Many of my clients come to somatic therapy unsure of what to expect. These somatic therapy exercises are a simple way to reconnect with your body and find calm again.
Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC
Los Angeles-based anxiety, trauma, and attachment therapist who helps high-functioning adults break free from people-pleasing, perfectionism, and childhood patterns that no longer serve them
Table of Contents
Your Body Might Still Be in Survival Mode
Most of us walk around like floating heads—thinking, planning, stressing—totally disconnected from our bodies. And when life gets overwhelming, our brains might be screaming “I’m fine,” while our bodies are quietly (or loudly) saying “Nope.”
As a trauma therapist in LA, I know this isn’t just “woo.” It’s biology. Your nervous system remembers things your mind tries to forget. And when you’ve lived through hard things—childhood chaos, burnout, toxic relationships—your body can end up stuck in survival mode, even long after the danger’s gone.
Somatic therapy can help. Instead of just talking about or reliving your past traumas, somatic therapy can help your body feel safe again. And the best part? You don’t need fancy equipment or a therapist’s couch to start. These five somatic therapy exercises are things you can do right now to start feeling more grounded, more calm, and more like yourself again.
5 Somatic Therapy Exercises to Regulate Your Nervous System
These aren’t magic tricks or Instagram hacks. They’re real, body-based tools I teach in therapy sessions every week. They work because they tap into the part of your system that’s running the show underneath all your thoughts — your nervous system.
The goal isn’t to feel “zen” or fixed. It’s to help your body feel just safe enough to come out of survival mode, even for a moment. That’s where real healing starts.
Try these. See what lands. Skip what doesn’t. Your body knows what it needs. You’re just learning how to listen.
1. Ground Yourself with the 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
When your thoughts are spiraling or you feel like you’re floating outside of your body (like if you’re in a functional freeze state), grounding helps you come back. Back into your feet, your breath, the present moment.
I teach this to clients all the time — especially folks navigating chronic anxiety, trauma, or burnout here in Los Angeles. It’s a go-to when your system’s stuck in high alert and you need something simple, right now. Think of it like a body-level “reset button.”
How to Do It
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
You’re not trying to be profound. You’re trying to be present. This gets your brain and body on the same page. When done regularly, it can help retrain your system to feel safer in the now.
Therapist Tip
Pair this with slow breathing or a short walk. It works best when you’re feeling buzzy or panicky — like your body’s trying to run away without moving.
If you’re someone who’s felt stuck in a chronic state of alertness, this kind of body-based grounding is one of the first tools I use in anxiety therapy in Los Angeles. It’s simple, but powerful when practiced consistently.
2. Activate Your Vagus Nerve with Humming or Gargling
This one feels weird. And I promise — it works.
You’ve got this built-in chill button running through your body (spoiler: it’s real, not woo). And humming, gargling, or even splashing your face with cold water can send a signal to that system that says, “We’re okay now.”
I use this a lot with clients who feel frozen, flat, or checked out — especially folks healing from long-term trauma or chronic stress. It’s one of those deceptively simple tools that can shift everything, especially when you’re stuck in “numb.”
How to Use Humming to Reset Your System
- Hum a song you love for 30–60 seconds.
- Or gargle water for 30 seconds. (Yup. Just water. Just gargle.)
- Try buzzing like a bee — low, slow, steady.
You’re not aiming for opera. You’re creating a subtle internal vibration that tells your body it’s okay to power down from fight-or-flight mode.
Why I Use This with Clients in Holistic Trauma Therapy
If your emotions feel muted or you’re living in a kind of emotional fog, this kind of somatic cue can help you come back online.
I use it regularly with clients in holistic therapy in Los Angeles, especially when they’ve spent years stuck in “shut down” mode. It’s a low-effort, high-impact tool that helps build internal safety — slowly, gently, consistently.
3. Reconnect to the Room with Somatic Orienting
When you’ve lived through trauma — big, small, loud, or silent — your system can start acting like danger is everywhere, even when nothing’s wrong.
Somatic orienting is about reminding your body: this moment is safe. It’s not deep breathing. It’s not visualization. It’s literally just looking around and letting your eyes land where they want. It seems almost too simple — but your nervous system loves this kind of input.
