your hands, turning to walk away, speaking words that went unspoken, etc.
- Move slowly and stay connected to your bodily sensations throughout.
- After completing the action, notice any shifts in your body.
Why it works: This exercise, based on principles from Somatic Experiencing, helps complete interrupted survival responses that may be stored as trapped energy in the body. By mindfully completing these actions in a safe context, you help your nervous system resolve the unfinished business of trauma.
7. Self-Holding for Nervous System Regulation
Purpose: To activate the body's self-soothing capacity through specific touch points connected to the vagus nerve.
Exercise:
- Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
- Feel the warmth of your hands and the rise and fall of your breath.
- After a minute, move one hand to your forehead while keeping the other on your heart.
- Next, place one hand on the back of your neck (at the base of your skull) and the other on your heart.
- Finally, cross your arms and give yourself a gentle hug, holding your opposite shoulders or upper arms.
- With each position, take several deep breaths and notice the sensations of touch and support.
Why it works: These self-holding positions stimulate pressure receptors under the skin that activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). The specific points—heart, forehead, base of skull, and shoulders—are connected to vagal nerve pathways that help regulate the nervous system.
Creating Safety for Somatic Practice
When working with somatic exercises for trauma release, creating safety is paramount. Here are some guidelines to approach this work with self-compassion:
1. Start Small and Go Slow
Begin with just a few minutes of practice at a time. Trauma healing isn't about catharsis or intense emotional release—it's about gently building capacity over time. As Brené Brown says, "Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome."
2. Honour Your Boundaries
If an exercise feels too activating or uncomfortable, modify it or choose a different practice. Your body's resistance is valuable information, not an obstacle to overcome. Healing happens within your window of tolerance, not beyond it.
3. Use Titration
Work with small amounts of activation at a time, always returning to regulation before continuing. This "titration" approach prevents overwhelm and helps build nervous system resilience gradually.
4. Practice Grounding Before and After
Begin and end each somatic practice session with grounding exercises. Feel your connection to the earth, notice your surroundings, and take several deep breaths to anchor yourself in the present moment.
5. Seek Professional Support When Needed
While these exercises can be practiced independently, working with a trauma-informed somatic practitioner provides valuable guidance and support, especially when processing complex trauma or narcissistic abuse.
Integrating Somatic Practices into Daily Life
For lasting transformation, somatic awareness needs to extend beyond formal practice sessions into everyday life. Here are ways to integrate body-based healing into your daily routine:
1. Regular Nervous System Check-Ins
Take brief moments throughout the day to notice your body's state. Is there tension in your shoulders? Is your breathing shallow? Is your jaw clenched? These awareness pauses help you catch activation before it escalates.
2. Micro-Practices During Transitions
Use transitions between activities as reminders to practice brief somatic regulation. Before starting your car, take three deep breaths. Before entering a meeting, feel your feet on the ground. These micro-moments of regulation add up.
3. Movement as Medicine
Incorporate forms of movement that feel nourishing rather than punishing. Walking in nature, gentle stretching, dance, or tai chi can all serve as somatic regulation practices when approached mindfully.
4. Create Environmental Safety Cues
Surround yourself with sensory elements that signal safety to your nervous system—comfortable textures, soothing scents, images that bring peace. These environmental cues help maintain regulation between formal practices.
5. Compassionate Self-Talk During Activation
When you notice trauma responses arising, speak to yourself with the compassion you would offer a dear friend or child. "I notice I'm feeling activated right now. This makes sense given my experiences. I can give myself what I need in this moment."
The Journey of Embodied Healing
Releasing trauma from the body through somatic exercises isn't a linear process with a clear endpoint. It's a journey of returning home to yourself—of reclaiming the wisdom, aliveness, and safety of your physical experience.
As you practice these somatic exercises, you may notice:
- Increased capacity to stay present with uncomfortable sensations
- More frequent moments of feeling safe and at home in your body
- Greater awareness of your needs and boundaries
- Reduced physical symptoms like tension, pain, or digestive issues
- A sense of aliveness and vitality that may have been dormant
These shifts may be subtle at first, but they represent profound healing at the level of your nervous system. Each time you practice, you're creating new neural pathways that support regulation, presence, and embodied wisdom.
The body that has carried your trauma also holds your innate capacity for healing. By turning toward your physical experience with compassion and curiosity, you access this healing wisdom—the intelligence that has been waiting for safe conditions to emerge.
If you're interested in exploring somatic healing practices as part of your recovery from trauma or narcissistic abuse, I invite you to learn more about our trauma-informed Reiki sessions and somatic healing programs at The Wounded Healer. Together, we can create a safe container for your body's wisdom to guide your healing journey.
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