5 Somatic Practices to Help You Feel Safe in Your Body Again

Because healing isn't just in your head—it's in your body, too.

When you’ve experienced trauma, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm, your body doesn’t forget—even if your mind tries to move on. Maybe you constantly feel tense, jumpy, numb, or disconnected from yourself. Maybe you struggle to take a deep breath or feel like you’re always “on alert,” even when nothing is wrong.

That’s your nervous system talking. And somatic practices—aka body-based healing techniques—can help you gently come back to yourself.

You don’t have to dive into anything intense. These five somatic practices are simple, approachable, and designed to help you feel more grounded, calm, and safe in your body again.

1. Orienting: Look Around and Remind Your Body You're Safe

This might sound too simple—but trust us, it works. When you're stuck in a stress response, your nervous system acts like you’re still in danger—even if you’re sitting on your couch.

Orienting is a somatic practice that invites you to gently look around the room, name what you see, and let your body register that you're not in a threatening environment.

Try this:

• Pause and slowly turn your head side to side

• Name five things you can see, three things you can hear, and one thing you can feel touching your skin

• Let your eyes land on something calming—a plant, a window, a soft blanket

• Notice if your breathing softens, even just a little

This technique helps your brain shift from survival mode into safety—one sense at a time.

2. Grounding Through the Feet: Feel the Earth Underneath You

When your thoughts are spinning or your body feels out of control, your feet are a great place to come back to.

Grounding helps you reconnect with the physical support of the earth, which sends a message to your nervous system: You’re here. You’re safe.

Try this:

• Stand or sit with both feet on the ground

• Wiggle your toes, press your heels into the floor

• Imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth

• Say quietly to yourself, “I’m here. I’m safe in this moment.”

Grounding isn’t about pretending everything’s okay—it’s about reminding your body that you’re not in danger right now.

3. Havening Touch: Soothe the Nervous System with Gentle Contact

Havening is a self-soothing technique that uses gentle touch to help your brain downshift from stress. It’s often used in trauma work and can be done anywhere, anytime.

Try this:

• Rub your palms together slowly

• Then gently stroke your arms, from shoulder to elbow

• You can also softly stroke your cheeks or cross your arms and squeeze your shoulders

• As you do this, breathe slowly and try repeating a calming phrase like, “It’s okay to slow down,” or “I’m safe in my body.”

This type of touch helps release calming brain chemicals like serotonin and oxytocin—kind of like giving yourself a reassuring hug.

4. Vagus Nerve Activation: Use Breath or Sound to Calm Your Body

The vagus nerve is a key player in regulating your nervous system—and certain breath and sound practices can activate it gently, helping you shift from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest.

Try this:

• Inhale through your nose for four counts

• Exhale through your mouth for six to eight counts (longer exhales = calming)

• You can also hum, sigh, or do a gentle “Voo” sound on the exhale (yep, it might feel silly—but it works!)

You don’t need to do it perfectly. Even a few slow breaths or soft hums can tell your body, “We’re okay. We can soften now.”

5. Movement for Release: Let the Body Lead

Sometimes the body just needs to move what the mind can’t put into words. Somatic movement is about releasing stored tension—not performing or perfecting.

Try this:

• Put on calming or rhythmic music

• Let your body move in whatever way it wants—sway, stretch, shake, roll your shoulders, stomp your feet

• Don’t overthink it. Trust your body to guide you

• If you're holding a lot, try gentle bouncing or shaking your hands and feet

This kind of movement can help you discharge stored stress and come back to a place of flow and regulation.

You Don’t Have to Force It

If you’ve felt disconnected from your body, please know this: you’re not broken. Disconnection was your body’s way of protecting you.

Somatic healing is about inviting safety back—not forcing it. You don’t need to do all of these practices at once. Start with the one that feels most accessible today. Even one deep breath or one moment of noticing your surroundings can start to shift things.

Healing happens slowly, gently, and in relationship—with yourself, your body, and others.

Ready to reconnect with your body?

At Sagebrush Counseling, we support clients who want to feel more grounded, calm, and safe in their skin—especially after trauma, anxiety, or burnout. If you’d like help tuning back into your body with compassion and curiosity, we’re here when you’re ready. Reach out here to get started.