What are Somatic Exercises? A Guide for Christians Curious About Energy, Emotions, and the Body

The word “Somatic” seems to be popping up everywhere, but what are somatic exercises? You might hear about somatic therapy on a podcast, see somatic workouts on Instagram, or come across someone talking about somatic exercises to release emotions, regulate the nervous system, and balance the body’s energy.

But what does “somatic” actually mean? And if you’re a Christian, is this something worth exploring?

Underneath all the terminology is a simple idea: we are intricate, complex, embodied people. What happens emotionally can affect us physically, and paying attention to what’s happening within us can help us better understand and care for ourselves.

In this blog, we’ll unpack what somatic healing really means, explore the connection between emotions and the body, consider what the Bible has to say about it, and look at what somatic exercises might look like for Christians.

What is Somatic Healing?

Somatic healing is a way of working holistically with the body, emotions, nervous system, and mind. The word somatic is simply a fancy way of saying “relating to the body.” 

Somatic healing looks at the connection between the mind and body, recognizing that what we experience emotionally can also show up physically. 

For example, think about the last time you were really nervous. How did you feel physically? Maybe your heart started racing, you got butterflies in your stomach, your shoulders tightened, or you felt jittery.

Or think about a time when you were grieving. How did sadness show up in your body? Perhaps it felt like heaviness in your chest, unexplained tiredness, a lump in your throat, or a complete lack of energy.

Somatic healing involves paying attention to physical sensations and becoming curious about what those sensations might be communicating. Instead of ignoring them or pushing them aside, you learn to slow down and notice what your body is telling you.

Over time, that awareness can help you recognize stress, process emotions, and develop healthier ways of responding to what you’re experiencing. 

What Are Somatic Exercises? A Different Approach to Emotions 

Somatic healing can also change the way you think about emotions. Rather than seeing an emotion as something that only happens in your mind, you may begin to notice it as something you experience physically. 

When we experience an emotion, we don’t just think about it. We feel it. Fear might make your heart race. Anger can make your body feel hot and tense. Excitement can make you feel energized, while grief can leave you feeling completely drained.

So when people talk about emotions as “energy,” they may be describing the very real physical experience of an emotion. Emotions can affect our heart rate, breathing, muscles, and overall sense of what is happening in our bodies. 

How Can Christians Engage in Somatic Therapy?

Christians can approach somatic therapy from a place of confidence in the goodness of God’s creation. We have a high view of the body because God created us holistically with wisdom and purpose. 

Our bodies aren’t separate from our emotional or spiritual lives, so paying attention to what we’re experiencing physically doesn’t have to mean embracing a new spirituality. Instead, it can be a way of becoming more aware of how God created us to experience the world. 

We can notice how stress affects our bodies, recognize when we’re holding tension, become more aware of our emotions, and learn healthier ways to respond to what we’re experiencing.

At the same time, not every somatic practice or teaching about energy fits within a Christian worldview. Some approaches incorporate beliefs that Christians may want to approach with discernment. 

The important thing is to understand what a particular practice teaches, what it asks you to believe, and what you’re actually engaging with. We can explore how God created our bodies while being thoughtful about the beliefs and practices we encounter along the way. 

For Christians who are curious about energy, a great place to start is to simply become more aware of your own experience. Ask yourself, “What am I feeling? Where do I feel it? What happens in my body when I experience stress, fear, joy, anger, or peace?” 

As we become more present to what is happening within us, we can invite God’s presence into those places. We can bring our emotions, bodies, and experiences to Him and make space for His healing.

Is Somatic Healing Biblical?

“Somatic healing” is a modern term, so you won’t find it in the Bible. But the idea that our bodies, emotions, and spiritual lives are connected is certainly not new. Scripture gives us plenty of examples of people experiencing emotions in very physical ways: 

• David describes emotional pain as physical pain. In Psalm 32:3, David says that when he kept silent about his sin, his “bones wasted away.” His inner distress was affecting him physically.
• Elijah needed physical care after emotional distress. After a frightening and exhausting experience, Elijah became overwhelmed and wanted to die. God didn’t simply tell him to try harder or have more faith. He gave him food, water, rest, and time to recover (1 Kings 19:1–8).
• Jesus experienced deep physical and emotional distress. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus tells His disciples that His soul is “very sorrowful.” Luke also describes His anguish in physical terms (Matthew 26:36–38; Luke 22:44).
• Scripture recognizes the effect of emotions on the body. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh,” showing that our inner lives can have a real effect on our physical well-being.
• God created our bodies with intention and care. Psalm 139:13–14 celebrates the way God formed us, and 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 reminds Christians that the body matters to God.

We don’t have to view the body as something that gets in the way of spiritual life. Our bodies are part of how God made us, and Scripture calls us to care for them. 

Paying attention to our bodies, then, isn’t inherently unspiritual. The question is what we’re being taught to believe about the body and where we believe healing ultimately comes from.

