My Favorite Somatic Tools for the Therapy Room

Many people come to therapy expecting it to be mostly talking. And talking is an important part of therapy. But one of the things I appreciate most about incorporating somatic, or body-based, approaches is that they offer another way to explore what we're experiencing especially when words alone don’t seem to capture it.

Somatic therapy recognizes that our experiences affect both our minds and our bodies. Stress, anxiety, and overwhelming experiences often show up physically, whether that's muscle tension, a racing heart, shallow breathing, or feeling disconnected from ourselves. Sometimes working with the body can help create a sense of safety that makes emotional processing feel more accessible.

As a therapist and registered yoga teacher, I use body-based tools a lot, both in session and in my own life. These are some of my favorites. Most of them you can try right now, wherever you are.

A Quick Note Before You Start

You don't have to be in crisis to use these. They actually work better as regular practices than as emergency fixes. The more consistently you use them, the more your nervous system learns to come back to calm on its own.

If you have a history of trauma, it can be helpful to explore these practices with the support of a therapist. The goal isn't to force yourself into a particular feeling, but to notice what feels supportive and move at your own pace.

1. Somatic Shaking

This is probably the tool that surprises people the most. It can feel a little unusual at first, but many people are pleasantly surprised by how grounding or relieving it feels once they give it a try.

The idea behind somatic shaking is that movement can help our bodies release built-up tension after periods of stress. You've probably seen a dog do this after getting startled. That shaking is the nervous system resetting itself. Humans have the same mechanism, but most of us have learned to suppress it, to hold still, stay composed, not make it weird. Research shows it activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps discharge stress that gets stored in the body.

How to try it: Stand with your feet a bit wider than hip-width, knees soft. Start to gently bounce through your knees, like you're letting yourself be a little loose. You can also shake out your hands, let your arms swing, or bounce lightly on your heels. The goal is just to let your body move without trying to control it too much.

Start with just a minute or two and notice what you experience. Some people feel more energized, some feel calmer, and others may not notice much at all. The goal isn't to create a particular outcome, but simply to become more aware of how your body responds.

2. Grounding

When anxiety kicks in, a lot of us kind of float out of our bodies. We get stuck in our heads, running through worst-case scenarios, thinking about the future, losing track of what's actually happening right now. Grounding is a way to pull your attention back into the present through your senses.

My go-to is the 5-4-3-2-1 method:

• 5 things you can see

• 4 things you can physically feel (feet on the floor, texture of your clothes, temperature of the air)

• 3 things you can hear

• 2 things you can smell

• 1 thing you can taste

The specificity is what makes it work. Grounding helps redirect your attention back to what's happening in the present moment instead of getting pulled further into anxious thoughts.

A few other grounding practices I use a lot:

Child's Pose. From kneeling, sink your hips back toward your heels and fold your torso forward, forehead resting on the floor or a blanket. Arms can reach forward or rest alongside you. It's a pretty simple shape but it's genuinely calming. The forward fold and the light pressure of your own body weight both help regulate the nervous system. Stay for two to five minutes and just breathe.

Feet on the floor. Press your feet flat into the ground and actually pay attention to what you feel. The texture, the temperature, the firmness underneath you. It sounds almost too simple, but noticing that you're supported can be surprisingly effective when everything feels like a lot

3. Breathwork

Breathwork is one of my favorite tools because it's simple, accessible, and something you can practice almost anywhere.

The reason it's effective is physiological: slow, controlled breathing, especially when your exhale is longer than your inhale, activates the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the part of your nervous system responsible for rest and recovery. Research published in Physiological Reports found that 4-7-8 breathing improved heart rate variability and reduced blood pressure, both signs of parasympathetic activation.

Here are the three I recommend most:

4-7-8 Breathing This one is good for moments when anxiety feels more acute. Inhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 7, exhale through your mouth for 8. Many people notice that extending the exhale helps them feel a little more settled. A slower exhale signals the vagus nerve to activate the calming response. Even two or three rounds is usually enough to feel a shift.

Box Breathing Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4. Repeat. The rhythm is what makes this one useful. It gives your nervous system something predictable to follow, which is calming on its own. I use this one a lot in session when someone needs to settle before going into something harder.

