The Science of Somatic Healing
Your body remembers what your mind forgets. Every experience—every stressor, trauma, and suppressed emotion—gets stored in the body, shaping your health, mindset, and overall well-being.
Recent research in neuroscience, psychophysiology, and trauma studies confirms that the body is not just a passive vessel but an active participant in processing emotions, storing trauma, and regulating our responses to life. Let’s break down how this works.
Understanding the science of somatic healing allows us to move beyond just talking about emotions and into experiencing healing at a deep, embodied level.
Your body isn’t just holding stress—it’s holding the key to your transformation.
How Stress & Trauma Get Stored in the Body
The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk, 2014) introduced the idea that trauma isn’t just a memory in the mind—it’s imprinted in the nervous system, muscles, and fascia. Modern research in neuroscience, physiology, and biomechanics reveals that stress and trauma are not just psychological experiences—they are deeply embedded in the body. The nervous system, muscles, and fascia store the imprints of past experiences, influencing our physical and emotional well-being long after the initial event has passed.
If unresolved, these stress responses can remain trapped in the body, leading to:
Chronic pain and tension (especially in the neck, shoulders, hips, and jaw)
Digestive issues and inflammation
Fatigue and nervous system dysregulation
Emotional numbness, anxiety, and dissociation
Research Spotlight:
A study published in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy (2019) found that individuals with PTSD show increased muscle tension and altered breathing patterns, even when consciously at rest. This suggests that trauma leaves an imprint on the autonomic nervous system long after the initial event.
Dr. Alf Breig’s research on adverse mechanical tension demonstrated how prolonged stress and poor posture create strain within the nervous system, particularly in the spinal cord and meninges. As the spinal canal lengthens during forward and lateral flexion, adaptation patterns become anchored in specific regions, restricting movement and leading to discomfort or dysfunction. Over time, these ingrained patterns contribute to chronic pain, postural imbalances, and nervous system dysregulation.
Tension in the body is essentially built-up energy resulting from biomechanical and biochemical processes triggered by stress or trauma. This creates a feedback loop where the body releases stress hormones and neurotransmitters, causing muscles and fascia to contract. When stress becomes chronic, these patterns of tension become deeply ingrained, contributing to long-term discomfort, illness, and disease.
The Nervous System & Somatic Healing
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a major role in how we process stress and emotions. It has two primary branches:
Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) – The "fight or flight" response. Activates in stressful situations but can remain stuck in overdrive due to unresolved trauma.
Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) – The "rest and digest" mode. Supports healing, emotional balance, and relaxation.
Chronic stress & trauma dysregulate this system, leading to hypersensitivity (anxiety, hypervigilance) or shutdown (fatigue, numbness).
Research Spotlight:
A study in Frontiers in Psychology (2021) found that somatic therapies, including breathwork and body-based practices, effectively regulate the ANS, reducing stress hormone levels and improving emotional well-being.
The Science Behind Somatic Healing Process
Somatic healing works by releasing stored trauma and re-regulating the nervous system through body-based techniques such as:
Breathwork – Stimulates the vagus nerve, shifting the body from "fight or flight" to "rest and digest."
Tremoring & Shaking (TRE – Trauma Release Exercises) – Releases deep muscular tension linked to trauma.
Fascia & Myofascial Release – Unwinds restrictions where emotional memory is physically stored.
Guided Movement & Embodiment – Helps integrate emotions safely through body awareness.
Research Spotlight:
A meta-analysis in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (2022) concluded that body-based therapies significantly improve PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and chronic pain, supporting the mind-body connection in healing.