A Case Study on How Somatic Therapy Can Helped You Heal
Emma had spent years trying to keep up.
She was the kind of person who always took pride in how much she had on her plate. At work, she was praised and relied upon for her efficiency and problem-solving skills. In her personal life, she juggled family responsibilities, social commitments, and the unspoken pressure to have it all together. No matter how much she achieved, there was always more to do.
But beneath the surface, anxiety was her constant companion.
Her mind raced with never-ending to-do lists, self-doubt, and the fear of falling behind. She would wake up already exhausted, her chest tight before the day even began. She told herself she just needed to be more productive, more organized, and more in control. If she could just do more, maybe she’d finally feel like enough.
She ignored the signs of burnout, pushing through even when her body begged her to stop. She planned to slow down eventually, when things settled. But things never settled. After an overwhelming personal loss, everything unraveled at once.
A Different Way to Heal
Emma had tried talk therapy before. She understood her patterns, could rationalize her emotions, and knew what she “should” be doing. But knowing wasn’t the same as changing.
She felt frustrated. If she had all the answers, why was she still struggling?
That’s when she found somatic therapy.
At first, it felt unfamiliar. She had spent years living in her head, analyzing, problem-solving, and thinking her way through everything. The idea of focusing on her body—on sensations, tension, and movement—felt almost too simple. But she kept going.
Her therapist introduced her to exercises that weren’t about fixing or analyzing. They were about feeling, noticing, and reconnecting with herself.
- Grounding through movement – Instead of treating exercise as another task to complete, she learned to move in a way that felt natural. Some days, that meant gentle yoga. Some days she felt like she could go for a run. Other days, simply stretching or rolling her shoulders was enough.
- Orienting to safety – When anxiety spiked, she practiced looking around the room and naming objects. A simple exercise, but one that helped calm her nervous system and remind her she was safe.
- Noticing without judgment – Instead of shutting down her emotions, she began to listen to them. The tight chest and clenched jaw she constantly felt? They were signals from her body, guiding her toward what she needed- rest, speaking her truth, a stretch.
The Shift
Somatic therapy didn’t erase her struggles overnight. Some days, she still felt the weight of expectations pressing down. But little by little, she noticed changes.
When she first set successful boundaries, she realised people didn’t hate her or it. They understood. When she stopped treating self-care as indulgent and started seeing it as necessary, she found that she had more energy and flow in her day.
Most importantly, she let go of the idea that she had to earn rest, ease, or the right to just be.
She still worked in a fast-paced environment, but she moved through it differently. More present. More aware. More in tune with herself.
She had found her way out of the maze. Not by pushing harder, but by learning to navigate with balance.
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