What is somatics?
intro
Whilst you’ve likely heard the term thrown around on your Instagram feed, in wellness circles, or even during a therapy session, ‘somatics’ is the kind of word that can feel intimidating; overly technical and therefore easy to file away in the brain under “forget”.
But hidden beneath the term is a world of revelations and literal miracles! And in actual fact, Somatics Saved My Life.
So I’m breaking down what, as a Somatic Coach who supports mothers and creative women and femmes to alchemize the harms of their past into the medicine and art that heals the world, I feel are the key things you need to know about somatics in order to identify if it’s a healing modality that’s right for you.
Here’s my spoiler alert:
I believe somatics is for everybody, because it is literally the practice of reentering the full experience of being human.
We’ll dive more into that—but let’s start from the very beginning.
I.
what is a soma?
‘Soma’ is the Greek word for ‘body’; however while our modern overculture tends to define the body as our physical form only—something separate from ‘mind’ and ‘soul’—
‘soma’ describes the whole human organism: our complex (and super-intelligent) system of systems—mental, emotional, energetic, physical, and spiritual—that, combined, make up the human organism that shapes the way we (our Souls) experience the world.
So what is somatics? what does it do?
Somatics is the practice of exploring and inhabiting our soma—the collective of our mental, emotional, energetic, physical, and spiritual bodies.
Through somatics, we practice:
inhabiting our senses,
giving full presence and attention to our sensations,
listening to them with curiosity and receiving information,
and allowing what’s happening in the body, whether emotion, pain, memory, or sensation to be acknowledged, felt, and processed.
In doing this, we directly experience our True Self, and we uncover pure and undistorted insights and information that helps us to make life decisions that are truly aligned with who we actually are.
And because we tap into this wisdom by experiencing it (rather than through mental analysis for example), when answers arise, we are able to Know with confidence that we have the right answer for us, rather than just thinking we know what to do (which typically leads to more flip-flopping soon after).
II.
SO what are the gains?
In other words, practicing somatics naturally results in authentic Self-Knowledge, because it introduces us to our True Self (a.k.a our Whole Self, a.k.a. our Soul).
The pain, overwhelm, overthinking, and coping responses that manifest as a result of unprocessed "negative” life experiences take us away from feeling at home in our body, and as a result, we spend huge portions (sometimes all!) of our lives living in our heads and feeling at war within ourselves—because in essence, we are.
Our final definition of ‘soma’ also signifies wholeness: we are whole when we inhabit our soma and connect with our Soul—because that is who we truly are. Somatic coaching supports the integration of aspects of the Self that are in conflict to support peace, calm, clarity, and confidence in abundance!
how does somatic coaching compare to therapy?
First off, a quick and important distinction: therapy is the non-negotiable choice when one is in crisis; coaching is for people seeking tools, support, and accountability to amplify and improve their life. There is definitely crossover: therapists can coach; and trauma-trained coaches can support in the processing of trauma—but the focus of coaching is always on the present and future, while in therapy you’re dealing largely with the past and how it impacts the present.
Unlike talk therapy, which deals with seeking ways forward and healing from past trauma, limiting patterns, and pain and grief, through mental processing,
somatic coaching supports you to receive the utterly unique-to-you insights that come from your soma, and your lived experience—such that the guidance you receive feels utterly and unequivocally true*—because it IS. And it’s SO much easier—not to mention more fun and ultimately more successful—to take empowered action towards your dreams and goals when you know that you’re on your right and aligned path!
This is where somatic coaching creates whole new levels of healing, insight, and empowerment—because YOU become the confident expert on the next right move for you, no matter how “unconventional,” “strange,” or “out there” it may seem to others.
*When working with a somatic coach, it’s important to ensure that they are certified, or at the very least trauma-trained. Psychological safety is just as critical in a somatic coaching session as it is in the therapy room. When done in a psychologically-safe and trauma-trained way, no matter what you and your coach may come upon in a session, you are protected from becoming overwhelmed or retraumatized by the events of the past.
III.
can you give me some examples of others’ transformations through somatic coaching?
My clients have seen all kinds of incredible transformations! Check out the following blog post for case studies:
somatic coaching: case studies
Read some of our client case studies to see how working inside of WHOLE HOUSE’S somatic coaching programs (ORACLE, HEALER, & HEROINE) have transformed their lives. ✨
WHAT’S NEXT?
IF my particular brand of SOMATIC COACHING FEELS LIKE THE FIT FOR YOU AND YOU'RE READY TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT YOUR MOST AUTHENTIC AND ALIGNED (AND COURAGEOUS AF) TRANSFORMATION, I’M SO EXCITED TO CONNECT WITH YOU! CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW TO GET STARTED 💛
kate juniper
LEO 🌞 VIRGO 🌝 VIRGO ⇧
Kate is the Founder & CEO (Chief Embodiment Officer) of WHOLE HOUSE. She is a writer & book editor; trauma-trained & certified MindBody somatic coach; Reiki Master & energy healer; workshop & retreat facilitator, & serial creative entrepreneur.
As a neurospicy survivor of CSA, she’s seen some sh*t—and many, many thanks to somatics, she has lived to tell the tale—and to support fellow ambitious, creative, multi-passionate and “squiggly-brained” women and femmes to alchemize their pasts into powerful fuel for their stunning futures, just as she has. 💛