Does Somatic Therapy Work?

So, does Somatic Therapy actually work?

The answer isn’t quite as simple as yes or no. “Somatic therapy” is a broad term that can describe several different approaches, and some have more research behind them than others. 

There is growing research around therapies that work with the body’s response to stress and trauma, while some of the broader claims made in the wellness world are less established.

What we do know is that the mind and body are constantly communicating. Stress can affect your breathing, sleep, digestion, heart rate, muscle tension, and energy levels. Becoming more aware of these responses can help you recognize when something is off and give you another way to respond.

Examples of Somatic Exercises for Christians

You don’t need anything complicated to begin paying attention to your body. In fact, some of the simplest somatic practices can be the most helpful:

• Body Scan & Release: Slowly move your attention through your body. What do you notice in your jaw, shoulders, chest, stomach, or hands? Where are you carrying tension? 
  • Gently soften areas where you’re holding stress and ask God to help you release what you’re carrying.
• Breathing: Notice your breath. Is it shallow? Fast? Slow? Are you holding your breath without realizing it? Try taking a few slow, comfortable breaths and notice what changes. 
  • As you breathe, remember that God is the giver of life and invite Him to meet you in the present moment and help you receive His peace.
• Name Your Emotions: Sometimes we move through the day without ever stopping to ask what we’re actually feeling. Pause and ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” Are you anxious? Frustrated. Sad. Excited. Lonely. Peaceful. 
  • Notice where you feel the emotion in your body, then bring it honestly to God: “God, I give this to You. What do You want to do here?”
• Notice the Energy in Your Emotions: As you identify an emotion, notice the quality of energy that comes with it. Does it feel heavy, light, tense, warm, restless, expansive, or contracted? Where do you experience it in your body? 
  • Bring what you notice to God and ask, “God, what do You want me to notice or what are You inviting me to do with this?”
• Movement: Walking, stretching, swaying, dancing, or simply changing your posture can help you reconnect with your physical experience. 
  • Take a walk, stretch, sway, or dance while paying attention to how your body feels. Invite God into the movement with you. 
• Use Your Senses: Notice what you can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. 
  • Let your senses bring you back to the present moment and to an awareness of God’s creation.

FAQs About Somatic Therapy

What Are Somatic Exercises?

A simple example is body awareness. Sit quietly and notice physical sensations such as muscle tension, breathing, heart rate, or the feeling of your feet on the ground. Another example is slow breathing, gentle stretching, progressive muscle relaxation, or sensory grounding.

What Are the Benefits of Somatic Therapy?

Potential benefits depend on the specific therapy and the individual. Somatic approaches may help some people become more aware of physical signs of stress, develop relaxation skills, recognize emotional patterns, and regulate their responses to stressful situations. Research is stronger for some mind-body techniques than for others, so it’s important to evaluate the particular therapy rather than assuming every practice described as “somatic” has the same level of evidence.

Does Somatic Therapy Really Work?

It can be helpful for some people, but “somatic therapy” isn’t one single treatment. Different approaches have different levels of research supporting them. If you’re considering it, ask a qualified practitioner what specific method they use and what evidence supports that method. And if you’re dealing with significant trauma, anxiety, depression, or another mental-health condition, somatic therapy should not be viewed as a reason to discontinue appropriate professional care.

How Long Does It Take for Somatic Experiencing to Work?

There is no universal timeline. Some people may notice changes in their awareness or ability to calm themselves relatively quickly, while deeper therapeutic work can take considerably longer. The timeline can depend on the individual, the nature of the concern, the therapeutic approach, and how frequently sessions occur. Be cautious of anyone promising that a particular somatic technique will heal trauma or emotional problems in a fixed number of sessions.

How Often Should You Do Somatic Release?

There isn’t one ideal schedule for everyone. If you’re using simple practices such as gentle breathing, grounding, stretching, or body awareness, they may be incorporated into your routine as often as feels comfortable and helpful. If you’re working through significant trauma or intense emotional experiences, however, more isn’t necessarily better. Some exercises can bring difficult emotions to the surface. Working with a qualified therapist can help you determine an appropriate pace.

The goal isn’t to constantly “release” emotions. It’s to develop a healthier awareness of your body and emotions while responding to them in safe and constructive ways.

A Christian Approach to Somatic Practices

Christians don’t have to choose between ignoring the body and embracing every claim made by the modern wellness world. There is a middle path: curiosity with discernment.

What are somatic exercises? Somatic exercises can sometimes provide practical tools for noticing stress, calming the body, and becoming more aware of emotional experiences. Christians can evaluate those tools through the lens of Scripture rather than assuming that every explanation attached to them is spiritually sound.

For Christians, the ultimate source of healing and hope remains God. Somatic practices, when appropriate, can simply be tools we use with wisdom, humility, and discernment. 

Want to learn more about somatic practices for Christians? Check out our upcoming free workshop about Jesus & Chakras.