{"id":25765,"date":"2026-06-25T08:46:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:46:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/?p=25765"},"modified":"2026-06-25T08:51:05","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:51:05","slug":"somatic-experiencing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/","title":{"rendered":"Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing: How the Body Heals Trauma"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"25765\" class=\"elementor elementor-25765\" data-elementor-settings=\"[]\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-section-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f7c2e7e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f7c2e7e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5b30533\" data-id=\"5b30533\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a9220c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a9220c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-text-editor elementor-clearfix\">\n\t\t\t\t<p>Trauma can affect the body long after an experience has passed, showing up through tension, anxiety, emotional numbness, or disconnection. Somatic experiencing, developed by Peter Levine, helps people understand how the nervous system responds to trauma and how healing can happen through greater body awareness and regulation.<\/p><p>At Sounds True, we have spent decades sharing transformational teachings that support emotional healing, embodied awareness, and personal growth. Peter Levine&#8217;s work reflects our commitment to grounded and compassionate wisdom that helps people reconnect with themselves.<\/p><p>We&#8217;ll discuss somatic experiencing, trauma release, and how somatic therapy supports nervous system healing.<\/p><h2><strong>Key Takeaways:<\/strong><\/h2><ul><li><strong>Your Body Carries the Answers:<\/strong> Somatic experiencing helps regulate the nervous system after trauma by building body awareness and returning to the present moment, rather than revisiting the past.<\/li><li><strong>Healing Calls for Time, Not Force:<\/strong> Peter Levine&#8217;s approach to trauma release honors the body&#8217;s natural pace, using small moments of safety and sensation to move out of survival patterns gradually.<\/li><li><strong>Come Home to Yourself:<\/strong> Somatic therapy practices help restore emotional regulation, nervous system flexibility, and a deeper sense of connection within yourself.<\/li><\/ul><h2><strong>What Is Somatic Experiencing and How Does It Support Healing Trauma in the Body?<\/strong><\/h2><p>When trauma lives in the body, it often shows up in ways that feel confusing: a sudden tightness in the chest during a calm moment, a wave of panic in a room that feels safe, or an emotional flatness that settles in when feelings become too much to hold. Peter Levine&#8217;s work with somatic experiencing offers a compassionate way of making sense of these experiences through the nervous system rather than through thoughts alone.<\/p><p>Somatic experiencing helps people reconnect with physical sensations safely and gradually. Rather than reliving painful events, the approach centers on present-moment awareness and nervous system regulation. Peter Levine teaches that trauma often comes from unresolved survival energy held within the body, and healing can happen through grounding, awareness, and connection.\u00a0<\/p><p>His thinking, developed through decades of research and traced throughout <em>Waking the Tiger<\/em>, established that trauma is a biological process the body is designed to complete. When the right conditions are in play, the body already carries the wisdom to find its way toward healing.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/collections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25768\" src=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True.png\" alt=\"Insight Is The First Step Toward Transformation: Explore Teachings with Sounds True\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True.png 1920w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Insight-Is-The-First-Step-Toward-Transformation-Explore-Teachings-with-Sounds-True-800x450.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/p><h2><strong>Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing and Trauma Release<\/strong><\/h2><p>Peter Levine describes trauma release as the body\u2019s natural movement toward completion after stress or threat interrupts the nervous system. His teachings emphasize that the body already knows how to heal when it is given enough support and safety.<\/p><h3><strong>How Trauma Disrupts the Body&#8217;s Natural Responses<\/strong><\/h3><p>During overwhelming experiences, the nervous system activates survival responses such as fight, flight, or freeze. These responses are designed to protect the body during danger. Yet many people cannot fully complete those reactions because the situation feels too sudden, frightening, or inescapable.<\/p><p>Peter Levine explains that when survival energy remains unresolved, the body can continue carrying the effects of trauma long after the event has ended. This may appear as chronic tension, panic, emotional shutdown, hypervigilance, or physical discomfort.\u00a0<\/p><p>Somatic experiencing helps people slowly reconnect with these interrupted responses in manageable steps so the nervous system can begin releasing stored stress. