Trauma Therapist in Denver: How Somatic Therapy Can Help Your Trauma
Trauma isn’t just something that lives in your mind; it’s something your body remembers too. Whether it’s chronic stress, relational trauma, or an event that shook your sense of safety, trauma leaves its mark on your entire nervous system. Somatic therapy is an approach that goes beyond talking about what happened—it helps your body let go of the impact, so you can feel freer and more grounded in your everyday life.
In this blog, we’ll explore what somatic therapy is, how trauma gets held in the body, and why working somatically can create deep and lasting relief.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach to healing that recognizes the connection between your physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts. Instead of focusing solely on analyzing the past or changing your thinking patterns, somatic therapy invites you to tune into your body and its messages. By doing so, you can uncover patterns of tension, postures, and sensations that often reveal how you’ve adapted to trauma.
My method is grounded in polyvagal theory, which explains how your nervous system responds to safety and danger. Through guided awareness, gentle movement, and practices that engage your senses, somatic therapy helps you regulate your nervous system and build a sense of safety from within.
How Somatic Therapy for Trauma Looks
Somatic therapy is a slowed-down, mindful process that prioritizes your safety and emotional regulation. While there is still space for talking in sessions, the focus is on continuously guiding you back to your body. This is because talking alone can sometimes be more dysregulating, especially when revisiting painful memories or emotions. Somatic therapy mitigates the risk of becoming overwhelmed by grounding the process in the present moment, making it a safer and more supportive approach than traditional talk therapy.
In our work together, I may help you notice subtle physical sensations, shifts in posture, or patterns of tension that reveal how your body has been holding onto trauma. This gentle exploration creates opportunities for healing without reactivating the overwhelm that can come with revisiting the hardest experiences.
Another vital aspect of somatic therapy is inner child work. Many of the wounds carried by your inner child—the younger part of you that felt scared, unseen, or unsafe—continue to influence how you feel and respond as an adult. I guide you in reparenting your inner child, helping it feel safe, supported, and loved. This process not only heals old wounds but also strengthens your ability to show yourself compassion and care.
How Trauma Is Held in the Body
Trauma doesn’t just affect your memories or emotions; it’s stored in your body through patterns of tension, posture, and reactivity. This is especially true if your nervous system has been chronically dysregulated due to ongoing stress or unsafe relationships. Here are some common symptoms of a dysregulated nervous system:
Chronic pain (such as neck, back, or shoulder pain)
Digestive issues or a persistently upset stomach
Trouble sleeping or frequent nightmares
Fatigue or exhaustion, even after rest
Hypervigilance or always being on edge
Difficulty concentrating or feeling foggy
Emotional reactivity, such as intense anger or sadness
Feelings of numbness or disconnection from your body
These symptoms often arise because your body has adapted to survive danger, even when the danger is no longer present. For example, if you grew up around a volatile parent, you may have learned to stay small and out of sight by slouching or tensing your shoulders. Over time, this protective posture can lead to chronic pain and a sense of being physically and emotionally restricted.
How Somatic Therapy Works on a Deeper Level
Somatic therapy helps release the old patterns your body has been holding onto, freeing you to move through life with more ease and safety. Here’s how it works:
Uncovering Old Patterns: By gently exploring sensations and postures, you can begin to identify how your body has adapted to past experiences. For example, slouching or tensing your shoulders to stay small may feel automatic, but it’s often tied to a deeper sense of fear or self-protection.
Releasing Tension: Through somatic techniques such as breathwork, you can help your body let go of chronic tension. This not only alleviates physical pain but also creates space for new emotional experiences, like feeling safe or relaxed.
Reparenting Your Inner Child: Many people find it easier to talk about their hardest experiences than to show themselves compassion. That’s why somatic therapy includes practices to help you reparent your inner child. By learning to approach yourself with kindness and care, you can heal old wounds and develop a stronger sense of self-worth.
Building Resilience: Somatic therapy isn’t just about letting go—it’s also about creating. You can learn to embody more resilient states by practicing movements, postures, or breathing patterns that support relaxation and strength. Over time, these practices rewire your nervous system, so safety becomes your new baseline.
A Real-Life Example
Imagine you were scared to be near a volatile parent growing up. To protect yourself, you made your body smaller by slouching and tightening your shoulders. Years later, you may find yourself struggling with chronic back and shoulder pain, as well as a lingering sense of tension and fear. You might struggle to take up space, feel insecure, and have a deeply-rooted belief that you are too much or not enough.
In somatic therapy, we might explore this posture together—noticing what it feels like, how it’s connected to your emotions, and what happens when you allow your body to move differently. As your shoulders relax and your posture opens up, you might feel a sense of release, not just in your body but in your emotions too. You might also feel a bit uncomfortable or vulnerable. We might even address your inner child directly and speak to it with compassion, saying something like “there’s space for the real you”. By playing with these somatic experiences in your body and being intentional about where you focus your attention, you can make room for a new way of being—being more confident and feeling free to take up space without fear of being too much. This process can help you connect with a deeper sense of safety and reclaim your body’s natural vitality.
The Benefits of Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy can help you:
Release chronic tension and pain
Feel more connected to your body and emotions
Develop a sense of safety and groundedness
Move through life with more confidence and ease
Reduce hypervigilance and feel more relaxed
Build resilience and adaptability in the face of stress
About Me: A Trauma Therapist in Denver
As a trauma therapist in Denver, I specialize in helping people heal from complex trauma, relational trauma, chronic pain, and eating disorders. My approach is informed by somatic and neurobiology-based modalities, which means I work with your body’s natural rhythms to help you find relief from within.
If you feel lost or disconnected, know that you don’t have to navigate this alone. Together, we can explore the patterns that are holding you back and create a path toward greater freedom and authenticity. I offer virtual sessions to Colorado residents, so you can access care from the comfort of your own space.
Ready to Begin?
Healing from trauma is a journey, but it’s one you don’t have to take alone. Somatic therapy offers a unique and powerful way to reconnect with your body, release old wounds, and step into a more resilient, grounded version of yourself.
If you’re ready to start this journey, reach out today. Let’s work together to help you feel safer, stronger, and more connected to who you truly are.
Do you feel like your sessions tend to end right as you are warming up? Do you feel rushed or pressured to get to certain topics because the sessions go by too fast? If you are looking for longer sessions for unrushed time to explore your patterns and acclerate your healing, I offer immersive sessions. They work well for people with trauma who are enjoy hyperfocusing and having plenty of time to dive deep.
About the Author
Martha Carter is a licensed therapist providing virtual services in Colorado. She is trauma-informed and trained in somatic, neurobiology-based modalities to help people with all types of trauma, chronic pain, and eating disorders heal from the inside out.
(Colorado residents only)
