How can somatic practices help with my anxiety?

Somatic practices are an essential part of connecting with the body, and there is a broad array of practices to draw from. For example breathing techniques, gentle exercises/ stretches, meditation and body scans.

One somatic practice is to notice your breath, the sounds around you and let the chatter of your mind begin to fade. Now bring to mind the last time you felt stressed.

Where in your body was that stress sitting? Can you feel it deep within or is it close to the surface of the skin? If you were to explain the sensation to me, so I could understand how you felt, how would you describe this sensation? Is it moving or staying still, is it heavy or light?

By tuning into these sensations and becoming curious about how our bodies feel, we begin to understand what’s happening within us on a more subtle and deeper level. These practices builds our ability to introspect.

What is introspection?

The ability to witness what is happening inside our bodies, whilst it is happening. Introspection is a fundamental key to healing trauma.

Why?

Through our interoceptive capacity we stop being driven by the trauma. We can feel what is happening in our minds and bodies, and make conscious choices about how we react to those feelings.

We can decide how we respond to it, what stories we do or don’t attach to it. Whether we feed it, repress it or tend to it with compassion.

It gives us back the power and choice we lost during chronic stress and trauma.