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/products\/the-healing-trauma-online-course\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Healing Trauma Online Course<\/a> with Peter Levine walks through this process step by step, offering practices you can return to at your own pace.<\/p><h3><strong>Why Trauma Release Requires Safety and Patience<\/strong><\/h3><p>Trauma release does not happen through pressure or force. Peter Levine often speaks about the importance of moving slowly enough for the nervous system to remain regulated during healing. Small moments of awareness can create real shifts when approached with patience and care.<\/p><p>Somatic experiencing encourages people to notice physical sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them. A trembling sensation, a deeper breath, or a feeling of warmth can each signal that the body is beginning to move out of survival mode. These small moments are the real breakthroughs in somatic healing. Healing unfolds gradually as the nervous system learns that staying caught in patterns of protection is no longer necessary.<\/p><h2><strong>How the Body Stores Trauma According to Peter Levine<\/strong><\/h2><p>Peter Levine&#8217;s work highlights the ways trauma lives within the body through nervous system patterns, physical tension, and sensory experience. This perspective helps clarify why healing trauma in the body requires more than insight alone. Lasting change asks for patience, presence, and a willingness to listen to what the body is trying to communicate.\u00a0<\/p><h3><strong>The Nervous System and Survival Energy<\/strong><\/h3><p>When a person experiences danger, the nervous system mobilizes energy to protect the body. When this activation cannot fully resolve, the body may continue holding that energy long after the threat has passed.<\/p><p>Many trauma survivors describe feeling constantly on edge or emotionally shut down without a clear reason why. Somatic therapy brings awareness to these protective states with compassion rather than judgment. Peter Levine teaches that these responses are natural survival adaptations, expressions of the body&#8217;s protective wisdom that simply never had the opportunity to complete themselves.\u00a0<\/p><p>For a closer look at the science behind this process, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/products\/trauma-and-the-embodied-brain-online-course-only\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Trauma and the Embodied Brain<\/a> examines how the brain and nervous system work together through traumatic experience and what that means for lasting recovery.<\/p><h3><strong>Reconnecting With Sensation Through Somatic Therapy<\/strong><\/h3><p>Somatic therapy fosters healing by helping people rebuild trust in their physical experience. This often begins through gentle awareness of sensations such as temperature, pressure, movement, or breath. Rather than pulling away from discomfort or becoming consumed by it, individuals learn to stay present with curiosity. This kind of attention is deeply active, a compassionate act of coming home to yourself.<\/p><p>This gradual reconnection strengthens a person&#8217;s ability to catch stress before it becomes overwhelming. Over time, the body may begin responding with greater flexibility and ease. Peter Levine&#8217;s teachings remind us that awareness itself can become part of the healing process when approached with patience and care.<\/p><h2><strong>Somatic Therapy Practices for Healing Trauma in the Body<\/strong><\/h2><p>Somatic therapy includes simple yet powerful practices that help regulate the nervous system and support healing trauma in the body. These approaches encourage people to reconnect with themselves in grounded and compassionate ways.<\/p><h3><strong>Grounding Through Breath and Physical Awareness<\/strong><\/h3><p>Grounding practices bring attention back to the present moment through breath, physical sensations, and body awareness. Peter Levine teaches that these practices help the body feel safe enough to shift out of survival responses by gently redirecting attention from what is feared to what is actually present right now.\u00a0<\/p><p>Something as simple as noticing the weight of your feet on the floor or the steady rhythm of your breath can begin moving the nervous system toward calm. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/products\/finding-safety-in-your-nervous-system\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Finding Safety in Your Nervous System<\/a> is a wonderful companion for anyone wanting to bring these practices into daily life.<\/p><h3><strong>Building Capacity for Emotional Regulation<\/strong><\/h3><p>Somatic therapy also helps people expand their ability to stay connected during emotional experiences without becoming overwhelmed. Practitioners often guide people between states of comfort and discomfort in gradual ways that build nervous system tolerance. This mirrors the way physical training strengthens the body, building resilience through small, consistent challenges.<\/p><p>This work builds emotional regulation by teaching the body that activation does not always lead to danger. Many people begin noticing increased steadiness, greater resilience, and a deeper sense of connection with themselves as they continue practicing embodied awareness. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/products\/trauma-skills-program\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Trauma Skills Program<\/a> brings these capacities to life through a structured learning path alongside experienced, compassionate teachers.