Somatic Therapy for Burnout: A Body-Based Approach to Healing
Breaking the Cycle of Burnout with Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles
Burnout and chronic stress aren’t just mental—they live in your body. If you’re constantly exhausted, overwhelmed, or struggling to relax, your nervous system might be stuck in survival mode. Somatic trauma therapy in Los Angeles helps you break this cycle by working directly with the body to release stored tension and reset your stress response. Instead of just talking about burnout, you’ll learn how to actually feel better by reconnecting with your body’s natural ability to heal.
For many people, stress isn’t just about a busy schedule—it’s tied to deeper patterns shaped by past experiences, including trauma. That’s why trauma therapy with me takes a body-based approach, helping you process emotions in a way that feels safe and sustainable. Whether you’re dealing with burnout from work, emotional exhaustion, or the lingering effects of past stress, somatic therapy provides the tools you need to regulate your nervous system and build lasting resilience.
You deserve real rest—without the guilt, without the pressure, just the peace your body and mind need.
You Don’t Have to Earn Rest: How Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles Helps with Burnout & Stress
Somatic Therapy Los Angeles
1. Your Body Holds Stress—Somatic Therapy Releases It
When your nervous system is constantly in overdrive, it can lead to exhaustion, anxiety, and even physical symptoms like tension, headaches, or digestive issues. Somatic therapy in Los Angeles helps you regulate your body’s stress response, so you can feel more grounded, balanced, and resilient.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, somatic therapy focuses on the mind-body connection. Instead of just discussing stress, you’ll learn to recognize how it shows up physically and use movement, breathwork, and body-based techniques to release it. This approach helps reset your nervous system, making it easier to manage daily stress and recover from emotional or physical burnout. If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected, trauma therapy in LA can help you heal in a deeper, more lasting way.
If stress is running your life, it’s time to take a different approach. Somatic therapy helps you move from survival mode to a place of ease and clarity. Ready to feel better in your body? Let’s get started.
From Overworked to Balanced: Releasing Tension Through Somatic Therapy
2. Somatic Therapy Gets You Out of Your Head
When stress and burnout take over, it’s easy to feel disconnected from yourself—like you’re running on autopilot or constantly on edge. Somatic healing helps you get back in touch with your body’s natural rhythms, making it easier to feel present, calm, and in control. By working directly with your nervous system, somatic therapy teaches you how to shift out of stress mode and into a state where real healing can happen.
One of the biggest benefits of somatic therapy is its ability to break the cycle of chronic tension. Many people don’t realize that stress gets stored in the body, leading to patterns of tightness, shallow breathing, and even fatigue. Through movement, grounding techniques, and breathwork, you’ll learn how to release that buildup and create space for more energy, focus, and emotional balance. If traditional therapy hasn’t helped you fully shake the effects of burnout, trauma therapy in Los Angeles can offer a more embodied approach to healing.
Your body already knows how to heal—it just needs the right tools and support. Whether you’re a creative in Echo Park, a business professional in West Hollywood, or simply interested in the mind-body connection, somatic therapy will help you develop practical skills to manage stress, prevent burnout, and feel more at home in yourself. Healing doesn’t have to be overwhelming; it can start with something as simple as learning to listen to what your body is telling you.
Mind-Body Healing in LA
3. Body-Based Approaches Actually Make You Feel Better
Burnout isn’t just about feeling tired—it’s a full-body experience that affects your energy, mood, and ability to function. When stress builds up over time, your nervous system can get stuck in a state of high alert, making it hard to relax or feel at ease. Somatic therapy in Los Angeles helps reset this cycle by working with the body’s natural ability to regulate stress. Instead of just pushing through exhaustion, you’ll learn how to release tension, restore balance, and rebuild your capacity to handle life’s demands.
A key part of somatic therapy is understanding how stress patterns show up physically. Maybe you carry tension in your jaw, feel constant pressure in your chest, or experience random aches that don’t seem to have a clear cause. These are all signs that your body is holding onto stress. Through somatic techniques like grounding exercises, gentle movement, and mindful breathing, you can start to unwind these patterns and give your body the reset it needs. If burnout has made it hard to focus, sleep, or even enjoy things you used to love, trauma-informed therapy can help you reconnect with yourself in a way that feels safe and sustainable.
Healing from burnout isn’t just about doing less—it’s about learning how to support your nervous system so you can actually recover. With somatic work, you’ll gain tools to manage stress before it takes over, helping you feel more present, resilient, and in control of your well-being.
Regulate Your Nervous System through trauma-informed therapy
4. Somatic Therapy in LA Helps Regulate Your Nervous system
When you’re stuck in burnout, your nervous system isn’t functioning the way it should. Instead of shifting between stress and relaxation, it stays in overdrive—making it hard to rest, focus, or feel like yourself. Somatic therapy in Los Angeles helps regulate your nervous system so you can move out of survival mode and into a state of balance.
