In recent years, the topic of bodily intelligence has gained increasing popularity in scientific, therapeutic, and holistic circles. In an age where stress is an inseparable part of daily life, more and more people are seeking alternative methods to cope with built-up tension. One of the most impressive and at the same time gentle approaches is somatic movement – practices that connect the mind and body through conscious movement, enabling the release of stress and trauma stored not only in the psyche but also in the body.
Psychosomatics: The Body as a Mirror of the Mind
The word “psychosomatic” is often used to describe the connection between the mind (psyche) and the body (soma). In medical and psychological literature, it is emphasized that stress, anxiety, and unresolved emotional conflicts are not confined to the mental space – they find expression in the physical body as well. Back pain, neck stiffness, migraines, and even chronic illnesses often have invisible roots in the psycho-emotional realm.
Body memory – a concept developed by experts like Bessel van der Kolk (The Body Keeps the Score) – states that the body literally stores stress. Every shock experienced, every repressed emotion finds a way to be “recorded” in the muscles, in posture, in breathing patterns. This is where somatic movement comes in – not just as a form of exercise, but as a method for restoring the connection between the mind and the physical self.
The Nature of Somatic Movement
Somatic movement is a collection of practices and approaches that focus on the internal sensation of movement rather than on external form. The term comes from the Greek word “soma”, meaning “the living body as perceived from within.” This is a key difference compared to traditional types of physical activity – somatic movement is not about achieving “correct” postures or performance goals, but about exploring the personal, subjective experience of the body in motion.
Techniques involve gentle, slow, and mindful movements designed to release muscle tension, restore mobility, and interrupt automatic, harmful movement patterns. Some of the most popular forms include:
- Hanna Somatics – developed by Thomas Hanna, this method focuses on transforming chronic muscle tension through “sensory-motor reprogramming.”
- The Feldenkrais Method – works with small, non-strenuous movements to improve body awareness and neuro-muscular coordination.
- The Alexander Technique – emphasizes posture, breathing, and stress reactions.
How Movement Triggers Stress Release
In cases of chronic stress or trauma, the nervous system often remains in a state of hyperarousal (the so-called “fight, flight, freeze” response). The body functions like a closed system, in which adrenaline circulates, muscles tense up, and breathing becomes shallow or irregular. In this state, a person often loses connection with bodily sensations – unaware of clenching their jaw, raising their shoulders, or holding their breath.
Somatic movement works with exactly these unconscious processes. Through slow, mindful movement, signals are sent to the brain that the body is safe. This allows the nervous system to “reset,” exiting the reactive mode and entering a state of recovery.
The details of this process include:
- Interoception – the ability to perceive internal sensations of the body (tension, pain, ease). Somatic practices enhance and develop this skill.
- Neuroplasticity – the brain rewires its neural pathways in response to new, repeated movements, meaning we can literally “reprogram” our stress responses.
- Fascial release – fascia is the connective tissue that wraps around muscles and organs. When tight, it stores stress. Conscious movement loosens fascia and improves circulation.
Practical Aspects and Benefits
Somatic practices don’t require any special equipment or athletic preparation. They can be done on the floor, on a chair, even lying in bed. The most important element is attention – the ability to remain present and explore internal sensations.
Numerous studies have shown positive effects on:
- Reduction of chronic pain
- Decrease in anxiety
- Improved sleep quality
- Better breathing and posture
- Increased self-confidence and bodily trust
Unlike sports that challenge and exhaust the muscles, somatics has an integrative function – it restores a sense of internal wholeness. People with a history of trauma often find in somatic movement a way to “come back to their body” – not only metaphorically, but biologically.
The Body as a Path to Inner Peace
Somatic movement does not promise instant solutions to life’s problems. But it offers something deeper – the opportunity to restore the broken connection with ourselves. In a world where we live increasingly in our heads and less in our bodies, this practice brings us back to something essential – to the feeling that we are here, we are whole, and we can let go of what no longer serves us.
When we start to move consciously, we begin to heal. Not only on a physical level, but on a psycho-emotional one as well. Because, as renowned body therapist Peter Levine puts it: “Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” And through movement, we begin to let go.