<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/collections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25420\" src=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation.png\" alt=\"Center Yourself and Discover the Power of Daily Meditation\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation.png 1920w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Center-Yourself-and-Discover-the-Power-of-Daily-Meditation-800x450.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/p><h2><strong>Trauma Release and Nervous System Healing Through Somatic Experiencing<\/strong><\/h2><p>Somatic experiencing supports trauma release by helping the nervous system return to greater balance. Peter Levine\u2019s teachings highlight several principles that guide this process with care and compassion.<\/p><ul><li><strong>Small Shifts Create Lasting Change:<\/strong> Trauma release often happens gradually through small shifts in sensation, posture, breath, and awareness. These moments may feel subtle at first, but over time they accumulate into real and lasting change in how the body holds and responds to stress.<\/li><li><strong>Safety Always Comes First:<\/strong> The nervous system responds best to safety, patience, and gentle attention rather than force or pressure. Rushing the healing process can cause the system to contract rather than open, which is why Levine&#8217;s approach always begins with establishing safety first.<\/li><li><strong>The Present Moment Is Medicine:<\/strong> Somatic experiencing helps people reconnect with the present moment rather than remaining caught in survival patterns from the past. This return to the present is itself a form of healing, a quiet signal to the nervous system that the threat has ended.<\/li><li><strong>Your Symptoms Are Protective Responses:<\/strong> Trauma symptoms are often natural protective responses that continue after danger has ended. Seeing them this way, as protection rather than pathology, transforms the relationship people have with their own bodies.<\/li><li><strong>Noticing a Sensation Is Enough:<\/strong> Somatic therapy encourages awareness of physical sensations so the body can begin releasing unresolved stress slowly and safely. Even noticing a sensation without trying to change it can be a powerful first step toward greater ease.<\/li><li><strong>Healing Is a Homecoming:<\/strong> Healing trauma in the body means restoring the capacity for connection, regulation, and presence over time. At its heart, this work is a return to yourself, one breath at a time.<\/li><\/ul><h2><strong>Peter Levine\u2019s View on Somatic Therapy and Emotional Regulation<\/strong><\/h2><p>Peter Levine teaches that emotional regulation begins within the nervous system rather than through intellectual analysis alone. Many people attempt to manage difficult feelings by suppressing them or turning them over endlessly in the mind, yet the body may still remain in a state of activation. Somatic therapy opens another path by helping individuals recognize emotions through physical sensation and embodied awareness.<\/p><p>Tightness in the chest, shallow breathing, or tension in the shoulders may all reflect nervous system responses that need care and attention. Somatic experiencing encourages people to notice these signals with curiosity rather than fear. Over time, this practice creates more space between emotional activation and reaction.\u00a0<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.soundstrue.com\/collections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25769\" src=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now.png\" alt=\"Awaken Your Inner Healing Power: Your Wellness Journey Starts Now\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now.png 1920w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Awaken-Your-Inner-Healing-Power-Your-Wellness-Journey-Starts-Now-800x450.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><\/p><h2><strong>Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2><p>Peter Levine&#8217;s work with somatic experiencing is a compassionate reminder that trauma healing reaches well beyond the mind. Healing trauma in the body is about reconnecting with the body&#8217;s natural capacity for regulation, balance, and resilience.\u00a0<\/p><p>Through gentle awareness, grounded presence, and nervous system care, somatic therapy creates space for healing at a pace that feels safe and sustainable. We are honored to carry Peter Levine&#8217;s teachings as part of our living library. We believe everyone deserves a path back to themselves.\u00a0<\/p><h2><strong>Frequently Asked Questions About Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma<\/strong><\/h2><h3><strong>What is the main goal of somatic experiencing?<\/strong><\/h3><p>The main goal of somatic experiencing is to help regulate the nervous system after trauma. It supports healing by helping people become more aware of physical sensations connected to stress and survival responses.<\/p><h3><strong>Is somatic experiencing considered a form of somatic therapy?<\/strong><\/h3><p>Yes, somatic experiencing is a type of somatic therapy. It focuses specifically on nervous system regulation and the release of unresolved survival responses connected to trauma.<\/p><h3><strong>Can somatic experiencing help with anxiety?