The Body Keeps the Score: How Somatic Therapy Helps Release Stored Stress and Tension

Have you ever noticed your shoulders tense up when you're stressed? Or felt a knot in your stomach before a difficult conversation? Maybe you've experienced headaches, jaw clenching, or tightness in your chest without knowing why.

Our bodies often hold onto stress long after our minds have moved on. That's why many people say they can logically understand they're safe, yet their body still feels anxious. This is the idea behind the phrase, "the body keeps the score." While this phrase comes from a well-known book by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, it doesn't mean trauma is literally "stored" in muscles. Rather, our nervous system can continue to respond as if we're in danger, creating patterns of tension, hypervigilance, and physical discomfort.

What Is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a trauma-informed approach that recognizes the strong connection between the mind and body. Instead of focusing only on thoughts and emotions, it also helps you notice what's happening physically - your breathing, posture, muscle tension, heart rate, and other bodily sensations.

The goal isn't to force your body to relax. It's to help you build awareness of your nervous system and gently teach it that it's safe enough to come out of survival mode. Over time, this can help reduce chronic tension and make it easier to respond to stress with greater flexibility.

How Somatic Therapy Can Help

Somatic therapy may include simple practices like mindful breathing, grounding exercises, noticing physical sensations without judgment, gentle movement, or learning to recognize early signs that your body is becoming overwhelmed. These tools can help you become more connected to your body instead of feeling controlled by it.

Over time, many people notice they can recover from stress more quickly, feel less reactive, and experience a greater sense of calm in everyday life. Healing doesn't mean you'll never feel stressed again - it means your body no longer has to stay on high alert all the time.

If you've been feeling stuck in anxiety, chronic stress, or the effects of past trauma, a mind-body approach may help. I provide trauma-informed therapy in Las Vegas that incorporates somatic therapy, EMDR, and nervous system regulation to help clients feel more grounded, connected, and resilient.

Ready to release the stress from your body? Schedule a free consultation today.