Anxiety, in its many manifestations, represents one of the most common challenges to mental wellbeing in contemporary society. While conventional approaches often focus on cognitive aspects of anxiety or biochemical interventions, Somatic Experiencing (SE) offers a distinctive perspective that addresses anxiety through the wisdom and innate healing capacity of the body itself. As a body-oriented therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Peter Levine, SE provides powerful tools for understanding and transforming anxiety at its physiological roots.

Understanding Anxiety Through a Somatic Lens

From a Somatic Experiencing perspective, anxiety is not primarily a cognitive state or a chemical imbalance, though these dimensions certainly play roles. Instead, anxiety is understood as a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system—specifically, a state where the sympathetic “fight or flight” activation has become chronic, or where the nervous system rapidly oscillates between sympathetic arousal and parasympathetic shutdown without finding a regulated middle ground.

The Autonomic Nervous System and Anxiety

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) comprises two primary branches:

1. The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): Responsible for mobilization responses like fight and flight, the SNS increases heart rate, respiration, and muscle tension while directing blood flow to the limbs for It prepares us to respond actively to threats.
2. The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Governing rest, digestion, and social engagement, the PNS slows heart rate, deepens respiration, and promotes relaxation and Its extreme activation can also trigger immobility or freeze responses when active responses are not possible.

Building on this basic understanding, polyvagal theory (developed by Dr. Stephen Porges) further distinguishes between two branches of the parasympathetic nervous system:

The ventral vagal complex, supporting social engagement and regulated calm

The dorsal vagal complex, triggering immobility, shutdown, and collapse when faced with overwhelming threat

In optimal functioning, these systems work in a coordinated, fluid dance—activating and deactivating in response to changing environmental demands. Anxiety emerges when this flexible self-regulation is compromised, leaving the system stuck in maladaptive patterns.

Three Common Anxiety Patterns from an SE Perspective

1.  Sympathetic Dominance

Many anxiety sufferers experience chronic sympathetic activation—their bodies perpetually prepared for danger even in objectively safe environments. This manifests as:

Persistent muscle tension, especially in the neck, shoulders, and jaw Shallow, rapid breathing primarily in the upper chest

Digestive disturbances (the body deprioritizes digestion during perceived emergencies) Racing thoughts and hypervigilance

Sleep disturbances, particularly difficulty falling asleep

A sense of being “wired but tired”—exhausted yet unable to relax

This pattern often develops when the nervous system has experienced repeated activation without adequate opportunity for discharge and completion of the stress response.

2.  Freeze and Sympathetic Cycling

Some individuals experience rapid cycling between sympathetic arousal and parasympathetic freeze states. They oscillate between anxiety symptoms and dissociation or emotional numbing. This pattern often emerges when past attempts at active responses (fight or flight) were unsuccessful or punished, leading to a collapse into freeze followed by renewed activation when the freeze begins to thaw.

3.  Anticipatory Anxiety and Thwarted Defensive Responses

A third common pattern involves anxiety that specifically arises when facing situations that subconsciously remind the nervous system of past experiences where defensive responses were thwarted or incomplete. The body remembers the interrupted action and generates anxiety as it anticipates similar thwarting in the present. These individuals often describe feeling “trapped” or “having no way out” in anxiety-provoking situations.

The Role of Trauma in Anxiety

From an SE perspective, many anxiety disorders have roots in unresolved trauma—not necessarily dramatic single-incident traumas (though these certainly can cause anxiety), but also developmental trauma, accumulated stress, or situations where the natural defensive responses were repeatedly overridden.

Trauma creates specific patterns in the nervous system, including: Lowered thresholds for threat detection

Compromised capacity to distinguish between past and present dangers Incomplete defensive responses that remain “trapped” in the body Disrupted interoception (the ability to sense internal bodily states) Narrowed “windows of tolerance” for both activation and relaxation

These trauma-induced patterns create the physiological conditions that manifest as anxiety symptoms. SE works directly with these patterns, helping the nervous system complete thwarted responses and rediscover its natural regulatory capacity.

Key Somatic Experiencing Principles for Working with Anxiety

Somatic Experiencing offers several core principles that guide its approach to transforming anxiety:

1. Titration: The Gradual Approach

Unlike exposure therapies that may deliberately activate strong anxiety responses, SE emphasizes titration

—working with manageable “doses” of activation that don’t overwhelm the system’s current regulatory capacity. This gentle approach prevents further traumatization and builds incremental gains in the nervous system’s resilience.

