Somatic Stress Release Techniques for Emotional Balance

Stress related health challenges are on the rise. Why? Because everyday we are exposed to multiple forms of stress, without the knowledge of how to release it. And we know that chronic stress wreaks havoc on the body and mind.

Somatic stress release is the answer to this problem. This practice uses mind body medicine techniques to address body tension and unconscious habituated stress cycles. It brings you a deeper sense of what is truly happening in your body when you are stressed, releases stress, and helps you cope in healthier ways.

What Is Somatic Stress Release?

Somatic stress release is a therapeutic approach that combines body awareness, movement, and breathwork to release stress stored in the body. It emphasizes the connection between the mind and body, aiming to help you process and release deep-rooted tension and trauma through mindful, intentional movements and awareness of bodily sensations. This method encourages the body to unwind chronic stress patterns, resulting in improved emotional regulation and overall relaxation.

Somatic stress release works by tuning in to the body’s physical response to stress, giving you a greater awareness of areas of tightness or discomfort. This mindful approach addresses stress and creates a safe space for emotional processing and physical release. It supports a holistic sense of well-being through releasing habitual bracing patterns and blocked emotions. By regularly practicing somatic techniques, you can cultivate deeper relaxation and resilience to everyday stress.

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How Somatic Stress Release Works

Somatic stress release works by helping you learn how to identify and respond to internal stress responses and then use that energy/ information to restore balance. Stress manifests in many ways, there are both psychological and physiological responses to stress. It’s important to identify internal responses and which ones occur in your body so that you can incorporate the practices that will most benefit you:

Psychological Aspects of Stress 

Psychological stress can occur from worry, interpersonal problems, negative thought patterns, body image issues, noise, or trauma. This can cause symptoms that affect your mental health. These include:

• Overwhelm
• Worry
• Insomnia
• Difficulty focusing
• Depression
• Difficulty making decisions

Physiological Response to Stress

Physiological responses to stress can sometimes be easier to identify. Like you know when you have a “nervous tummy”. Others may be more subtle. Some ways to identify somatic symptoms, or physical symptoms, of stress include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Stomach upset
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Overall aches & pains

Somatic practices will help you differentiate when these symptoms are caused by stress or maybe something else is going on. And once you know the different symptoms stress can cause, without judgment, somatic movement can help you to form new neuromuscular patterns and internal responses that will help you tackle stress in a healthy and beneficial way. 

You can also work with a licensed somatic therapist who can help meet your specific needs. If somatic stress release is your ultimate goal there are licensed practitioners who have a certified somatic stress release niche. There are also somatic coaches, like those trained in my Somatic Yoga Training Certification that can help you in all aspects of your life and business.

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Benefits Of Somatic Stress Release

Somatic Stress Release works by helping individuals identify and release physical tension and stress stored in the body through mindful movement, breathwork, and body awareness techniques. This method taps into the nervous system’s natural ability to regulate stress by creating a space where the body can release held tension, fostering a sense of calm and emotional balance.

Some of the many benefits of somatic stress release include:

Learn Embodied Mindfulness

When you practice somatic awareness it brings you into the present moment. It returns your attention to your current thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, without judgment. This brings a sense of calm and clarity to your overall being.

Learn Cognitive Reframing

Cognitive reframing is the process of changing the way you think about things, situations, emotions, etc. Through somatic movement and dropping your awareness into your body without judgment you learn how to respond to the sensations happening in your body in new ways.

Quickly Address Habitual Responses

When you have a deep mind body connection through somatic healing you are able to recognize habitual patterns more quickly. Whether it’s catching the way your shoulders creep up towards your ears as you type, or the way your jaw clenches when your partner says something that bothers you; you become aware of these movements in the moment and can quickly navigate/correct them to avoid unnecessary discomfort in your body and lead to improved immune function. 

Rebuild Depleted Biological Resources

When the body is exposed to a stressor it has multiple physiological responses. From the release of multiple hormones to the redirection of blood flow, this can take a toll on your body’s natural resources. By addressing stress through somatic yoga and somatic release techniques you give your body the opportunity to rebuild these resources and your biological stress response system come back to homeostasis.

