Why We Need a Somatic Approach to Mental Health

A somatic approach to mental health is key. Here’s why:

The body stores unprocessed experiences:

Stress, trauma and chronic emotional tension don’t simply live in the mind, they leave imprints in the nervous system, tissues, posture and even organ function. Somatic approaches help to access and release tension, pain or holding patterns that talking alone cannot reach.

The nervous system drives emotional states:

Anxiety, depression and PTSD often stem from a dysregulated autonomic nervous system, or a system stuck in fight, flight or freeze. Somatic work teaches the body to return to safety and regulation, creating emotional stability at a biological level.

Strong insight isn’t always enough:

People often say “I understand why I feel this way”, but lack the tools to change it. This is because the body can stay in a defensive pattern, sometimes sneakily holding on to things, even after the mind gains clarity. Somatic techniques help the body update its patterns so new mental insights can actually stick.

Trauma is a full-body experience:

During overwhelming events, the body’s protective responses can be interrupted, leaving incomplete fight/flight movements or frozen states. Somatic therapies allow these responses to complete safely in the present, reducing or eliminating lingering symptoms.

Movement and sensing unlock new pathways:

Body awareness activates different areas of the brain than language alone. By experiencing and tracking sensations, breath and movement, we tap into deeper, often wordless layers of experience, which allows healing beyond what talk therapy can access.

A somatic approach doesn’t replace traditional therapy— it completes it. It works at the level where emotional pain, stress, trauma and tension are actually held: the body. When the body is in balance, the mind naturally follows into clarity, resilience and connection.

Somatic Energy Therapy, as offered by Wild Bloom Healing, is a somatic, energetic and nervous system modality offering simple access into this holistic mental wellness work. You simply show up and be willing to have the experience. There is nothing to figure out, talk through, or solve. Your willingness to have the experience is the medicine.