Somatic EMDR: An Integrated Approach to Trauma Healing

Your Loving Mind
Sep 10
3 min read

Living with trauma can feel overwhelming, especially when it shows up not only in our thoughts and emotions but also in the body. Many people notice physical symptoms such as tension, pain, or a sense of being “switched on” all the time. This is because trauma is often stored in the body as well as in memory.

Somatic EMDR is a therapeutic approach that brings together Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and body-centred (somatic) therapy. By addressing both mind and body, it offers a holistic way of processing trauma and finding greater calm, safety and resilience.

Understanding Somatic EMDR

Somatic EMDR draws together two well-established therapies:

EMDR, which uses bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements or tapping) to reprocess traumatic memories and reduce their intensity (en.wikipedia.org, miriamchorfreitas.com).
Somatic Therapy, which emphasises noticing and gently releasing bodily sensations linked to trauma, particularly those not easily expressed through words (miriamchorfreitas.com, neurolaunch.com).

By combining these, Somatic EMDR works with the whole person, helping to restore a sense of safety both mentally and physically.

Therapeutic Benefits of Somatic EMDR

Holistic Mind–Body Integration

Somatic EMDR recognises that trauma affects both mind and body, and supports deeper healing by engaging both levels (somatictherapypartners.com, pittsburghcit.com).

More Rapid Memory Processing

By pairing body awareness with EMDR’s bilateral stimulation, distressing memories can often be processed more effectively and quickly than with talking therapies alone (meaningfullifect.com).

Improved Emotional Regulation

Developing awareness of body signals helps clients learn self-soothing strategies, making it easier to manage overwhelming emotions in daily life (onlinececredits.com).

Reconnection with the Body

Trauma often leaves people feeling disconnected or unsafe in their own body. Somatic EMDR gently supports reconnection, helping individuals feel grounded again (pittsburghcit.com).

Relief from Physical Symptoms

Somatic EMDR can ease bodily symptoms of trauma such as chronic tension, pain and restlessness, offering relief that extends beyond emotional wellbeing (verywellhealth.com).

Comparing Somatic EMDR to Traditional Approaches

Approach	Focus & Benefits
Traditional EMDR	Processes traumatic memories through structured bilateral stimulation; highly effective for PTSD and anxiety (en.wikipedia.org).
Somatic Therapy	Focuses on body awareness, movement and sensation; effective for trauma stored in the body (neurolaunch.com).
Somatic EMDR	Combines both: structured memory reprocessing and body-centred awareness, ideal for complex trauma and those who feel disconnected from their body (somatictherapypartners.com).

Theoretical and Neuroscientific Foundations

Adaptive Information Processing Mode lEMDR works on the principle that trauma disrupts the brain’s natural processing. Bilateral stimulation helps reintegrate traumatic memories in a way that reduces their emotional impact (en.wikipedia.org).
Embodied Emotion Research highlights that emotions are not just cognitive—they are experienced through the body. This underlines the value of including somatic awareness in trauma therapy (arxiv.org).

Conclusion

Healing from trauma takes courage, and no single approach works for everyone. Somatic EMDR offers a gentle yet powerful way of addressing both the emotional and physical impact of trauma. By combining memory reprocessing with body awareness, it can help people feel calmer, more grounded, and more connected to themselves.

If you are considering therapy for trauma, Somatic EMDR may be a pathway towards not just coping, but truly healing.