Somatic Stretching: The Trauma-Releasing Workout

You might have noticed a major shift in the fitness and wellness community lately. Instead of high-intensity interval training or heavy weightlifting, people are turning to a much gentler approach to heal their bodies. Somatic stretching is gaining massive popularity for its unique ability to release stored emotional trauma and regulate an overwhelmed nervous system.

Understanding Somatic Stretching

To understand somatic stretching, it helps to look at the origins of the practice. The term “somatics” was coined in the 1970s by Thomas Hanna, a philosophy professor and movement theorist. He developed Clinical Somatic Education to treat chronic pain and movement limitations.

Unlike traditional static stretching, where you pull a muscle and hold it in place for 30 seconds, somatic stretching relies on a process called pandiculation. Pandiculation involves a slow, voluntary contraction of a specific muscle followed by an equally slow and mindful release. Think of how a cat or dog stretches when waking up from a nap. They tense their muscles first, then slowly lengthen them, and finally completely relax.

By using this contract-and-release method, you are communicating directly with your nervous system. You are retraining the brain to recognize resting muscle length, which helps release involuntary muscle tension that has built up over years of stress.

How the Body Stores Trauma

The concept that emotional trauma is held within physical tissues is supported by leading experts in psychology and physical therapy. Bessel van der Kolk popularized this concept in his bestselling book “The Body Keeps the Score.” When you experience stress, your body enters a fight, flight, or freeze state.

During these high-stress moments, specific muscles contract to protect you. The psoas muscle, located deep in the core and connecting your lower spine to your upper thighs, is one of the primary muscles that tightens to pull you into a protective fetal position. If the stress is never properly processed, the brain never sends the signal to those muscles to relax.

Over time, this results in chronically tight hips, locked jaws, raised shoulders, and shallow breathing. Somatic movement addresses this exact issue. By bringing conscious awareness to these tight areas and moving them very slowly, you signal to the vagus nerve that you are safe. This triggers the parasympathetic nervous system (your rest and digest state) and lowers cortisol levels in your bloodstream.

Specific Routines Everyone is Trying

If you want to try somatic stretching at home, you do not need any special equipment. You only need a quiet space, a yoga mat, and about 10 to 15 minutes of uninterrupted time. Here are three highly popular somatic exercises currently trending for trauma release.

The Arch and Flatten

This is a foundational movement in Clinical Somatic Education designed to release tension in the lower back and pelvis.

  • Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  • Slowly inhale and roll your pelvis forward so your tailbone presses into the floor. Your lower back will naturally arch away from the mat.
  • Hold this gentle contraction for a brief second.
  • Exhale slowly, slowly release the arch, and gently press your lower back flat into the mat by tilting your pelvis backward.
  • Completely relax your muscles for a full breath cycle before repeating.

Somatic Shaking (TRE)

Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) were developed by Dr. David Berceli. This method uses specific movements to safely activate a natural reflex mechanism of shaking or vibrating.

  • Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and your knees dropping open out to the sides (a butterfly position).
  • Lift your hips slightly off the floor for a minute to fatigue the leg muscles.
  • Lower your hips and slowly bring your knees together an inch at a time.
  • As you do this, your legs will likely begin to shake or tremor involuntarily.
  • Allow the shaking to happen for a few minutes. This neurogenic tremoring helps discharge excess energy from the nervous system.

Neck and Shoulder Pandiculation

This targets the trapezius muscles, which frequently hold tension from anxiety or long hours at a desk.

  • Sit comfortably or lie on your back.
  • Slowly shrug your right shoulder up toward your right ear.
  • Gently tilt your head down to meet that shoulder, creating a deliberate contraction on that side of your neck.
  • Slowly release the shoulder and the head back to a neutral position over the course of five to eight seconds.
  • Let the muscles completely soften before switching to the left side.

Where to Find Somatic Stretching Programs

The internet is currently flooded with somatic guides, but specific creators are leading the charge with highly rated, affordable programs.

Liz Tenuto, widely known online as “The Workout Witch,” is currently one of the most popular instructors in this space. She offers a highly successful 30-day course called “Heal Your Nervous System.” The program targets stored trauma and costs $37. It focuses heavily on releasing the psoas muscle and regulating stress responses through daily 10-minute routines.

Another excellent resource is the Somatic Movement Center founded by clinical somatic educator Sarah Warren. She offers a subscription service for around $45 per month, which grants access to daily classes, specialized workshops, and deep dives into posture correction and pain relief.

If you prefer to start for free, YouTube is an excellent starting point. The channel “Essential Somatics” features hundreds of free videos demonstrating clinical somatic movements for specific ailments like sciatica, frozen shoulder, and tension headaches. Susan Koenig also provides detailed, free tutorials on YouTube focusing on Thomas Hanna’s original exercises.

The Physical and Mental Benefits

People committing to a daily somatic practice report surprising changes within just a few weeks. Because you are actively lowering your cortisol levels, you may notice significant improvements in sleep quality. The gentle movements lubricate the joints and increase physical mobility, making it a highly effective treatment for chronic lower back pain and neck stiffness.

Furthermore, users often report a decrease in brain fog and emotional reactivity. When the nervous system is no longer trapped in a hyper-vigilant state, you have more mental energy to process daily challenges calmly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is somatic stretching different from yoga? Yoga focuses heavily on flexibility, holding poses, and achieving specific physical alignments. Somatic stretching focuses entirely on internal awareness and the sensory experience of a movement. The goal is not to become more flexible, but to regain conscious control over chronically tight muscles.

Is somatic movement safe for everyone? Yes. Because the movements are incredibly slow, gentle, and never push past your natural range of motion, they are safe for almost all fitness levels. However, if you are healing from an acute injury or surgery, always consult a doctor first.

How often should I do somatic exercises? Consistency is much more important than duration. Practicing for just 10 to 15 minutes a day will yield much better results for your nervous system than doing an hour-long session once a week.

Can this replace traditional therapy? While somatic stretching is an excellent tool for nervous system regulation, it is a complementary practice. It does not replace the professional guidance of a licensed trauma therapist or psychologist, but it provides excellent physical support for emotional healing.