Beyond Breath: Somatic Resources for Regulation
Discover why grounding and deep breathing don’t always bring calm — and explore six somatic resources, adapted from Pat Ogden and the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, that help your body return to safety and regulation.
Introduction
For years, “take a deep breath” has been the go-to advice for calming down.
But for many people, breathwork and grounding don’t bring relief. In fact, they can sometimes feel activating — especially for trauma survivors or those with nervous systems stuck in chronic states of alert or freeze.
If you’ve ever felt like breathing or grounding “doesn’t work for you,” your body isn’t resisting — it’s wise.
When the nervous system registers threat, it needs to sequence its way back to safety. Before deep breathing feels natural, the body may need to orient, align, or move.
This approach, drawn from the work of Pat Ogden and the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, teaches that regulation happens through the body, not to it. The body itself holds the map back to safety.
1. Orienting — Finding Safety Through Seeing
When the body is frozen or disconnected, closing your eyes and “grounding” can feel impossible.
Orienting gently reintroduces the present moment. It helps your body recognize that it’s no longer in danger.
Try this:
- Let your eyes move slowly around the space.
- Notice colors, light, and textures.
- Allow your head and spine to follow your gaze.
Cues of settling: spontaneous breath, a yawn, a tear, or shoulders softening.
You’re not forcing calm — you’re allowing awareness.
When the body begins to orient, it starts to thaw from freeze.
2. Vertical Alignment — Stability from the Inside Out
As the body thaws, it often seeks structure.
Vertical alignment helps you feel your internal axis — your spine — as a source of steadiness.
Try this:
- Imagine a gentle string lifting you from the crown of your head while gravity draws your tailbone down.
- Let your shoulders rest naturally.
- Notice whether your breath or gaze changes.
When you find that internal length, you may feel more upright, present, or calm.
That’s your nervous system remembering support.
3. Boundaries & Defense — The Somatic “No”
Trauma often interrupts the body’s ability to defend itself.
Relearning a somatic “no” restores agency and safety.
Try this:
- Stand tall.
- Press your hands into a wall or your thighs.
- Say “Stop.”
- Feel the muscles in your chest and arms engage.
This isn’t about aggression — it’s empowerment.
Each physical “no” helps the body reclaim its right to protection.
When the body knows it can defend itself, it can finally relax.
4. Containment — Gathering What Feels Scattered
Containment isn’t control; it’s coherence.
It means gathering your scattered energy so you can sense where you end and the world begins.
Try this:
- Press your back against a wall or the floor.
- Rub or squeeze your arms and legs to feel your boundaries.
- Imagine pulling your energy inward until it feels steady — not small.
Containment brings clarity and safety when emotions feel too big.
It’s the body’s way of saying, “I’m back in myself.”
5. Grounding — Letting the Body Arrive
True grounding isn’t forced stillness; it’s support you can feel.
Once the body senses safety, gravity becomes a friend again.
Try this:
- Feel your feet on the floor or your sit bones in the chair.
- Rock slightly side to side.
- Notice how gravity holds you.
Grounding happens naturally when the body no longer needs to flee.
It’s less about doing and more about arriving.
6. Breath & Locomotion — When Regulation Flows
When the body feels safe, breath and movement return on their own.
You don’t have to force regulation — you allow it.
Try this:
- Take a slow walk.
- Notice how your pelvis, spine, and shoulders move together.
- Let your breath come and go naturally.
Spontaneous cues of regulation — a sigh, yawn, tears, or softening — are signs your system is saying:
“I’m safe enough now.”
Regulation isn’t about calm; it’s about connection.
The Body’s Language of Safety
Each of these somatic resources builds on the next, gently leading the body from protection toward presence.
Rather than forcing yourself to “relax,” you can learn to listen — to notice the small cues that tell you your system is settling.
That’s where real regulation begins.
Further Reading
If you’d like to learn more about somatic approaches to trauma healing, visit:
