Bringing the Body into Therapy

Mental Health Effects on the Body

I’m sure we’ve all heard that the body holds onto stress. Most of us have heard or even read the popular book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. But what exactly does this mean? Well unfortunately, trauma and stressful experiences are not a one-time thing that we have to face. They can linger in our psyche, body and nervous system for years after the event, potentially wreaking havoc without us understanding what is going on. 

One of the major areas that is affected by trauma is our nervous system. Our nervous system can be seen in many ways as our “first line of defense”. Through an unconscious process we call neuroception, our autonomic nervous system is constantly scanning the environment for signals of danger and safety. Whenever we have a history of trauma, this process of neuroception can become skewed, causing us to find danger where there is none and stay in a state of hypervigilance (Trauma Therapist Institute, 2025). When we remain in these hypervigilant states, our body feels it. This can manifest in the body as nausea, muscular pain, high blood pressure, issues sleeping and weight gain. It can also lead to higher levels of anxiety, depression and feeling as if we are unable to rest, even in environments that should be calming. 

Not every therapeutic approach out there incorporates the body and in trauma work, it is important that the nervous system and the body are provided the space to feel safe again. This is why many people in modern psychology are moving towards trauma informed, somatic approaches.

The meaning of Somatic

The word somatic originates from the Greek word for body, soma. There are many different somatic approaches, but most of them utilize a few key techniques. The first of these techniques is known as pendulation. 

Pendulation 

When using this technique, the therapist holds the space and the tension to allow the client to start discussing and processing the trauma. Special attention should be paid to the sensations and affect that arise during this confrontation. The therapist must also keep in mind if the client is becoming too activated during this experience, as we want to avoid retraumatization. Once the therapist feels that the client has gotten what is needed for that iteration, they direct the client to a soothing or calming stimulus. This could be a sensation in the body, a particular scent or memory, something that elicits a positive response for the client. Throughout the work, the therapist will guide the client through a dance between these two opposing stimuli, pendulating between them (Dunlea, 2019). 

Titration

The next essential technique of somatic work is titration. For a summary and definition of titration, let us take a look at the work of Heller and LaPierre (2012):

 “When the contents of two vessels - one holding acid , one a base - are poured together, all at once, into a third vessel, an explosion will result. However, if the two solutions are combined drop by drop, the discharge will be very small and gradually the two substances will neutralize each other. This analogy communicates the importance of working with highly charged emotional material one small, manageable step at a time. This measured approach helps avoid catharsis - the explosion - and facilitates the integration of the highly charged affect.”. 

By slowing down the process of pendulation and allowing both experiences to be felt, we are titrating and in doing so, the lasting effects of the trauma can be worked through. 

Attunement

So how does the therapist know when to pendulate between which side of the opposites? We do this through attunement. When a therapist is properly attuned to their client, they are “communicating” on an unconscious level. Nervous system is responding to nervous system, and the signals put out by the client are received by the therapist, and vice versa. As Siegel (2010) puts it: “we focus on signals from others and embed this flow of energy and information from their internal state deeply into our nervous system”. 

Conclusion

As Carl Jung wrote, "Individuation can only take place if you first return to the body, to your earth, only then does it become true” (Jung, 1976). And Dr. Peter Levine, creator of somatic experiencing wrote, “trauma is not in the event, trauma is in the nervous system and it can therefore never be fully healed until we also address the essential role played by the body” (Levine, 1997). 

The body holds onto much of what we have experienced and continue to experience on a daily basis and for some, talking through a problem isn’t enough. Special attention has to be paid to the body and the vital responses it provides during therapeutic sessions. If used properly, the body holds the key to true, lasting healing. 

 About the Author

Thanks for reading! My name is Christian Arbogast, and I am a Registered Mental Health Counseling Intern at Incremental Care. I work primarily with children, adolescents, and teens who feel overwhelmed or struggle navigating their emotions.

My approach incorporates expressive modalities such as sandtray and somatic therapy, helping clients process experiences in ways that go beyond words. If you’re interested in learning more or considering starting your therapeutic journey, I would be honored to walk alongside you.

Feel free to reach out at chris@incrementalcare.com or 407-279-0468 to schedule a free, no obligation 20-minute consultation. 

C.G. Jung. The Visions Seminars, vol. 2 (Zurich: Spring Publications, 1976), p.473. 

Dunlea, M. (2019). BodyDreaming in the treatment of developmental trauma: An embodied therapeutic approach. Routledge.

Heller, L., & LaPierre, A. (2012). Healing developmental trauma: How early trauma affects self-regulation, self-image, and the capacity for relationship. North Atlantic Books.

Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma—The innate capacity to transform overwhelming experiences. North Atlantic Books.

Siegel, D. J. (2010). The mindful therapist: A clinician’s guide to mindsight and neural integration. W. W. Norton & Company.

Woodman, M. (1982). Addiction to perfection: The still unravished bride. Inner City Books.

Trauma Therapist Institute. (2025, June 13). The role of neuroception in emotional regulation and social interaction. https://www.traumatherapistinstitute.com/blog/the-role-of-neuroception-in-emotional-regulation-and-social-interaction