Many of us have developed ways of coping with stress and trauma that don’t necessarily help us long-term. Instead of confronting our stress, we often suppress it with distractions, like marathon TV watching or indulging in comfort foods. Sound familiar? While these behaviors might seem harmless, they actually leave stress “unfinished,” preventing us from fully processing and releasing it. This unprocessed stress and trauma can accumulate in our bodies over time, manifesting in ways that affect our physical and emotional health.
One powerful way to address these deeply held patterns is through somatic or embodied yoga, which brings together nervous system regulation, awareness, and physical movement to help complete the stress cycle and reconnect us to ourselves. Let’s dive into what this practice involves and how it can help us finally let go of the tension, trauma, and behavioral patterns holding us back.
What Is Embodied or Somatic Yoga?
Embodied yoga, also known as somatic yoga, combines movement, breathwork, mindfulness, and sensation awareness to create a powerful tool for releasing stored stress and trauma. Unlike traditional yoga, which often aims to transcend the physical body, somatic yoga encourages you to dive deeper into bodily sensations to reconnect with your authentic self.
Peter Levine, a well-known trauma therapist, says that trauma is essentially a “loss of connection” to our bodies, emotions, and surroundings. This disconnection can build up gradually, making it hard to notice, and it may not even feel traumatic at first. However, the accumulated stress eventually begins to show up as tension, emotional reactivity, or anxiety. The goal of embodied yoga is to help release these stored emotions and tensions by allowing the body to move, breathe, and feel through them.
Why Do We Need to Complete the Stress Cycle?
Stress is a natural, necessary response to challenging situations. However, our culture often encourages us to “just get over it” or to ignore these uncomfortable emotions. If we feel angry or stressed at work, for example, we can’t simply scream or stomp our feet. This avoidance prevents us from fully feeling and releasing the stress, keeping the “stress cycle” incomplete.
Completing the stress cycle—an idea that somatic yoga directly supports—is about finding ways to discharge the pent-up energy caused by stress. For instance, imagine an animal in the wild shaking off tension after a chase or threat. This natural response allows it to reset and move on. We humans are no different. If we don’t complete the cycle, we may end up with stress trapped in our bodies, causing patterns of anxiety, fear, or avoidance.
Common Ways to Complete the Stress Cycle
Completing the stress cycle can be achieved through various activities that allow your body to naturally process and release energy. Here are some effective ways:
Physical Activity: Exercise, including yoga, is one of the best ways to discharge stress.
Breathwork: Breathing deeply helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing relaxation.
Positive Social Interaction:Connecting with others can have a grounding, calming effect.
Laughter: It releases endorphins and helps us feel lighthearted and less burdened.
Touch & Affection: Physical touch from someone trusted, like a friend or partner, can help us feel supported.
Emoting & Crying:Letting ourselves feel sadness and release tears has a powerful cleansing effect.
Rocking or Spiraling Movements: Gentle, repetitive motion helps regulate the nervous system.
Creative Expression: Art, music, and dance give a safe outlet for emotional release.
One unique benefit of somatic yoga is that it can incorporate several of these elements at once, offering a deeply integrated approach to stress relief and emotional release.
How Does Somatic Yoga Work to Release Trauma?
Trauma is not only a mental experience, it’s also stored physically. When trauma goes unresolved, it can leave our bodies stuck in a fight, flight, or freeze response. Somatic yoga allows us to slowly access these stored responses by tapping into bodily sensations, feelings, and movements. By focusing on breath, movement, and vocal work, we can discharge the energy and emotions that have been “stuck” in our nervous system.
Here’s how somatic yoga helps with trauma release:
1. Connecting with Bodily Sensations
A big part of somatic yoga is learning to feel and listen to what your body is telling you. This might mean feeling tightness in your chest, pressure in your jaw, or tension in your shoulders. Once you’re aware of these sensations, you can start to let them go. Sometimes, people hold on to tension without even knowing it; it becomes “normal” over time.