<\/strong><\/h3><p>Many people use somatic experiencing to support anxiety relief because it helps calm nervous system activation. The approach encourages grounding, body awareness, and greater emotional regulation.<\/p><h3><strong>How is somatic experiencing different from talk therapy?<\/strong><\/h3><p>Talk therapy often focuses on thoughts, emotions, and personal history. Somatic experiencing includes these elements while also paying close attention to physical sensations and nervous system responses within the body.<\/p><h3><strong>What happens during a somatic experiencing session?<\/strong><\/h3><p>A session may involve guided awareness of breath, posture, movement, or physical sensations. Practitioners help clients notice bodily responses slowly and safely without becoming overwhelmed.<\/p><h3><strong>Can trauma affect the body even after many years?<\/strong><\/h3><p>Yes, trauma can continue affecting the body long after an event has passed. People may experience tension, hypervigilance, fatigue, or emotional numbness connected to unresolved nervous system activation.<\/p><h3><strong>Does somatic experiencing involve physical touch?<\/strong><\/h3><p>Some practitioners may use touch with clear consent, though many sessions rely only on guided awareness and conversation. The approach depends on the practitioner\u2019s training and the client\u2019s comfort level.<\/p><h3><strong>Can somatic experiencing support everyday stress management?<\/strong><\/h3><p>Yes, many people practice somatic techniques for everyday nervous system support. Grounding exercises, breath awareness, and body-based mindfulness can help create a greater sense of calm and balance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fbf9e6f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fbf9e6f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3804c85\" data-id=\"3804c85\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61188d5 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"61188d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f9151ba elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f9151ba\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-89ec855\" data-id=\"89ec855\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71685d0 elementor-position-left elementor-vertical-align-top elementor-widget elementor-widget-image-box\" data-id=\"71685d0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image-box.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-image-box-wrapper\"><figure class=\"elementor-image-box-img\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"898\" height=\"1306\" src=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Amy-Michelle-Photo.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"elementor-image-box-content\"><p class=\"elementor-image-box-description\"><b>Michelle Cassandra Johnson<\/b> is an author, activist, spiritual teacher, racial equity consultant, and intuitive healer. She is the author of six books, including <i>Skill in Action<\/i> and <i>Finding Refuge<\/i>. <b>Amy Burtaine<\/b> is a leadership coach and racial equity trainer. With Robin DiAngelo, she is the coauthor of <i>The Facilitator's Guide for White Affinity Groups<\/i>. For more, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michellecjohnson.com\/wisdom-of-the-hive\" target=_blank\">https:\/\/www.michellecjohnson.com\/wisdom-of-the-hive<\/a>.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6f9afa6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6f9afa6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d86bded\" data-id=\"d86bded\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd6acfc elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"fd6acfc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<script>\r\ndocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() {\r\ndocument.querySelectorAll('.progression-studios-blog-excerpt')\r\n.forEach(el => el.remove());\r\n});\r\n<\/script>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trauma can affect the body long after an experience has passed, showing up through tension, anxiety, emotional numbness, or disconnection. Somatic experiencing, developed by Peter Levine, helps people understand how the nervous system responds to trauma and how healing can happen through greater body awareness and regulation. At Sounds True, we have spent decades sharing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":25766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[385],"tags":[],"contributor":[1157,1156],"class_list":["post-25765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","contributor-amy-burtaine","contributor-michelle-cassandra-johnson","slider-tags-blog"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how somatic experiencing helps heal trauma through the body with insights from Peter Levine on nervous system regulation.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how somatic experiencing helps heal trauma through the body with insights from Peter Levine on nervous system regulation.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sounds True\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T14:46:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-25T14:51:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing-1024x576.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"576\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ops@qckbot.