Somatic Therapy Exercises at Home
Healing from stress or trauma doesn’t always begin in the mind—it begins in the body. Somatic therapy helps reconnect the mind and body so that you can feel grounded, calm, and more present in your daily life. While professional support is essential for processing deep trauma, practicing simple somatic therapy exercises at home can help regulate your nervous system, release tension, and restore a sense of safety within yourself.
These practices are gentle, body-based ways to support healing between therapy sessions—or to start developing body awareness on your own.
How Somatic Exercises Help?
Somatic exercises work from the “bottom up,” meaning they focus on physical sensations before thoughts or emotions. When you notice your breath, the weight of your body on the chair, or the feeling of your feet on the ground, you’re helping your nervous system shift from a reactive state into one of regulation and safety.
Neuroscience calls this bottom-up regulation. Through these small moments of awareness, your vagus nerve and parasympathetic system activate—lowering heart rate, relaxing muscles, and signaling to your brain that you are safe. Over time, these exercises can reduce anxiety, tension, and hypervigilance, while supporting overall resilience.
At Calm Again Counseling, we often guide clients to use somatic tools like breathwork, grounding, and gentle movement to complement therapy sessions. These tools give the body a voice, helping the mind follow toward calm.
Safety First: When to Use These Exercises
Before practicing, it’s important to know when these tools are appropriate. Somatic exercises are safe for most people dealing with stress, anxiety, or mild trauma symptoms. They can help you self-regulate between sessions or during moments of overwhelm.
However, if you experience intense flashbacks, dissociation, or panic attacks, these techniques may bring up more than you can handle alone. In those moments, pause and seek support from a trauma-trained therapist. Your safety matters more than completing an exercise.
If you notice dizziness, disorientation, or a sense of “leaving your body,” gently stop the activity. Take slow breaths, orient to your surroundings, and reach out for professional help if symptoms persist.
Daily Mini-Routines for Regulation
Small, consistent routines are more effective than long, infrequent sessions. Try these 5-minute practices to begin or end your day with presence and balance.
Morning: Ground and Awaken
Sit or stand comfortably.
Feel your feet connect with the floor. Notice the surface beneath them.
Take three slow, deep breaths—in through the nose, out through the mouth.
Gently shake your hands, arms, and legs for one minute to release overnight tension.
End by noticing one thing in your environment that brings you a sense of peace.
This simple routine wakes up your nervous system and helps you enter the day with steadiness and awareness.
Evening: Release and Settle
Lie or sit comfortably.
Starting from your toes, slowly tighten and then release each muscle group up to your face.
Take a few slow breaths, exhaling fully after each one.
Picture a calm or safe place—perhaps a beach, a quiet room, or being in nature.
Let your body settle before bed, allowing the day’s stress to leave your system.
8 Somatic Therapy Exercises You Can Do at Home
These exercises are safe, simple, and effective ways to connect with your body and regulate your nervous system. Try one or two per day, notice how your body responds, and increase gradually.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
Look around your space and name:
5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
This exercise orients your attention to the present moment and helps interrupt racing thoughts. It’s especially helpful during anxiety or panic.
Box Breathing
Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat for 2–3 minutes.
Box breathing activates the parasympathetic system, reducing stress hormones and helping your mind slow down.
Pendulation
Notice one area of tension or activation in your body (perhaps your chest or shoulders). Bring gentle awareness to that spot. Then shift attention to an area that feels neutral or calm—maybe your hands or feet. Move your awareness back and forth a few times.
This practice helps your nervous system learn that it can move between stress and calm without staying stuck in either state.
Grounding Through the Feet
Stand tall with knees slightly bent. Feel your feet pressing into the ground. Imagine roots extending downward. Slowly sway forward and backward to sense your balance.
This exercise reconnects you with stability and presence, especially when you feel anxious or detached.
Tension-Release Shake
Stand comfortably and begin gently shaking your hands, arms, legs, and torso. Let the movement become natural.
