Somatic Therapy for Anxiety: A Body-Based Approach to Calming the Nervous System
Stacked smooth stones on a quiet shoreline, representing stability, grounding, and gentle nervous system regulation.
Anxiety often shows up in both the mind and the body. You may notice racing thoughts, restlessness, tightness in the chest, trouble relaxing, or a sense of being overstimulated. Somatic therapy offers a gentle, body-focused way to ease these symptoms by supporting the nervous system rather than relying solely on cognitive strategies.
As a Registered Psychologist offering anxiety counselling in Whitecourt and Edmonton, Alberta, I use a trauma-informed, body-based approach that helps clients slow down, reconnect with themselves, and build regulation from the inside out. If you’re seeking support for anxiety or trauma, you can learn more about my anxiety and trauma therapy services here.
What Somatic Therapy Involves
Somatic therapy works by bringing awareness to sensations, breath, and the body’s automatic responses. Instead of trying to think your way out of anxiety, we focus on how your nervous system is reacting in the moment. This helps shift patterns of tension, overwhelm, or shutdown at a deeper level and can reduce anxiety more effectively than cognitive approaches alone, especially when the body feels overactivated.
How It Helps With Anxiety
By helping the nervous system settle, somatic therapy often leads to quieter thoughts, less physical tension, and a greater sense of stability. Clients frequently notice they feel more grounded, more connected to their body, and better able to handle stress without becoming overwhelmed. Because we work with what your system is ready for, there is no pressure to revisit painful memories or tell your story in detail.
What Sessions Feel Like
Sessions are gentle, collaborative, and paced according to your comfort. We may explore grounding, sensory awareness, breath, or noticing subtle shifts in the body. The focus is on supporting safety, regulation, and connection so your system can naturally unwind from anxiety.
Who This Approach Supports
Somatic therapy can be helpful for individuals experiencing generalized anxiety, panic, chronic stress, burnout, trauma-related anxiety, numbness, or patterns of overwhelm. It is well-suited for people who feel their anxiety in their body or who have tried traditional talk therapy and want a different experience.
Somatic Therapy for Anxiety in Whitecourt & Edmonton
If you are looking for anxiety counselling that includes both the mind and the body, somatic therapy may offer the grounded, gentle support you’re seeking. You’re welcome to reach out, or book a session or free consultation to explore whether this approach feels right for you.
