Let’s get something out of the way: therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. What works for your best friend might make you want to crawl out of your skin. And honestly? That’s kind of the point. Therapy is personal.
So, if you’ve been scrolling through therapist bios and you’ve seen the term somatic experiencing therapy pop up, you might’ve wondered – what is that? And how is it different from, you know, regular therapy?
Let’s talk about it. Not in a stiff clinical tone, but like we’re two people sitting on a couch, figuring this out together. Maybe with coffee. Or tea. Or a stress ball, depending on the day.
Talk Therapy: The Classic
Alright, first up: talk therapy. It’s the classic setup. You show up, maybe a little nervous. Sit on a comfy couch (or a stiff chair, depending on the office vibe). And you talk. About your week, your past, that time you cried in a Trader Joe’s parking lot. Whatever’s real.
There’s something kind of magical about putting your thoughts into words. Especially with someone trained to gently ask, “Why do you think that is?” without making you feel like you’re being interrogated.
Talk therapy is especially helpful if:
• You tend to process through conversation
• You want clarity around thoughts, patterns, or relationships
• You’re navigating something recent and want to make sense of it
It’s great. But it’s not everything.
Because sometimes, no matter how much you talk, your body still feels like it’s bracing for impact. You know you’re safe, but your shoulders haven’t gotten the memo.
So… What Is Somatic Experiencing Therapy?
Here’s the thing: somatic experiencing therapy isn’t about talking. It’s about listening – to your body.
Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, somatic experiencing is rooted in the idea that trauma doesn’t live in your thoughts, it lives in your nervous system. Which means even if you’ve “processed” something mentally, your body might still be holding on like a dog with a chew toy.
This kind of therapy helps you tune in to physical sensations – tightness, heat, trembling, numbness – and work with them instead of around them. It’s subtle. Sometimes you’re just sitting there, tracking the feeling in your hands. Sometimes you move. Sometimes you don’t.
The wild part? Your body already knows what it needs to release. This therapy helps you stop overriding that wisdom.
It’s especially helpful for:
• Folks who’ve hit a wall with traditional talk therapy
• People with trauma they can’t (or don’t want to) talk about
• Chronic anxiety, dissociation, or that “numb but wired” feeling
• Nervous system dysregulation (if you constantly feel like you’re on high alert, this one’s for you)
And no, it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It just means your body’s been working overtime trying to keep you safe.
But Can’t I Do Both?
Absolutely. In fact, some of the best results come from blending the two: talking and tracking. Imagine pairing deep insight with body-level release. That’s not fluff. That’s repair.
Think of it like this: talk therapy helps you understand why you keep driving into the same emotional potholes. Somatic experiencing helps your body stop flinching every time you hit one.
You don’t have to choose one forever. You can try one, switch later, or mix them. Therapy is not a loyalty program. It’s a tool kit.
So… Which Is Right for You?
If you love unpacking ideas and feel better after venting? Try traditional talk therapy.
If talking makes you freeze up, or if your body always feels ten steps ahead of your mind? Somatic experiencing might be your missing link.
And if you’re not sure? That’s okay too. Try something. Feel it out. It’s not a marriage. It’s a practice.
Final Thought (Or Maybe a Nudge)
If you’re curious, like really curious, about what your body’s been trying to say beneath all the chatter, somatic experiencing therapy might be worth a shot.
Especially if you’re in the Lake Arrowhead area… and especially if you’ve done the talking and still feel like something’s stuck.You don’t need to come with the right words. You don’t need to explain everything perfectly. You just need to show up, and let your body finally catch its breath.