From Tension to Tranquility: Somatic Exercises for Trauma Relief

Why Somatic Exercises for Trauma Are Essential for Healing

Somatic exercises invite your body—not just your thoughts—into the healing process. When a frightening event overwhelms your nervous system, the experience can get “stuck” as muscle tension, shallow breathing, or a lingering sense of alarm. Talking about what happened can be useful, yet it often isn’t enough to settle these physical imprints.

I’m Linda Kocieniewski, a licensed clinical social worker and Certified EMDR therapist based in Midtown Manhattan. In both in-person and online sessions throughout New York State, I weave gentle body-based skills into EMDR so clients regain a felt sense of safety.

Quick preview of the tools you’ll learn:

• Body scanning

• Orienting to safety

• Pendulation

• Therapeutic shaking

• Vagal-toning breath

• Butterfly hug

• Boundary push & pull

• Mindful walking

• Progressive self-massage

Each practice taps the nervous system’s natural ability to down-shift from fight, flight, or freeze into a state of calm connection. The following sections explain why that works and exactly how to get started.

What Are Somatic Exercises? A Quick Primer

The term “somatic” comes from the Greek soma, meaning body. Thomas Hanna popularized the word in the 1970s, and trauma expert Dr. Peter Levine later expanded the idea through Somatic Experiencing.

Three kinds of body awareness matter most:

• Interoception – sensing internal cues like heartbeat or breath.

• Proprioception – knowing where you are in space.

• Kinesthetic awareness – feeling movement itself.

After trauma, these systems may become numb or overly sensitive. Somatic exercises rebuild balanced awareness through bottom-up processing—working with sensations first so the thinking brain can follow. Research on Somatic Experiencing shows meaningful PTSD and anxiety reduction after brief, structured practice (see: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5518443/).

How Somatic Work Differs from Yoga or Meditation

Yoga and seated meditation are wonderful, yet they can feel rigid or even triggering if your body still senses danger. Somatic work stays simple, moves at your pace, and lets you stop the moment something feels off. There are no poses to perfect—only signals to notice.

The Nervous System, Trauma, and the Vagus Nerve

Think of your autonomic nervous system as two pedals:

• Sympathetic (gas) — gears you up to fight or flee.

• Parasympathetic (brake) — settles you when security returns.

The vagus nerve is the primary “brake line.” Studies show good vagal tone allows smooth shifting between alertness and rest (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545289/).

If the original fight, flight, or freeze can’t finish, the body may stay braced long after the threat ends. Chronic overdrive feels like hypervigilance, sleeplessness, or mysterious aches. Somatic tools complete unfinished cycles by giving the body safe opportunities to discharge stored energy and re-engage the vagus-powered relaxation response.

9 Somatic Exercises for Trauma Relief (Beginner-Friendly)

Below are nine short practices you can do almost anywhere. They’re listed from stillest to most active, so you can choose what feels safest today. Each one can be as brief as one minute or extended when you have more time.

1. Body scan & breath

2. Orienting to safety

3. Pendulation

4. Therapeutic shaking

5. Vagal-toning breath

6. Butterfly hug

7. Boundary push & pull

8. Mindful walking

9. Progressive self-massage

Let’s walk through them one by one.

1. Body Scan & Breath

A body scan is simply paying friendly attention from head to toe.

1. Settle into a comfortable position; eyes open or closed.

2. Take three natural breaths.

3. Starting at your scalp, notice temperature, tingling, tightness, or ease.

4. Move slowly down through jaw, shoulders, chest, belly, hips, legs, and feet.

5. Wherever you meet tension, imagine the inhale traveling there and the exhale softening it.

If a full scan feels overwhelming, pick just hands or feet. Two minutes is plenty to begin.

2. Orienting to Safety

Trauma can trap attention on imagined danger. Orienting reminds your brain to notice real-world cues of safety.

1. Sit tall; let your eyes wander slowly to the right.

2. Pause on anything neutral or pleasant—a plant, sunlight, a color.

3. Continue turning until you complete a gentle circle back to center.

4. Let your breath follow any sense of relief.

If anxiety rises, choose a nearer object such as your own hands, then widen again when ready.

3. Pendulation

Pendulation trains the nervous system to move between activation and ease without getting stuck.

1. Identify a spot that feels tight (e.g., clenched jaw).

2. Spend 30 seconds observing that sensation.

3. Shift attention to a neutral or pleasant area (perhaps warm hands).

4. Alternate focus back and forth 3–4 times, ending with the easy place.

Over time, the tense zone often softens on its own, reinforcing resilience.

4. Therapeutic Tremor (Shaking)

Shaking is how many animals finish a survival response.

1. Stand with knees soft.

2. Bounce gently on the balls of the feet.

3. Allow vibration to travel up the legs. Arms may flap or sway.

4. One to two minutes is enough; then stand still, noticing any warmth or tingling.

Seated or lying variations work too—tiny leg or torso quivers count.

5. Vagal Toning Breath

Extended exhale breathing directly stimulates the vagus nerve.

1. Inhale through the nose to a comfortable count of 4.

2. Exhale through the mouth for 8, adding a soft humm or ahh.

3. Repeat 5–10 cycles.

If counting distracts you, simply make the out-breath noticeably longer than the in-breath.

6. Butterfly Hug

Cross your arms so each hand rests on the opposite shoulder. Gently tap right, left, right, left for about one minute, then pause and feel the after-glow. Bilateral tapping calms the emotional centers of the brain and offers comforting self-touch.

7. Boundary Push & Pull

1. Stand arm’s length from a wall; place palms against it.

2. Push steadily for 10–15 seconds, feeling strength through chest and legs.

3. Step back, notice sensations.

4. For a pull, interlace fingers and draw hands apart.

These controlled efforts remind your system that you have power and limits.

8. Mindful Walking

Slow the pace of a short stroll:

• Feel heel-to-toe contact with each step.

• Notice weight shift, knee bend, swinging arms.

• When thoughts wander, return attention to footfall rhythm.

Outdoors adds soothing sights and sounds, yet an indoor hallway works just as well.

9. Progressive Self-Massage

Warm your hands by rubbing them together, then explore:

• Neck circles behind ears

• Shoulder squeezes

• Gentle face strokes along jaw

• Forearm rolls

Finish with both palms over your heart and three slow breaths. The goal is curiosity and care, not digging for knots.

Building Your Daily Practice

Consistency beats intensity. Start with one exercise for 3–5 minutes at roughly the same time each day—perhaps orienting while morning coffee brews or a body scan before bed.

Example routines:

5 Minutes 15 Minutes 1 min body scan 3 min body scan 2 min orienting 3 min orienting 1 min vagal breath 3 min pendulation 1 min butterfly hug 3 min movement (shake/walk) — 3 min rest & notice

Most people notice subtle shifts within two weeks and steadier regulation by the three-month mark. If any practice feels too much, shorten or switch exercises rather than pushing through.

Integrating Somatic Exercises at Home, Work, and Beyond

Small pockets of practice add up:

• Workplace: body scan while reading email, push-off against your desk before a meeting.

• Commute: vagal breath at red lights, mindful steps from subway to office.

• Evening: self-massage or pendulation to release the day before sleep.

Somatic tools also blend beautifully with EMDR. Clients who use them arrive to sessions more grounded and leave with skills to maintain progress between appointments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon will I feel calmer?
Many people notice relief during the very first minute of practice. Lasting change builds with regular use—think weeks and months, not just days.

Which body area should I start with?
Choose a neutral zone such as hands, feet, or shoulders. Save highly charged areas (e.g., chest or stomach) until you feel steadier.

Can I practice at my desk?
Yes—orienting, breath work, hand massage, or a mini wall-push are virtually invisible in an office setting.

Conclusion

Your body already knows how to heal. Somatic exercises simply reopen the pathways. Paired with attachment-focused EMDR in my Midtown Manhattan office—or through secure telehealth anywhere in New York State—you can move from tension to genuine tranquility.

If you’d like guidance personalizing these tools or exploring deeper trauma resolution, schedule a complimentary Zoom consultation at lindakocieniewski.com. Together we’ll craft a plan that feels right for your nervous system.