Deep Belly Breaths This is the most basic and also genuinely useful. Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly. Breathe in through your nose and let your belly rise first. Exhale slowly and let it fall. Most of us breathe high in the chest when we're stressed, which actually reinforces the stress response. Belly breathing encourages a slower, fuller breath, which many people find calming. Five slow breaths is a good place to start.

4. Yoga Poses for Calming

Some yoga shapes are genuinely regulating for the nervous system. These are the ones I reach for when the goal is to slow things down.

Pigeon Pose (or Reclined Pigeon) Many people notice they carry a lot of tightness through their hips. Whether that's from sitting all day, stress, or individual differences, gentle hip-opening poses can sometimes feel relieving. Pigeon is a deep hip opener, and holding it for a few minutes can create a real sense of release. If traditional pigeon doesn't feel accessible, the reclined version works just as well: lie on your back, cross your right ankle over your left thigh, flex your right foot, and either stay here or gently draw your legs toward your chest. Hold for two to four minutes on each side, breathing steadily. Don't push into it. Let gravity do the work.

Supported Fish Pose This one is a gentle chest opener, and it's really good for anxiety. I like this pose because it gently opens the front of the body and encourages slower breathing. It can feel especially supportive after spending hours hunched over a computer or carrying tension through the shoulders. To try it: roll up a blanket or grab a yoga block and place it horizontally across your upper back, just below your shoulder blades. Let your arms rest open to the sides, palms up. Let your chest open and just stay there. This can be held for five to ten minutes and is one of the more restful things you can do for your nervous system.

5. Yoga Poses for Confidence

Not every somatic practice is about slowing down. Sometimes we're looking to feel more grounded, steady, or connected to our own strength.. These poses are good for that.

Tree Pose Stand on one foot, press the sole of your other foot against your inner calf or thigh (skip the knee), and bring your hands to your heart or overhead. Find a fixed point to look at. Breathe. Tree is a balance pose, so you will wobble. That's actually the point. Practicing recovering from the wobble, rather than tensing up to avoid it, is part of what makes it useful off the mat too.

Warrior I and Warrior II Both Warriors ask you to take up space and hold your ground, which is harder than it sounds for a lot of people.

Warrior I: step one foot back, bend your front knee to 90 degrees, raise your arms overhead, and press down through both feet.

Warrior II: from a wide stance, bend your front knee and extend your arms out parallel to the floor, gazing forward over your front fingertips.

I often appreciate these poses because they invite a sense of stability and presence. They're a reminder that confidence isn't always about feeling fearless. It can also come from staying grounded even when things feel uncertain.

Using These Outside of Session

I share all of this because these tools are useful and I think people should have access to them whether or not they're in therapy.

That said, if you want to go deeper, this is also what I do in session. In therapy, these practices are never about "fixing" your nervous system. They're simply one way we can build awareness, develop coping skills, and explore what helps you feel more grounded and connected to yourself. 

I work with adults and teens (15+) in person in Ferndale and virtually anywhere in Michigan. I have afternoon and evening appointments available.

About Caitlin Estep, LLPC, RYT

Caitlin is a therapist and registered yoga teacher at Middle Way Wellness in Ferndale, MI. She works with adults and teens (15+) using a holistic, mind-body approach that integrates mindfulness, somatic approaches, breathwork, and traditional talk therapy when it feels supportive for each individual client. Before becoming a therapist, she worked in career counseling and education, and she brings that same interest in each person's individual story and goals into her clinical work.

Her style is warm, collaborative, and practical. She's especially interested in how the mind-body connection can support people dealing with anxiety, depression, life transitions, and relationship challenges.

MA, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Oakland University | BS, Psychology, Western Michigan University | 200-Hour RYT, My Vinyasa Practice

Learn more about Caitlin | Book a free consultation

Middle Way Wellness | 359 Livernois #202, Ferndale, MI | In-person and virtual throughout Michigan

Sources

Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

Vierra, J., Bui, P., Hudes, G., & Lona, D. (2022). Effects of sleep deprivation and 4-7-8 breathing control on heart rate variability, blood pressure, blood glucose, and endothelial function in healthy young adults. Physiological Reports, 10(13), e15389. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9277512/

Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the tiger: Healing trauma. North Atlantic Books.