Through body-based techniques like breathwork, grounding, and mindful movement, somatic therapy teaches your system how to slow down and reset. This is especially important if you’ve been living in a constant state of stress or dealing with the long-term effects of trauma. If you feel constantly exhausted, wired but tired, or unable to fully relax, trauma therapy can help you reconnect with a sense of safety and ease in your body.
Somatic Therapy isn't a quick fix
5. It Builds Long-Term Resilience
Stress isn’t going away—but how you handle it can change. Working with a somatic practitioner will help you build long-term resilience by teaching your body how to recover from stress more quickly. Instead of constantly feeling drained or overwhelmed, you’ll develop tools to manage challenges without getting stuck in cycles of burnout.
Resilience isn’t just about pushing through—it’s about giving your body the support it needs to reset and recharge. Somatic therapy strengthens your ability to stay present, process emotions effectively, and prevent stress from taking over. Whether you’re healing from past trauma or just trying to manage daily overwhelm, trauma therapy in Los Angeles provides a sustainable way to feel stronger, calmer, and more in control.
Healing from the Inside Out: Somatic Healing to Reset
Rest is Your Right, Not a Reward
Your body and mind deserve real rest—not just sleep, but deep, restorative balance. Somatic therapy can help you release tension, reconnect with yourself, and heal from the inside out.
I help people in Los Angeles who feel stuck in anxiety, overwhelm, or old patterns that don’t serve them anymore. Through trauma therapy and somatic work, we’ll focus on getting you out of survival mode and into a place where you feel more grounded, safe, and in control. Ready to start? Book a session today.
How Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles Helps You Find Deep Rest
5 Different Types of Rest (Because It’s Not Just About Sleep)
When people think of rest, they picture lying in bed all day. But rest isn’t just about sleeping—it’s about giving your mind, body, and emotions a break from what’s draining them.
1. Physical Rest
- Getting enough sleep
- Stretching or doing gentle movement
- Taking breaks from physical labor or exercise
2. Mental Rest
- Stepping away from constant problem-solving
- Taking breaks from social media and information overload
- Doing something that requires no mental effort (like listening to music or watching a show that doesn’t require deep thought)
3. Emotional Rest
- Taking space from draining relationships or situations
- Allowing yourself to feel emotions without forcing productivity
- Talking to someone who validates your feelings without judgment
4. Sensory Rest
- Turning off notifications and reducing screen time
- Spending time in silence or dim lighting
- Going outside and reconnecting with nature
5. Creative Rest
- Taking breaks from output-focused work (writing, designing, problem-solving)
- Engaging in art, music, or movement without a goal or expectation
- Absorbing inspiration instead of forcing yourself to create
LA-Based Somatic Therapy for Anxiety and Trauma
What type of rest do you need most right now?
Your body and mind need more than just sleep—they need real, restorative rest. The kind that helps you feel grounded, recharged, and fully present in your life. Trauma-informed therapy in LA can help you release built-up tension, reset your nervous system, and reconnect with yourself on a deeper level. You don’t have to push through exhaustion or stay stuck in survival mode.
Start your trauma therapy journey in Los Angeles today.
Releasing Guilt Around Rest: A Somatic Approach to Self-Care
Why Do We Feel Guilty for Resting?
How many times have you told yourself, “I’ll rest when I deserve it”?
Maybe after finishing your to-do list. Maybe after hitting a goal. Maybe after you’ve pushed yourself so hard that exhaustion forces you to slow down.
Sound familiar?
Somewhere along the way, we were taught that rest is something we have to earn—that it’s a reward, not a necessity. But here’s the truth:
Rest is not a luxury. It’s a basic human need.
If you constantly feel guilty for resting, struggle to slow down, or equate productivity with self-worth, you’re not alone. These patterns are deeply tied to trauma responses, nervous system dysregulation, and the pressures of a fast-paced culture.
If this resonates, somatic therapy in Los Angeles can help you reconnect with your body’s natural rhythms and break free from the cycle of burnout.
therapy for anxiety & burnout in la
The Link Between Burnout and Rest Guilt
If slowing down makes you feel lazy or unproductive, you’re not alone. Many people struggle with guilt around rest because we’ve been conditioned to associate our worth with how much we accomplish. Burnout culture teaches us that rest is a reward—not a necessity—leaving us stuck in cycles of overwork, exhaustion, and stress.
How Trauma Shapes Our Relationship with Rest
For those with a history of trauma, the guilt around rest can run even deeper. If you grew up in an environment where you had to stay productive to feel safe, or if slowing down once led to criticism or neglect, your nervous system may associate rest with danger. Trauma therapy in Los Angeles helps you rewire these patterns so you can rest without fear, anxiety, or guilt.