I teach this to clients who deal with complex PTSD, anxiety, or that constant low-level buzz that something’s about to go wrong. This is one of the first tools we use in session to bring the body out of hyper-alert mode and into “okayness.”
How to Use Somatic Orienting for Nervous System Regulation
- Sit or stand somewhere safe and quiet(ish).
- Slowly look around the room — let your eyes land on colors, textures, light, movement.
- Don’t force it. Just notice what feels good, neutral, or even a little interesting.
- Breathe while you’re doing it. That’s it.
You’re training your body to see safety — not just danger. And that shift matters more than you think.
Why This Is My Go-To in Complex PTSD Therapy
If you tend to scan the room for exits, threats, or red flags — this one’s for you.
I use this a lot in complex PTSD therapy in Los Angeles when someone’s system is wired for survival 24/7. It’s gentle, non-invasive, and a great way to start regulating without having to “go deep” right away.
4. Reset with the Squeeze-and-Release Body Scan
We often walk around clenching parts of our body without even realizing it— shoulders, jaw, fists, stomach, even our breath. When you’ve been through stress or trauma, your body learns to hold tension like armor. And sometimes, you don’t even realize how tight you are until you try to let go.
This exercise is all about noticing where that tension lives and giving your body permission to soften. Not because you have to, but because it’s safe enough now to try.
How to Do a Squeeze-and-Release Body Scan
- Start with your feet. Gently squeeze the muscles — like a firm flex — and hold for 3 seconds. Then release.
- Move upward: calves, thighs, belly, hands, arms, shoulders, jaw. One by one.
- As you release each area, notice if it feels softer, warmer, or more present.
- You can do it seated, standing, or even lying down.
This helps reconnect you to your body without having to dive into the emotions stored there — perfect for when you’re not ready to talk, but your body still needs support.
Why I Use This in Somatic Therapy for Trauma and Burnout
This is one of my go-to practices with clients in trauma therapy in Los Angeles who are dealing with chronic stress, burnout, or complex trauma.
It’s powerful because it doesn’t require talking or processing — it just gives the body a little room to breathe, literally.
And often, those tiny releases add up to something big.
5. Check In with Your Inner Parts (IFS-Inspired Somatic Tool)
If you’ve ever felt like one part of you wants to heal, but another part wants to hide… you’re not wrong. It’s actually completely normal to have have polarizing parts that are at odds with each other.
We all have different parts inside us — the overachiever, the worrier, the perfectionist, the part that shuts down, the one that wants to burn it all down. Somatic therapy helps you feel those parts in your body, not just talk about them.
This exercise is about slowing down enough to listen to what those parts might be trying to tell you — with kindness, not control.
How to Do a Somatic Parts Check-In
- Sit or lie somewhere quiet. Take a slow breath.
- Ask yourself: “What part of me is most activated right now?”
- Notice where you feel that in your body — chest? gut? jaw?
- Put a hand there. Breathe into it. You don’t have to fix it — just witness it.
Sometimes just saying “I see you” to a part is enough. You’re not forcing it to change. You’re helping it feel safe enough to soften.
Why I Use This in Attachment and IFS Therapy
I use this practice often in attachment therapy and IFS work in Los Angeles. Especially when someone feels torn between wanting to grow and wanting to disappear.
It gives language to the stuck-ness, and it helps people realize: oh, I’m not crazy. I’m conflicted. That’s different.
And once your parts feel seen, they usually don’t have to shout so loud anymore.
Why These Somatic Therapy Exercises Actually Work
These exercises work because they don’t just tell your brain “calm down.” They show your body that you’re not in danger anymore. That it’s okay to slow down. That it’s safe to come back.
When you engage your senses, move your muscles, or connect to a part of you that’s been exiled or ignored — you’re sending a new signal through your whole system: “We’re safe now. You can rest.”
What it’s like to really heal through somatic therapy
And the wild part? You don’t need to “understand” it for it to work. These aren’t mindset tricks. They’re body-level reminders that help unstick the survival patterns you might not even realize you’re still running.
I see this all the time in my practice. People come in feeling like they’ve “tried everything,” and after a few weeks of somatic work, their anxiety starts to drop. Their sleep improves. Their relationships feel less tense.
