Three Myths about Somatic Healing (And What’s Actually True)
As somatic healing, somatic therapy, and somatic exercises continue to rise in visibility on Instagram and TikTok, I’ve noticed more clients coming to therapy or coaching with me after seeing dramatic videos of people having big “somatic releases.”
Naturally, what we see online begins to shape what we expect. When clients watch these clips, they understandably can assume that somatic healing always looks intense or highly emotional — and that can create confusion or even hesitation before beginning the work.
Because social media tends to amplify the most flashy, dramatic, or extreme experiences — and because we live in a culture that still whispers, “Bigger is better” or “I have to do more to get better results” — many people carry misconceptions about what somatic healing actually is.
And since this field is still emerging and largely unregulated, those misunderstandings can easily spread.
That’s why I’m excited to clear up a few myths with you today — especially if you’re an ambitious, high-performing, soulful person who craves depth and growth but is ready for healing that feels gentle, sustainable, and real.
Myth #1: Somatic Therapy Is Heavy and Intense
When people first hear about somatic therapy, they may imagine something intense: shaking uncontrollably, crying for hours, or reliving painful memories.
That’s not what true somatic healing is about.
Real somatic work honors the wisdom of your body — and that means working at the speed of safety. Gentle is not the opposite of powerful; it’s actually the pathway to deep, lasting healing. Especially for those who are seeking to break free from over-responsibility, perfectionism, and people-pleasing.
Your nervous system doesn’t heal through force or catharsis. It heals through feeling safe enough to soften.
In fact, one of the most transformative parts of somatic healing is learning that you don’t have to “push through” discomfort or make big things happen. You can pause, breathe, notice the support of the chair beneath you, and let your body know, “We’re okay now.”
This can be a birthplace of lasting, sustainable change for people.
Almost all of the somatic work I do with clients is incredibly simple and gentle — yet clients are often surprised by how these practices and subtle movements help them create profound shifts within their bodies and psyches.
Myth #2: Somatic Exercises Are the Ultimate Cure-All for Trauma Healing
Our culture tends to feed on the concept of saviorism — the idea that one person, practice, or thing will save us from our pain and magically take it away. Unfortunately, this mindset often spills into the wellness and healing world, too.
As new modalities like somatic therapy become more visible, people can be influenced by urgency-based marketing or “either/or” messaging online — and think: If I just learn the right somatic exercises, I can heal all my trauma and my life will instantly change.
While somatic exercises are incredibly effective tools for nervous-system regulation, somatic healing isn’t a one-size-fits-all quick fix.
Somatic practices can help you access your body’s innate capacity to self-regulate, reconnect with your vitality, creativity, and sense of safety. These experiences can be life-changing — especially for trauma survivors.
At the same time, as Bessel van der Kolk shares in The Body Keeps the Score, sustainable trauma healing requires a holistic approach — one that supports the whole person. This includes:
Safe, attuned, and trust-centered relationships
Hydration
Nourishing nutrition
Movement
Time in nature and access to sunlight
Creative self-expression
Meaningful, purpose-driven work or vocation
These elements, alongside somatic exercises, create the foundation for authentic, integrated healing.
Somatic work isn’t about doing more or doing it right. It’s about cultivating the capacity to feel safely. Over time — ideally with a skilled therapist, practitioner, or coach who helps your body learn new ways to respond — your system begins to trust that it can stay present, even in challenging moments.
That’s what rewires old patterns and creates lasting transformation.
Myth #3: If I Don’t Have a Big Release, I’m Not Doing Somatic Healing Right
This is a big one.
Many people believe that unless they have a deep cry, experience intense shaking, or have a dramatic release, nothing is happening.
But your nervous system might be used to high intensity — so when things finally slow down, it can feel anticlimactic. The truth is: that slowing down is the healing.
There are many ways the body releases energy. Here are some softer, subtler, and equally valid signs of somatic release and nervous-system regulation:
A spontaneous deep exhale
Shoulders dropping naturally
A sensation of opening across the chest
Feeling lighter or more grounded
Gentle tingling in the feet, legs, or jaw
Laughing or tearing up
Feeling more alert or clear
A sensation of sinking or resting into the body
These are all signs that your body is learning safety — not through fireworks, but through softness. When you stop chasing “big releases” and start celebrating the small ones, your system learns that peace is safe, too.
Research supports this:
Yawning and sighing activate the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling relaxation and restoration (Corey et al., 2012)
Stomach gurgles are a sign of vagal activation, indicating the body is shifting into a state of safety and rest (Porges, 2011)
Small tremors and muscle twitches are neurogenic discharges that naturally release tension and stress from the nervous system (Berceli & Napoli, 2006)
The Truth About Gentle Healing (and How It Actually Works)
Somatic healing is gentle, but it’s not passive. It’s deeply active work — just in a quieter, more sustainable way.
Your nervous system thrives on small, repeated experiences of safety. Every time you let yourself exhale fully, notice support beneath you, or choose rest over push, you’re rewiring old patterns of survival into new patterns of presence and trust.
Gentleness is not weakness. It’s how your system learns to stop bracing and start opening again. Over time, those subtle shifts add up to profound changes in how you live, lead, love, and create.
How to Begin Somatic Healing in a Safe, Sustainable Way
If you’re curious to explore somatic healing, here are a few gentle ways to start — based on former blog posts of mine:
A Somatic Practice to Calm Intense Worry and Fear in the Moment
How Small Daily Changes Help Your Brain Integrate Big Shifts
Seeking 1:1 Support?
If this resonates with you, here are ways we can work together:
👉 For therapy in Connecticut or New York, schedule a consultation here.
👉 For private coaching worldwide, book a coaching consultation here.
With care,
Heather
References
Corey, T. P., et al. (2012). Yawning as a paraphysiological mechanism for regulating arousal and thermoregulation: Evidence and theory. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(3), 765–779.
Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W.W. Norton.
Berceli, D., & Napoli, M. (2006). A Proposal for a Mindfulness-Based Trauma Prevention Program in Schools. Journal of Counseling & Development, 84(4), 405–410.