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ops@qckbot.com\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"ops@qckbot.com\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d6687c7716fd6f3938859e683657371d\"},\"headline\":\"Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing: How the Body Heals Trauma\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T14:46:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-25T14:51:05+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/\"},\"wordCount\":2077,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Psychology\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/\",\"name\":\"Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-25T14:46:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-25T14:51:05+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how somatic experiencing helps heal trauma through the body with insights from Peter Levine on nervous system regulation.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1080,\"caption\":\"Person practicing somatic experiencing for trauma healing\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing: How the Body Heals Trauma\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/\",\"name\":\"Sounds True\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Sounds True\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/soundstrue-logo-footer-color.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/soundstrue-logo-footer-color.png\",\"width\":1035,\"height\":235,\"caption\":\"Sounds True\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d6687c7716fd6f3938859e683657371d\",\"name\":\"ops@qckbot.com\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a750433cf291833c4838872a876bb9188b37eb3d9d40a6c94c764336363c548b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a750433cf291833c4838872a876bb9188b37eb3d9d40a6c94c764336363c548b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"ops@qckbot.com\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/author\/opsqckbot-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma","description":"Learn how somatic experiencing helps heal trauma through the body with insights from Peter Levine on nervous system regulation.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma","og_description":"Learn how somatic experiencing helps heal trauma through the body with insights from Peter Levine on nervous system regulation.","og_url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/","og_site_name":"Sounds True","article_published_time":"2026-06-25T14:46:44+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-25T14:51:05+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":576,"url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing-1024x576.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"ops@qckbot.com","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"ops@qckbot.com","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/"},"author":{"name":"ops@qckbot.com","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d6687c7716fd6f3938859e683657371d"},"headline":"Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing: How the Body Heals Trauma","datePublished":"2026-06-25T14:46:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-25T14:51:05+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/"},"wordCount":2077,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png","articleSection":["Psychology"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/","url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/","name":"Somatic Experiencing and Healing Trauma","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png","datePublished":"2026-06-25T14:46:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-25T14:51:05+00:00","description":"Learn how somatic experiencing helps heal trauma through the body with insights from Peter Levine on nervous system regulation.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Person-practicing-somatic-experiencing-for-trauma-healing.png","width":1920,"height":1080,"caption":"Person practicing somatic experiencing for trauma healing"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/somatic-experiencing\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Peter Levine on Somatic Experiencing: How the Body Heals Trauma"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/","name":"Sounds True","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#organization","name":"Sounds True","url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/soundstrue-logo-footer-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/soundstrue-logo-footer-color.png","width":1035,"height":235,"caption":"Sounds True"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d6687c7716fd6f3938859e683657371d","name":"ops@qckbot.com","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a750433cf291833c4838872a876bb9188b37eb3d9d40a6c94c764336363c548b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a750433cf291833c4838872a876bb9188b37eb3d9d40a6c94c764336363c548b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"ops@qckbot.com"},"url":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/blog\/author\/opsqckbot-com\/"}]}},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25765"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25772,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25765\/revisions\/25772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25765"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/resources2.soundstrue.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=25765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}