Shaking helps discharge built-up adrenaline and cortisol, especially after stress. It’s a technique borrowed from nature—animals naturally shake to reset after threat.
Hand-on-Heart
Place one hand on your heart and another on your abdomen. Breathe slowly and feel the rise and fall beneath your hands.
This simple touch releases oxytocin, a hormone that promotes safety and connection. It can also help soothe anxiety or loneliness.
Butterfly Hug
Cross your arms over your chest so each hand rests on the opposite upper arm. Gently tap back and forth, alternating sides, while breathing slowly.
This bilateral stimulation technique, also used in EMDR, helps balance emotional processing and bring you back to the present.
Cold or Temperature Orienting
Run cool water over your hands or splash your face. Notice the sensation fully—the temperature, texture, and sound of water.
Cold stimuli can “reset” the vagus nerve and quickly regulate strong emotional activation. Use caution and stop if it feels uncomfortable.
How to Build a Personalized Practice?
Somatic exercises work best when they’re consistent and attuned to your needs. Begin with just one or two practices that feel safe and grounding.
Start small: 2–5 minutes a day is enough to begin.
Track sensations: After each exercise, pause and ask, “What do I feel now?” (e.g., warmth, tingling, relaxation).
Build slowly: Add one new exercise each week as your comfort increases.
Note triggers: If an exercise brings up distress or painful memories, stop and return to a simpler grounding technique.
Journaling your experiences can help track progress. Write down the time practiced, your emotional state before and after, and any sensations you noticed. This awareness helps you recognize how your nervous system shifts over time.
When to Seek Professional Support?
Practicing somatic therapy exercises at home can improve emotional regulation, but they’re not meant to replace professional trauma therapy—especially for complex or early-life trauma.
If you find these exercises triggering or experience symptoms like dissociation, panic, or body numbness, it’s time to work with a trauma-informed therapist.
At Calm Again Counseling, we offer somatic therapy and trauma-focused care in a supportive, compassionate environment. Together, we help you safely explore body sensations, release stored tension, and rebuild trust in your body’s ability to regulate.
Quick 1-Week Starter Plan
Days 1–2: Practice 5-4-3-2-1 grounding + 2 minutes of box breathing.
Days 3–4: Add hand-on-heart or soothing touch after breathing.
Days 5–6: Try pendulation for 3 minutes.
Day 7: Reflect on which techniques felt calming and which didn’t. Keep what works.
Consistency matters more than perfection. The goal isn’t to “get it right,” but to notice how your body responds and develop trust in its signals.
FAQs
What are somatic therapy exercises?
Somatic exercises are body-centered techniques that calm the nervous system by focusing on movement, sensation, and grounding. They’re often used to reduce anxiety, stress, and trauma symptoms.
Can I safely do somatic exercises at home?
Yes, most people can. Start with short, gentle exercises. If you notice flashbacks or increased distress, pause and seek professional guidance.
How long should I practice each day?
Start with 5 minutes a day. As your comfort grows, you can gradually increase to 10–20 minutes.
What is pendulation and how does it help?
Pendulation means moving attention between tension and calm sensations. It helps the body learn flexibility and prevents getting stuck in stress states.
Will somatic exercises heal trauma completely?
They support healing but aren’t a full treatment for trauma. They’re most effective when used alongside trauma-informed therapy.
Can children use somatic exercises?
Yes, with simple modifications—like gentle breathing or sensory grounding. A therapist can tailor these for kids’ developmental needs.
Moving Forward
Your body already knows how to heal—it just needs a way to communicate that wisdom. Somatic therapy exercises at home can help you reconnect with that inner guidance, bringing your body and mind back into partnership.
Whether you’re managing stress, healing from trauma, or learning to feel safe again, these gentle practices can support you every step of the way.
If you’d like professional guidance or want to integrate somatic work into trauma therapy, our team at Calm Again Counseling in California can help. Together, we’ll create a personalized approach to help you feel grounded, whole, and calm again.
