Our emotions aren’t just in our minds; they are deeply intertwined with our bodies. Whether your stomach is in knots when stressed or you feel that tightness in your chest when worried, this is your body’s way of reacting to those complex emotions. Somatic therapy explores the link between emotional stress and physical ailments. By recognizing and utilizing the mind-body connection, this type of therapy helps us process emotions by becoming more aware of our physical responses.
Offering a holistic path to healing, somatic therapy integrates both body and mind to create the healthiest version of us as possible.
The Mind-Body Connection
First off, it’s important to understand the link between emotions and physical health. From joy and sadness to fear and anger, your body responds in specific ways as it reacts to these emotions. You may experience a racing heart when scared or worried, for example, or perhaps your shoulders and neck tense up when stressed.
Whatever the physical reaction is, it’s usually involuntary, and most people aren’t even aware of the mind-body connection going on in that moment.
- When emotions are repressed or not fully processed, they can manifest as physical ailments.
- Unexpressed emotions can contribute to illness, from chronic pain to autoimmune disorders – even to cancer.
- Emotions that aren’t released in a healthy way stay trapped in the body, causing physical tension that can lead to a host of health problems.
The Negative Effects of Repressed Emotions
Often times, emotional repression is learned. For example, many cultures value emotional restraint, which can have serious repercussions on both mental and physical health. We are often taught that expressing our emotions is a sign of weakness, and that it’s better to “put on a brave face” or “shake it off”.
Worse yet, we teach young boys especially to hide their emotions and that “crying is for girls.” This can manifest itself in a lifelong aversion to therapy and a tendency for men to bottle up emotions well into adulthood.
However, when emotions aren’t released in healthy ways, those repressed feelings can build up over time, leading to many concerning issues such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Physical ailments such as chronic pain or autoimmune disorders
- Exhaustion and fatigue
- Isolation
In many cases, feelings of overwhelm can deplete the individual, resulting in a complete shutdown. They may be unable to get out of bed, take care of themselves, shower, or even perform basic daily activities.
Trauma and Autoimmune Disorders: What’s the Connection?
Research shows a clear connection between trauma (specifically as a result of PTSD) and physical health conditions, particularly autoimmune disorders and cancer. Unresolved trauma causes the body to essentially start attacking itself, manifesting in physical symptoms, such as fatigue, digestive issues, or tension.
Here’s one example of how unexpressed emotions can become a source of physical illness:
Carol Agnew, licensed therapist and owner of Open Door Counseling Center, once worked with a patient who developed throat cancer after decades of suppressing her emotions and failing to speak up. She never expressed her feelings, holding everything in—until it physically manifested in the form of cancer in her throat.
Somatic Therapy: A Path to Healing
Somatic therapy helps individuals release trapped emotions in a safe, controlled way. Somatic therapy incorporates physical movements, breathwork, and body awareness into the healing process with the goal of processing emotions rather than suppressing them.
Talk therapy is often the first step, as it allows the patient to identify and articulate their feelings. Somatic therapy goes one step further to address the physical manifestations of those feelings with techniques such as deep breathing and controlled physical movement.
The key is to find healthy outlets for emotions, from screaming into a pillow to running to engaging in yoga or meditation. Another technique Carol recommends to her patients is throwing ice into a bathtub—a simple but highly effective way to release aggression or frustration. The sound and sensation of the ice hitting the water provide immediate satisfaction and a sense of release. The cold also stimulates the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body, which can calm the nervous system and provide a feeling of emotional relief.
Sports like football where controlled aggression is a core part of the game can also serve as an outlet for men — many of whom find it difficult to express how they’re feeling in a traditional office therapy setting.
Somatic therapy integrates the body and mind, designed to break the cycle of emotional suppression that can manifest in physical illness.
Somatic Intervention: Body-Based Techniques to Release Emotion
A therapeutic approach within somatic therapy, somatic intervention has gained significant traction in the wellness and therapy fields. It focuses on body-based techniques to help release physical tension and emotional blockages. Unlike traditional therapy that mainly focuses on verbal processing, somatic interventions involve direct interaction with the body to encourage healing.
This often involves gentle movements such as breathwork, touch, and guided body awareness exercises to identify areas of tension and release it. The sense of emotional relief and physical relaxation that occurs as a result of this technique can trigger a deeper healing process.
Those who have difficulty verbalizing their emotions or those who have undergone significant trauma may find that somatic techniques provide a more accessible way to process those emotions.
At Open Door Counseling Center, we believe that allowing oneself to experience and release emotions is essential for both emotional and physical health. This is why we value the importance of safe spaces for emotional expression.
Expression, not suppression: letting emotions out can help individuals reconnect with their bodies and discover healthy ways to release trapped emotions.
Schedule Your Consultation With Open Door Counseling Center
Have you been carrying emotional baggage for too long? Are you struggling with emotional issues that have manifested physically? Somatic therapy may help you unlock healing and reclaim your emotional well-being. Schedule your confidential consultation with us today when you call us at(586) 203‑2715 or text (586) 330‑9415 to request a consultation.
At Open Door Counseling Center, we offer a safe, supportive environment for individuals to explore somatic therapy and begin their journey toward holistic healing. If