Relieve Stagnated Energy

Often in the modern world of technology stress responses get started, but not completed. Meaning, you’re exposed to information and a physiological stress response often starts(fight/flight/freeze) and your heart may start racing, or you start sweating. But when that stressor is gone your body has not gotten the chance to release the energy it stirred up. Somatic stress release techniques will close the stress cycle, releasing the stagnant energy and blocked emotions.

Holistically Discharge Stress

Somatic Stress Release offers a holistic way to address both physical and emotional stress. By incorporating practices like somatic breathing into daily life, you become more attuned to your body’s signals, which helps prevent stress from building up. This approach encourages self-awareness and promotes long-term resilience against internal and external stressors.

Somatic Techniques For Stress And Anxiety

Somatic techniques for stress and anxiety focus on mindful movement, breathwork, and body awareness to calm the nervous system and release tension. Below are a few stress tolerance techniques to help manage stress and anxiety:

Somatic Yoga Postures

Somatic yoga poses are a great way to drop into your body and increase your mind body connection. Yoga by nature is a somatic practice, but you can add in more specific moves from pelvic tilts to body shakes, or bring your attention even further into the body through a fluid forward fold or somatic cat/cow. There are so many somatic yoga benefits, this is definitely one worth adding to your personal development toolkit.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

This deep breathing technique is very relaxing. It helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Place one hand on your belly, inhale deeply through your nose, expanding your belly, then exhale slowly through your mouth. This process slows the heart rate and reduces stress.

Grounding Through Body Scan

You can lie down or sit comfortably. Start to mentally scan your body, either from head to toe or start from your toes moving up. Your choice. Focus on areas of tension, and as you breathe, visualize releasing the stress from each area. This increases body awareness and helps release anxiety. It also allows you to check in with your body and gain a deeper understanding of your unique body response to stress and tension.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Tense each muscle group for a few seconds and then release, starting from your toes and moving up to your head. Progressive muscle relaxation helps you discover what muscular patterns are responding to stress. It releases built-up emotional and physical distress and stress by systematically relaxing the entire body.

Butterfly Hug

This self-soothing practice can help calm your nervous system and bring a feeling of safety to the body. Simply sit comfortably and cross your arms in front of you. Grab opposite shoulders or upper arms. Make it even more soothing by giving yourself a squeeze. 

Self Massage

When you apply this manual therapy technique you connect with your body on a deeper level. Touch has been shown to reduce stress responses and create a sense of calm, triggering the parasympathetic nervous system. Simply add in some gentle massage to your feet in an easy pose, or squeeze the calves in a forward fold. There are endless ways to incorporate touch and self massage into your practice.

Stress Mobilization Practices

Mobilization can be defined several ways; when it comes to stress and somatic practices you want to think of mobilization as getting something moving (energy) and bringing your body’s resources together in better preparation for stress. In somatic workouts this could look like moving the body in ways to release tension and stress like stomping or punching. This could also look like using the somatic breathing and relaxation techniques regularly to better handle stress when it occurs.

Visualization

Visualization is a great tool to induce relaxation or release stress stored in the body. Visualizing a place that makes you feel safe and calm, soften your facial expressions. Use all five senses, envision what the air smells like, picture the colors of the space. What do you see? What does it feel like? Let that feeling of ease wash over you.

Try some of these somatic techniques next time you feel yourself getting overwhelmed to help you become more aware of your body’s stress signals and encourage relaxation.

Closing Thoughts

Through somatic therapy and somatic stretching you can begin to perceive stress in a new way. And while yes, other forms of body oriented therapies are greatly beneficial in reducing stress and stress related health challenges; somatic stress release might just be the missing piece to closing the stress cycle and finally feeling at ease in your body. Learn more about somatic yoga with my Somatic Yoga Training Certification and learn about the amazing benefits this practice can bring to your entire life.