Somatic Harmony: Overcoming Overwhelm

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or struggling to stay calm, somatic-based practices and therapies may help you feel more grounded, centred and peaceful through whatever this season brings you.

‘Soma’ is a Greek for ‘the living body known from within’ or known to the self. This ‘knowing’ represents wholeness. Somatic Therapy is an experiential approach towards mind-body integration. overwhelm, pain and coping responses manifested by trauma take us away from feeling at home in our bodies. As a result, there is often a split within ourselves.

Somatic Therapy aids:

• Restore the body as a place of safety while helping to expand the capacity to process body (preverbal and nonverbal) memory

• Metabolize unprocessed emotions

• Complete thwarted (incomplete) stress responses

• Restore our optimal relationship to our self and the world around us

Somatic Therapy offers techniques to sense and regulate your physiology and states of being. This includes building more internal and external resources, building trusting and co-regulatory relationships, learning to turn inward with compassion, being invited deeper into the body, and being given time and space to process whatever is happening for you. These somatic techniques unwind trauma, help you find your centre, and restore well-being. By paying attention to and working with our physical sensations, we can gain greater awareness of our emotional states and find ways to regulate our emotions and behaviours.

Simple practices to try:

One way to practice somatic Therapy is through mindful breathing exercises. Mindful breathing focuses on your breath moving in and out of your body. When you notice your mind wandering or becoming overwhelmed, you can bring your attention back to your breath to ground yourself in the present moment.

Another technique is progressive muscle relaxation, which applies to tense and to relax various muscle groups. Begin by tensing the muscles in your feet and then slowly work your way up to the muscles in your face, releasing the tension in each group as you go. This can help to decrease physical tension and stress in the body.

Another somatic therapy method that can be helpful is sensory grounding. Sensory grounding involves using your senses to anchor yourself in the present moment and calm your mind. This can be as simple as focusing on an object in your environment, such as a candle or a plant, and noticing the details of its appearance, texture, and smell. You can even try listening to relaxing music or engaging in activities that involve your senses, such as cooking or painting.

Somatic Therapy can also involve movement and physical activity. Exercise has been revealed to reduce stress and improve mood, so consider incorporating physical activity into your daily routine during the holiday season. This could be as simple as walking, doing some stretches, or trying a more structured activity like yoga or tai chi.

“It’s important to remember that feeling overwhelmed or stressed is okay. It’s a busy and often chaotic time, and feeling overwhelmed is natural. Practising somatic therapy techniques lets you discover ways to stay calm and grounded.

(EMDR) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This is a great therapeutic technique to help manage stress and emotions. EMDR is a variety of Therapy that uses eye movements or additional forms of bilateral stimulation (such as tapping or sounds) to process and resolve traumatic memories and other emotionally disturbing experiences. By bringing our attention to the movement of our eyes or the stimulation being used, we can help our brains process and integrate difficult emotions and memories, reducing distress and improving overall well-being.

Finally, suppose you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. In that case, setting boundaries and establishing self-care practices can be helpful. This includes setting aside time for relaxation, creating a daily routine which includes physical activity and self-care, and saying no to activities or obligations that don’t align with your values or well-being.