By Katharine De Santos, MA, RP, Founder and Clinical Director, Healthy Minds Psychotherapy
Published October 2026
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional care. If you're in crisis, call or text 9-8-8 (Suicide Crisis Helpline) or call 911.
In this article:
What is somatic therapy for anxiety?
Common signs of chronic stress in the body
How chronic stress affects the body and mind
5 somatic exercises for anxiety you can try today
Getting support for chronic stress in Toronto and Ontario
Frequently asked questions
What Is Somatic Therapy for Anxiety?
Somatic therapy for anxiety is a body-centred form of psychotherapy. It uses breath, gentle movement and body awareness to help calm the nervous system and ease the physical side of stress. It works from the body up, often alongside talk-based therapy.
Have you ever noticed that after a walk, a stretch or a good shake of your arms, your anxious thoughts feel a little quieter, even for a moment?
That isn't a coincidence. Stress and anxiety don't only live in your thoughts. They also show up in your muscles, your breathing, your posture and your nervous system, often as tension, fatigue or stiffness. Talk therapy is one important piece of feeling better, and for many people the body is another. Somatic therapy works with that second piece directly.
In this post, you'll learn what somatic therapy is, how movement can help reduce chronic stress, and five simple strategies you can try today.
Common Signs of Chronic Stress in the Body
Chronic stress looks different for everyone, but these are some of the most common signs:
Persistent muscle tension. Soreness, pain or tightness, especially in the head, jaw, neck and shoulders.
Shallow or restricted breathing. Rapid or shallow breaths that come from the upper chest rather than the diaphragm.
Fatigue. Mental or physical exhaustion, burnout and disrupted sleep.
Increased inflammation. Research suggests that long-term stress can disrupt communication between the immune system and the body's stress response, which may contribute to brain fog and other stress-related health concerns (Liu et al., 2017).
Restlessness or agitation. Elevated stress hormones such as cortisol can keep your nervous system on high alert, which can make it hard to sit still or relax.
Physical symptoms can have many causes, so it's a good idea to check in with your doctor to rule out a medical issue. If several of these signs feel familiar, you're not alone, and somatic therapy offers another way forward.
How Chronic Stress Affects the Body and Mind
Chronic stress can settle into the body and cause both physical and emotional discomfort.
The Biology of Stored Stress
When stress continues over a long period, the body stays in a heightened state of alert. Researchers call the wear and tear from this "allostatic load." Your body keeps releasing stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline even when there's no real threat. Over time, this can keep your muscles tight, your breathing shallow and your nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
One 2025 clinical trial found that psychosomatic psychotherapeutic treatment for stress-related disorders was associated with measurable biological changes, including shifts in sphingolipids involved in how cells respond to stress (Werner et al., 2025). The research is still early, but it adds to a growing picture of how closely the mind and body are connected.
The Body-Mind Disconnect
Many people living with chronic stress learn to ignore their body's signals. They push through tension, override fatigue and keep going. Over time, the link between physical sensation and emotional experience can weaken. Somatic therapy helps rebuild that link through gentle, mindful attention to the body.
Why Movement Can Help When Thinking Doesn't
It's hard to think your way out of a tight jaw or a racing heart. The body's stress response is managed by the autonomic nervous system, which doesn't respond much to logic. It responds to cues of safety, such as slow breathing, gentle movement, warmth, rhythm and a sense of grounding. Movement-based somatic strategies speak to this part of the nervous system directly.
5 Somatic Exercises for Anxiety You Can Try Today
Everyone's experience is different, but these research-informed strategies may help you calm your nervous system and ease chronic stress. If you have a medical condition, injury or chronic pain, check with your healthcare provider before starting new movement practices.
1. Diaphragmatic Breathing with a Hand on Your Heart
This technique pairs slow belly breathing with a grounding hand placement. Breathing slowly, about 5 to 6 breaths per minute, is thought to stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the body's "rest and digest" mode. A 2025 study found that a somatic self-care practice that included breathwork supported well-being and helped participants manage stress (Nicholson et al., 2025).
How to try it: Place one hand on your belly and one on your heart. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 seconds and feel your belly rise. Breathe out for 6 seconds and feel it fall. Continue for 2 to 3 minutes.
If you experience panic attacks, you may also find our post on grounding techniques for panic attacks helpful.
2. Rhythmic Swaying or Rocking
A slow, gentle sway or rocking motion can be soothing for the nervous system. Rhythm is one of the ways our bodies have calmed themselves since infancy, and many people find repetitive movement helps them shift into a more relaxed state.
How to try it: Stand or sit comfortably. Gently shift your weight from side to side or front to back, and let it become a slow, easy sway. Soft music can help. Continue for 2 to 5 minutes.
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation connects mind and body by tightening and then releasing different muscle groups. It can help you notice and let go of tension in places you might not have realized were holding stress.
How to try it: Sit or lie down. Starting at your head and working down to your toes, tense each muscle group for a few seconds and notice how it feels. Then take a slow, deep breath out and release your whole body at once.
4. Gentle Self-Tapping (EFT or Meridian Tapping)
Tapping uses your fingertips to tap specific points on the face and upper body in a slow, rhythmic sequence. Some research suggests tapping may help reduce physiological markers of stress, possibly because the rhythmic, repetitive touch helps interrupt the stress response (Feinstein, 2025). Research in this area is still developing, and it's one of several tools worth exploring.
How to try it: Tap 5 to 7 times on each point: side of the hand, top of the head, eyebrow, side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, chin, collarbone and under the arm. Repeat the sequence 2 to 3 times. Tap lightly, since no force is needed.