When I work with clients, we often use simple, intuitive movements, like rocking or spiraling, to help them access those hidden areas of tension. I remember one client who held a lot of anxiety in her shoulders. Through gentle rocking movements paired with deep breathing, she could finally release that tension and even felt a flood of relief and calm afterward.
2. Using Breathwork to Calm and Center
Breathing is a crucial part of somatic yoga. When we breathe deeply, we can shift from the sympathetic (stress-related) nervous system to the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) nervous system. This change helps regulate our emotional state and keeps us calm. I always remind my clients that our breath is one of the most accessible ways to release tension and bring ourselves back into balance.
I’ve personally experienced the power of breathwork during high-stress times. It’s amazing how just a few minutes of focused, deep breathing can help clear the mind chatter and reduce stress.
3. Engaging with Sound to Free Stuck Energy
Sound is an important, often overlooked element of somatic yoga. Chanting, humming, or even screaming (when appropriate) can help release energy stuck in the throat and jaw. Many people who feel silenced or who suppress their voice experience tightness or tension around the throat. By using vocal exercises, they can begin to release this area and feel more confident in their voice. The vibrations also help bring energy flow back between the head and the heart, creating a more connected and authentic self-expression.
4. Using Visualization to Shift Energy
Visualization is another tool used in somatic practices. It allows us to tap into emotions, thoughts, or sensations that might feel too overwhelming to address directly. For instance, visualizing a peaceful scene or imagining a positive outcome can help create a bridge between where we are and where we want to be emotionally. Visualization, paired with movement or breathwork, is a powerful way to shift the energy around a particular issue or trauma.
How to Use Embodied Yoga to Release Behavioral Patterns
Many of our behavioral patterns—like avoidance, self-doubt, or people-pleasing—stem from ingrained responses learned early in life. When we go through a challenging experience, our body and mind develop coping mechanisms to protect us. These patterns often stay with us even after the original “threat” is gone, becoming a part of our unconscious reactions to life.
Through embodied yoga, we can start to observe these patterns and gradually transform them. Here’s how:
1. Identify the Pattern in Your Body
First, become aware of how certain emotions or responses show up physically. Maybe anger tightens your jaw, or sadness feels heavy in your chest. Recognizing these physical cues can help you notice when you’re about to react out of habit.
2. Use Movement to Discharge the Pattern
Movement, especially intuitive movement like shaking or stretching, can help release the energy behind these reactions. For example, if stress often leaves you feeling frozen, practicing movement that helps you feel grounded and present can help dissolve that tendency.
3. Engage with Breath and Sound to Release Trapped Energy
Breathwork and vocalization allow you to release energy trapped by these patterns. Chanting or humming is great for expressing yourself if you’re used to holding back. Over time, using sound can help open up your throat chakra, creating a clearer channel between your mind and your emotions.
4. Visualize New Patterns and Emotions
Visualization helps you form a new relationship with your patterns. Visualize yourself responding with ease and confidence or feeling peaceful instead of anxious. This mental practice can support the physical release and help solidify a new, healthier way of being.
Somatic Yoga: A Path to Reclaiming Yourself
Embodied or somatic yoga is more than just a way to release tension. It’s a practice of re-learning to listen to yourself and trust your inner guidance. When we connect with our bodies, we start to reclaim the parts of ourselves that have been silenced or suppressed. Trauma may initially create a loss of connection to ourselves, but healing is entirely possible. The body has a natural capacity to charge and discharge energy, moving us back toward balance.
With consistent practice, somatic yoga helps us feel more grounded, present, and capable of handling whatever comes our way. And the best part? You don’t need to relive painful memories to heal. By slowly tuning into your body, practicing movement and mindfulness, and engaging with your breath and voice, you can gently release old patterns and discover a renewed sense of freedom.
Embodied yoga is, at its core, about feeling—feeling what’s inside, embracing it, and then letting it go. So, the next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, remember that your body has everything it needs to heal; you just need to listen and trust it.
Levine, Peter A. Healing Trauma: a Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body. Boulder, CO: Sounds True, 2005.