The Nervous System’s Role in Rest Resistance
Your nervous system is designed to respond to stress, but when it stays stuck in overdrive, relaxing can feel uncomfortable—even unsafe. Somatic therapy in Los Angeles helps regulate your nervous system so you can shift out of “go mode” and actually enjoy rest without feeling like you need to justify it.
Somatic Therapy for Trauma & Burnout
How to Stop Feeling Guilty for Resting
If resting makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. Learning to unlearn guilt around rest takes time, but here are some ways to start:
1. Challenge the Thought That Says “I Should Be Doing More”
When guilt creeps in, ask yourself:
- Who told me I have to earn rest?
- Would I expect this level of productivity from someone I care about?
- Is this guilt helping me, or is it just a learned response?
2. Schedule Rest Like It’s Non-Negotiable
If your brain only allows rest when everything else is done, spoiler alert: it’ll never happen. Start scheduling rest like an actual priority, not an afterthought.
✔ Put breaks on your calendar.
✔ Set alarms to step away from work.
✔ Treat rest with the same importance as work, errands, or responsibilities.
3. Redefine What “Being Productive” Means
Being productive isn’t just about checking off tasks. Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is take care of yourself so you don’t burn out.
4. Remind Yourself: You’re Allowed to Rest Simply Because You Exist
Not because you finished everything on your list.
Not because you pushed yourself to exhaustion.
Not because you “deserve” it.
But because you’re human.
About Me: Somatic and Trauma Therapist in Los Angeles
Work With Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC
I’m a licensed therapist specializing in somatic therapy in Los Angeles, helping people heal from burnout, stress, and trauma by reconnecting with their bodies. My approach goes beyond traditional talk therapy—I focus on the mind-body connection so you can release stored tension, regulate your nervous system, and actually feel better, not just think about feeling better.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or exhausted, you’re not alone. Many of my clients are high-achievers, deep feelers, and people who give a lot to others—often at the expense of their own well-being. I offer trauma therapy in Los Angeles that’s tailored to your unique needs, whether you’re struggling with chronic stress, past trauma, or the emotional weight of burnout. My goal is to help you move from survival mode to a place of balance, resilience, and ease.
Healing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right support, your body already knows how to recover. If you’re ready to explore somatic therapy and find a new way to manage stress, I’d love to help.
FAQ About Somatic Therapy & Trauma Therapy in Los Angeles
1. What is somatic therapy, and how does it help with burnout?
Somatic therapy in Los Angeles is a body-based approach to healing that focuses on how stress, trauma, and emotions are stored in the body. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which focuses on thoughts and emotions, somatic therapy helps regulate the nervous system through movement, breathwork, and other physical techniques. This allows you to release tension, reset your stress response, and recover from burnout in a deeper, more lasting way.
2. How is somatic therapy different from regular therapy?
While traditional therapy often focuses on processing thoughts and emotions through conversation, somatic therapy includes physical awareness and body-based exercises to help you heal. It’s especially effective for people experiencing chronic stress, anxiety, or trauma-related symptoms that feel stuck, even after talk therapy.
3. Can somatic therapy help with trauma?
Yes. Trauma therapy in Los Angeles often includes somatic techniques because trauma isn’t just a mental experience—it affects the entire nervous system. Somatic therapy helps people process trauma safely by working with the body to release stored tension and restore a sense of calm and balance.
4. What techniques are used in somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy incorporates a range of techniques, including:
- Breathwork to regulate the nervous system
- Grounding exercises to bring you back into the present moment
- Body awareness practices to recognize and release tension
- Gentle movement to help process emotions physically
- Titration and pendulation to help safely work through trauma responses
5. Is somatic therapy a good fit for me?
If you feel stuck in stress, overwhelmed by emotions, or disconnected from your body, somatic therapy in Los Angeles could be a great fit. It’s especially helpful for people dealing with burnout, anxiety, trauma, or chronic tension that hasn’t improved with traditional therapy alone.
6. How do I get started with somatic therapy in Los Angeles?
If you’re ready to try a body-based approach to healing, reach out for a consultation. Whether you’re looking for trauma therapy in Los Angeles or support for burnout and stress, I’ll help you find the right path to feeling more balanced and connected in your body. Click here to book a free 15 minute consultation.
mental health resources in Southern California
Local Los Angeles Resources
UCLA RISE Center – Stress Management Resources: Offers a collection of practices and resources aimed at reducing stress and promoting well-being.
NAMI Westside Los Angeles – Free and Low-Cost Resources: Provides a list of free, 24/7 confidential support services for individuals in emotional distress.
UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center: Dedicated to mindfulness education, offering programs to help individuals manage stress and enhance health.