5. Gentle Movement (Walking, Yoga or Stretching)
Movement of any kind can be a helpful tool. Gentle, low-intensity movement can help your body shift out of fight-or-flight and widen a narrow, anxious focus into present-moment awareness. A 2013 review found that regular exercise and physical activity are associated with reduced anxiety (Anderson & Shivakumar, 2013).
How to try it: Move slowly for 5 to 10 minutes, keeping your attention on physical sensations rather than on how well you're doing it. When your mind wanders to worries, gently bring it back to your body.
These strategies are a starting point. A therapist can help you build an approach that fits your body, your history and your life.
Getting Support for Chronic Stress in Toronto and Ontario
Breathing, movement and body awareness are good places to start, and for many people they take the edge off. When stress has been in the background for months or years, though, it can be hard to shift on your own. It can start to affect your sleep, your patience with the people you love, your focus at work and your body.
Many people wait a long time before reaching out because they feel their stress isn't "bad enough," or that they should be able to handle it themselves. You don't need to be in crisis to talk to someone. Reaching out sooner is a practical, reasonable step.
If you live in Toronto or elsewhere in Ontario, working with a Registered Psychotherapist gives you space to understand what's driving your stress, along with evidence-informed tools that fit your life. At Healthy Minds Psychotherapy, our clinicians offer individual therapy and couples therapy in person at our Harbord Street office in Toronto and virtually across Ontario. Several of our clinicians are trained in somatic approaches and can bring body-based work into sessions for anxiety, trauma and chronic stress.
We also have an affordable therapy program to support clients at a lower rate, including sessions in Spanish and Hindi. This can make ongoing support more accessible if cost or language has been getting in the way.
What to Expect in Your First Session
If you've never been to therapy before, the first session can feel like the biggest hurdle, so here's what it usually looks like.
Before you meet, you'll fill out a few intake forms through our secure online system. Your therapist will start by going over confidentiality and consent and answering any questions you have. Most of the session is a conversation about what's been going on, how stress shows up for you, what you've already tried and what you'd like to feel different. You decide how much to share, and there's no expectation to tell your whole story at once. By the end, you'll usually have a sense of where to start and what working together could look like.
When you're ready, book a free consultation on our website.
Frequently Asked Questions About Somatic Therapy
What is somatic movement-based therapy?
Somatic movement-based therapy is a body-centred form of psychotherapy. It uses gentle, mindful movement, breath and body awareness to help calm the nervous system, ease stored stress and reconnect mind and body.
Is somatic therapy the same as massage or bodywork?
No. Somatic therapy is a form of psychotherapy, and you stay fully clothed. Touch is not used without your explicit consent. The focus is on your own experience of your body, including sensations, movement and breath, rather than on someone else working on your body.
Do I need to be fit or flexible for somatic therapy?
Not at all. The movement in somatic therapy is often very small, like a slight head tilt, a gentle sway or a shift in weight. Your therapist can adapt the practices for chronic pain, limited mobility or fatigue, and there's no right way to do it. If you have a medical condition, it's a good idea to check with your healthcare provider as well.
How is somatic therapy different from CBT for anxiety?
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) focuses on changing patterns of thinking and behaviour. Somatic therapy focuses on calming the nervous system through the body. They can work well together. Some people find that CBT makes sense to them intellectually but that they still feel anxious in their body, and somatic work can help with that part.
How long does somatic therapy take to work?
It varies. Some people notice small changes early, like easier sleep or less muscle tension. Chronic stress that has built up over years usually takes longer to ease. Your therapist can talk with you about what a realistic timeline might look like for you.
Do you offer online somatic therapy in Ontario?
Yes. Virtual sessions can still include breathwork, guided body scans, gentle movement and grounding exercises. Some people find it easier to settle into this work from the comfort of their own home. We offer virtual therapy to clients anywhere in Ontario.
About the Author
Katharine De Santos, MA, RP, is a Registered Psychotherapist and the Founder and Clinical Director of Healthy Minds Psychotherapy. She has more than 25 years of clinical experience supporting people through trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, fertility challenges and major life transitions.
Her approach is trauma-informed and integrates somatic therapy with talk-based work. This means paying attention to how stress and difficult experiences show up in the body, which can give clients another way to understand what they're carrying and begin working with it. Katharine is also EMDR-trained.
Katharine holds a BA in Psychology from Western University and an MA in Counseling from The George Washington University, and has completed postgraduate training through Johns Hopkins University and The Global Mental Health: Trauma and Recovery Certificate Program through Harvard Medical School.
Works Cited:
Anderson, E., & Shivakumar, G. (2013). Effects of exercise and physical activity on anxiety. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00027
Feinstein, D. (2025). How tapping works: Physiological and psychological mechanisms in energy psychology. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1660375. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1660375
Liu, Y.-Z., Wang, Y.-X., & Jiang, C.-L. (2017). Inflammation: The common pathway of stress-related diseases. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 11, 316. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00316
Nicholson, W. C., Sapp, M., Karas, E. M., Duva, I. M., & Grabbe, L. (2025). The body can balance the score: Using a somatic self-care intervention to support well-being and promote healing. Healthcare, 13(11), 1258. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111258
Werner, F., Schumacher, F., Mühle, C., Adler, W., Schug, C., Schäflein, E., Morawa, E., Kleuser, B., Kornhuber, J., Erim, Y., & Rhein, C. (2025). Psychosomatic–psychotherapeutic treatment of stress-related disorders impacts the sphingolipid metabolism towards increased sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate levels. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 275(7), 2049–2058. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00406-025-01985-2