What Somatic Therapy Actually Does (And What It Doesn’t)
You may have heard about somatic therapy from TikTok, your trauma-informed friend, or even your last therapist. But if you’re still not totally sure what it is—or whether it’s right for you—you’re not alone.
At Rooted Therapy in Houston, we offer somatic therapy for adults who are tired of talking but still feel stuck. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, trauma, burnout, or chronic disconnection, somatic work can help you tune into what your body has been trying to say.
But let’s clear up a few things first.
Somatic Therapy Is Not:
Just lying on a yoga mat doing deep breathing
A substitute for all other therapy models
Always calm, soothing, or relaxing
Releasing a trauma and magically “moving on”
Something you can fully DIY from Instagram infographics
Somatic Therapy Is About:
Learning to listen to your body without judgment
Many of us have learned to override body signals in order to “perform” life. Somatic work invites you back into awareness—noticing tension, breath, posture, and subtle shifts in sensation.Creating safety in the body
Especially for trauma survivors, feeling safe isn’t just a mindset—it’s a physiological experience. Somatic therapy helps build capacity to stay with sensations instead of immediately escaping into distraction, numbing, or overthinking.Completing stress cycles
The body stores unfinished responses (like fight, flight, or freeze). Somatic therapy can gently support the completion of these protective responses so you’re no longer living in survival mode.Accessing healing beyond words
Not everything needs to be (or can be) verbalized. Some emotions are preverbal. Some memories live in muscle. Somatic therapy makes room for what’s been unspeakable.
What Does a Session Actually Look Like?
That depends. At Rooted Therapy, we integrate somatic approaches based on your goals, pace, and nervous system tolerance. Some sessions might look like:
Slowing down and noticing your breath or posture
Mapping where emotion shows up physically
Grounding or orienting exercises to regulate overwhelm
Exploring the “story” your body is telling—even if your mind doesn’t know why
There is no one-size-fits-all protocol. But the goal is always this: greater connection between body and self—so you don’t have to keep managing life in a state of silent overwhelm.
Is Somatic Therapy Right for You?
Somatic therapy may be especially helpful if:
You’ve tried traditional talk therapy but still feel stuck
You feel cut off from your body or emotions
You experience chronic stress, dissociation, or numbness
You’re dealing with trauma, especially when it feels beyond words
You want to feel more present, grounded, and regulated in everyday life
Somatic Therapy in Houston and Online Across Texas
At Rooted Therapy, we work with adults who’ve spent years pushing through pain—but are ready to slow down and heal. Whether you’re experiencing trauma, anxiety, or burnout, somatic therapy offers a way home to yourself.
In-person therapy in Montrose, Houston & virtual therapy across Texas.
Schedule a consult to learn more about how somatic therapy could support your healing.