Healing doesn’t have to be loud or dramatic. Sometimes it looks like humming in your car. Or noticing your breath. Or putting a hand on your chest and saying, “I see you.”
That’s real progress. That’s the work.
Ready to Go Deeper? Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles Can Help
These exercises are powerful. But they’re just the beginning.
If your nervous system has been stuck in survival mode for years — because of trauma, burnout, childhood chaos, or just being a human in this world — healing it isn’t something you should have to figure out alone.
That’s the work I do every day in somatic therapy. We go slow. We build safety. We work with your body, not against it. You don’t have to retell your whole life story. You don’t have to “fix” anything. You just have to show up and be curious. I’ll help with the rest.
If you’re in L.A. and this kind of body-first healing feels like what you’ve been missing, click here to learn more about my somatic therapy practice in Los Angeles.
About Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC
I’m a trauma therapist based in Los Angeles who helps people get out of survival mode and back into their bodies. My background’s in neuroscience, but I don’t talk like a textbook — I talk like a person. Because healing isn’t academic. It’s personal.
I specialize in somatic therapy, IFS, complex PTSD, and helping people who feel like “nothing’s worked” finally feel seen. Whether it’s anxious attachment, shutdown, burnout, or just plain overwhelm — I’m here for the parts of you that never got to rest.
If this post landed with you, you’re already doing the work. And if you want support, I’ve got space for you when you’re ready.
Learn more about my work as an anxiety therapist or contact me.
One Last Thing Before You Go
If you made it all the way here, I just want to say — that’s not nothing.
Most people click out the second things get real. So if you’re still reading, you’re probably someone who feels a lot — maybe too much. Maybe you’ve had to hold it together for way too long. Maybe your body’s tired and your mind won’t shut up.
That’s not weakness. That’s survival.
And the fact that you’re even thinking about reconnecting with your body? That’s huge. That’s the beginning of real healing — not the loud kind, not the perfect kind, just the kind that actually sticks.
FAQs About Somatic Therapy Exercises
Do somatic therapy exercises actually work?
Yes — and not just in theory. These exercises work because they speak to your body in a language it understands: sensation, breath, stillness, movement. You’re not “hacking” your nervous system — you’re gently retraining it to stop bracing for impact all the time.
It’s not about instant peace. It’s about building safety from the inside out, one rep at a time.
Can I do these exercises even if I’ve never been to therapy?
100%. You don’t need a therapist to start. These tools are safe, simple, and don’t require you to open up to anyone. But if you do want to go deeper, having a somatic therapist can help you track what’s happening in your body and make sense of it all without getting overwhelmed.
How often should I do these exercises?
Think of them like nervous system reps. You don’t have to do them perfectly or daily — but the more consistently you use them, the more your body learns, “Oh… we’re not in danger anymore.” Even 2–3 minutes a day can start shifting things.
What if I feel nothing or worse after doing them?
Totally normal. Especially if you’re used to being disconnected from your body (because that was safer at one point). If you feel nothing? Your system might still be numb. If you feel worse? That’s data, not failure. Go slow. Skip ones that don’t land. Your body is telling the truth — even if it’s uncomfortable.
How are these different from meditation or breathwork?
Meditation asks you to “watch your thoughts.” These exercises ask you to feel your body. That’s a different — and often deeper — kind of work. Especially for people whose brains never stop spinning. These are body-first, not brain-first tools.
More Somatic Therapy Posts You’ll Actually Relate To
If you’re into this kind of body-based healing, here are a few more posts you might like. Each one goes deep into different parts of somatic therapy — from people-pleasing to anxious attachment to burnout.
How somatic therapy helps heal anxious attachment
If anxious attachment makes your relationships feel like emotional rollercoasters, this post breaks down how body-based work helps your system feel safe — so your heart doesn’t have to keep doing all the work.
What somatic therapy reveals about people pleasing
People pleasing isn’t just a personality trait — it’s often a survival response. This blog explores how somatic therapy helps you stop abandoning yourself without turning into someone you’re not.
Understanding nervous system dysregulation through a somatic lens
If you swing between shut down and stressed out, this blog explains what dysregulation really feels like — and how body-based work brings things back into balance without shame or overwhelm.
