The Body Remembers

Some thoughts on somatic practices and connecting to our greatest resource--ourselves!

somatic therapy according to AI. this is . . . hilarious to me. No thank you!!!!!

Hey all, 

Today’s newsletter is a personal essay about some recent experiences I have had with somatic therapy. Once a month I post a more personal essay behind the paywall. But before we get to the essay, I wanted to share some somatic resources with everyone here.

I can’t possibly sum up what somatic therapy is or how it works, so I will just share some YouTube videos that I think do a better job than I ever could of communicating its purpose. I see an in-person somatic therapist 2-3 times a month, but before I worked up the courage to do that (and to supplement my practice currently) I usually would just google somatic exercises for various things (releasing anxiety, hip joints, facial release, body scan, autistic people) and find which ones work for me. I am annoyed to discover that a lot of people put up videos like “somatic exercises for weight loss” which is so very BARF and also the opposite of what somatic therapy should be. So be aware of that shit out there! If you find someone you really like, follow their content and just try doing a few practices a week. The coolest thing about all of this is that if it works—if it gives you any connection to your body at all—it will have been so worth it. And if it doesn’t work for you, that’s also totally fine! 

I think of somatic therapists (including online ones) as co-regulators. It is so helpful for me to have another person guiding me through these experiences, although sometimes I do them on my own. So, here we go:

If you have 7 minutes: This is a great short intro into some easy somatic grounding practices (some of which you most likely already do!). If you want to skip the intro the practices start around 2:35 in. What makes me feel pretty mad/sad is that many of these somatic practices are very common autistic stims. How many people have been shamed into NOT utilizing these coping mechanisms in order to fit into “polite”¹ society? 

If you have 45 minutes: If I could get people to watch one video it would be this is a FANTASTIC longer meditation that also serves as a wonderful introduction to what somatic therapy is (plus the neuroscience behind it!). Think of it as a really great lecture that contains a LOT of experiential components. You will learn about somatic therapy by practicing some of the techniques! This isn’t for neurodivergent people specifically, but it really felt like it was made for us :)

It’s also nice sometimes to do a guided practice/meditation that helps us feel connected to the earth and to each other. I think Kai Cheng Thom is truly an incredible thinker, writer, poet, and somatic practitioner and this meditation is a great introduction to her work. I booked my mushroom tattoo long before I saw this video, but I think it’s so cool!!!!! To think about mushrooms and how they are all connected!!!!!!

If you are new to the science of somatic stuff, don’t worry. So many of us are! If you want to increase your somatic awareness—your body, its sensations, and what it is trying to tell you, this is a great video that introduces you to the theory behind the kind of somatic work I have been drawn to (and I really like this practitioner Staci Haines):

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Here Staci does a great job of explaining/talking the viewer through a somatic centering practice (it’s only 5 minutes long!):

Lastly, I did a course through The Embody Lab last year where I was introduced to a lot of great somatic practitioners. Many of them have written books you can get from the library or put up free content on YouTube. I have been so impressed by the trauma-informed nature of these practitioners and many of them are coming from a social justice lens (which is helpful to me and my own nervous system!)  You can check out that website, sign up for a free course, take notice of the names and specialities, and start exploring! This is about autonomy in every way, so trust your gut when it says something isn’t working for you—and trust it when it tells you something IS working! 

Healing is My Special Interest is a reader-supported newsletter. If you would like access to monthly personal essays, discussion groups, book clubs, and commenting privileges, please consider joining us as a paid subscriber! If you are unable to afford a subscription but feel like you would benefit from the content, please reach out to me at dlmmcsweeneys @ gmail.com and I will get you a free one-year paid subscription. 

Thank you to everyone who supports this work and makes it possible for me to write/curate this space! I’m so grateful to you. 

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Now, on to the personal essay :)