To date, my favourite explanation of somatic therapy is from generative somatics elder Staci Haines:
The word Somatics comes from the Greek root soma which means “the living body in its wholeness.” It’s the best word we’ve come up with in English to understand human beings as integrated mind/body/spirit, or a psycho-biology. This understanding is that people are not mind over matter (“if I think differently I will be different”), nor matter over mind or spirit (“a change in chemistry or medication will wholly change my experience”), rather we are all of these things combined – we are thinking and conceptual, we are emotional, we are biological, and we are spiritual. Somatics approaches people as this integrated whole, working with all of these aspects of who we are.
Perhaps what is most unique about Somatics is that it integrates the body (ourselves from the neck down) as an essential place of change, learning and transformation. You can think of it like muscles having memory and the tissues having intelligence. We have learned a more objectifying or dissociated view of the body as a pile of bones and tendons we think of as a science project.
Somatics looks at the body as a place of evolutionary intelligence and learning. Somatics sees the “self” or who we are as inseparable from the psycho-biology. Of course, the mind and body are never really separate (a mind cannot live without a body and vice versa) but we certainly try to operate as if they are. When we reconnect the vast intelligence of the body with the mind and spirit, powerful things happen.
Somatic Resilience
We are inherently resilient beings, with this strength embedded deep within our “soma,” a result of three billion years of evolutionary wisdom. In a somatic sense, resilience is our innate ability to shift from states of hyper-alertness and reactivity—always on the lookout for danger—to a more serene, resourceful, and connected state of being. This transition helps us stay present, envision brighter futures, and regain our sense of safety, connection, and dignity.
Resilience also serves as our beacon during times of oppression and trauma, guiding us through the most challenging moments and nurturing our happiness, connection, and well-being. We are naturally resilient and creative individuals, and our communities reflect these qualities. There are numerous practices that can help us foster resilience within ourselves, our loved ones, our organizations, and our communities. By embracing and cultivating resilience, we invite strength, wholeness, possibility, and healing into our lives.
There can be a subtle difference between resilience strategies and survival tactics. Resilience practices foster a sense of connection, openness, and safety. They prepare us to take positive steps toward a better future, allowing us to experience a fuller range of emotions and sensations, making us feel more alive instead of numb.
Survival strategies, while often necessary and effective, can leave us feeling numb, tense, and detached. Although these tactics might feel familiar or “safe,” they often disconnect us, restrict our actions and interactions, and make us feel less complete.
This distinction is relevant in our personal lives, communities, and social movements. While both collective resilience and survival strategies have supported us, it is our shared resilience that propels us toward hope, interdependence, collective action, and the vision of the future we aspire to create.