Somatic Therapists in British Columbia

What is somatic therapy?

Somatic therapy (also called somatic psychotherapy or body-based therapy) is an approach that recognizes the role of the body in storing and processing emotional experiences, particularly trauma. Rather than focusing exclusively on thoughts and verbal discussion, somatic therapists attend to physical sensations, posture, movement, and breath as a pathway to healing. The term "somatic" comes from the Greek word for body — reflecting the approach's core belief that mind and body are inseparable.

What conditions does somatic therapy help with?

Somatic therapy is particularly used for trauma, PTSD, complex trauma, and conditions where emotions are held in the body as physical symptoms — including chronic pain, tension, fatigue, or digestive issues without a clear medical cause. It is also used for anxiety, depression, grief, stress, and for people who find that talk therapy alone has not been sufficient. Somatic approaches are often combined with other modalities such as EMDR or psychodynamic therapy.

What happens in a somatic therapy session?

Sessions typically begin with verbal discussion, but the therapist will gently guide attention to what is happening in your body — noticing sensations, areas of tension, breath patterns, or impulses to move. Techniques vary by approach and may include grounding exercises, tracking body sensations, mindful movement, breathing practices, or titrating (gently approaching) difficult memories through the body rather than through narrative. Physical touch is not part of somatic psychotherapy in a standard clinical setting.

What are the different types of somatic therapy?

There are several somatic therapy approaches, including Somatic Experiencing (developed by Peter Levine), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Hakomi, and the Polyvagal-informed approaches. These share the foundational premise that trauma is stored in the nervous system and body, and that healing involves working with physiological responses — not just thoughts and narrative. When searching for a somatic therapist, it is helpful to ask which specific approach they use and what their training background is.

Is somatic therapy evidence-based?

The evidence base for somatic approaches is growing, with research supporting their use for trauma, PTSD, and complex trauma in particular. Somatic Experiencing has an increasing body of clinical research; Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and other approaches have strong theoretical foundations and emerging empirical support. Somatic therapy is increasingly recognized alongside established trauma treatments such as EMDR and CPT, and is often integrated with these in comprehensive trauma care.