Practically, titration might involve:

Approaching anxiety-provoking material in small steps Pausing when activation begins to escalate

Breaking down overwhelming experiences into smaller, more manageable components Alternating between addressing challenging material and returning to resources and grounding

2. Pendulation: The Natural Rhythm of the Nervous System

SE recognizes that the healthy nervous system naturally oscillates between activation and relaxation, contraction and expansion. This natural rhythm, called pendulation, becomes disrupted in anxiety states. SE deliberately works with and fosters this innate oscillation—guiding clients to notice shifts between activation and settling, and gradually expanding the capacity for both.

Through supported pendulation, clients learn that:

Activation is not endless—it naturally moves toward resolution

The nervous system has an innate capacity to find its way back to regulation Small shifts toward regulation can be noticed and amplified

The rhythm between activation and settling can become more fluid with practice

3. Resourcing: Building Islands of Safety

Before working directly with anxiety, SE establishes solid “resources”—internal or external sources of support, comfort, and grounding that the nervous system can rely upon. These resources create islands of safety from which exploration of more challenging states becomes possible.

Resources might include:

Somatic experiences of stability, strength, or comfort Connections with supportive people

Positive memories that evoke feelings of capability or pleasure Spiritual or religious beliefs that provide comfort

Skills and capabilities that create a sense of mastery Places (real or imagined) that evoke safety

4. Tracking: Developing Interoceptive Awareness

A cornerstone of SE is developing the capacity to track internal sensations—noticing subtle shifts in the body that signal changes in the autonomic state. This capacity, often diminished in anxiety sufferers, allows individuals to recognize early signs of activation and respond before anxiety escalates.

Tracking involves cultivating awareness of:

Physical sensations (warmth, coolness, tingling, tension, etc.) Breath patterns and their changes

Heart rate and its variations Digestive responses

Shifts in energy, alertness, or orientation

Impulses toward movement that arise in the body

5. Discharge: Completing Defensive Responses

When the body mobilizes for fight or flight but cannot complete these defensive actions, the energy of the thwarted response remains “trapped” in the nervous system. SE provides safe opportunities for the discharge of this trapped energy through:

Gentle, controlled trembling or shaking

Micro-movements that follow the body’s natural impulses Visualization of completed defensive responses

Vocal release (sighing, groaning, etc.)

Supported expression of incomplete emotional responses

This discharge allows the nervous system to complete its self-protective sequences and return to regulation.

Three Somatic Experiencing Exercises for Anxiety

The following exercises draw on SE principles to help regulate anxiety. While they can be practiced independently, they are most effective when learned within a therapeutic relationship with a trained SE practitioner.

Exercise 1: Orienting to Safety

This foundational practice helps ground the nervous system in present safety, counteracting the tendency in anxiety to scan for danger.

1. Find a comfortable seated position in a relatively safe Allow your eyes to be open and soft.
2. Without forcing or straining, begin to notice the space around Let your eyes naturally move around the room or environment.
3. As you visually explore, notice objects, colors, or features that draw your There’s no need to analyze or think about what you see—simply notice.
4. After exploring visually, notice sounds in your environment—both close by and further Again, there’s no need to analyze, just notice what you hear.
5. Now bring attention to physical sensations where your body contacts surfaces—the chair beneath you, the floor under your feet, clothing against your
6. Gently scan for anything in your current environment that signals safety or This might be as simple as a sturdy chair, a pleasant color, or the fact that you can see exits.
7. As you notice these signals of safety, observe any shifts in your body—perhaps a deeper breath, softening of muscles, or a sense of
8. Continue this orienting practice for 3-5 minutes, allowing your nervous system to register that, in this moment, you are safe.
9. When complete, take a moment to notice the overall state of your body and any shifts that occurred during the practice.

Practice this exercise daily and whenever anxiety begins to rise. Over time, it helps recalibrate the nervous system’s baseline assessment of environmental safety.

Exercise 2: Containment and Pendulation

This exercise builds the capacity to work with anxiety sensations through the SE principles of containment and pendulation.

1. Find a comfortable position where you can remain undisturbed for 10-15
2. Begin by establishing a resource—bring to mind something that helps you feel grounded, safe, or This might be a person, place, memory, or quality (such as strength or calm). Take a minute to really feel this resource in your body.
3. Now, gently bring attention to a sensation associated with your Choose something relatively manageable—perhaps a mild tension or fluttering. Locate this sensation specifically in your body.
4. Imagine placing your awareness around this sensation like gentle hands holding a small bird— containing it without suppressing You might visualize a boundary around the sensation, holding it just as it is.
5. Notice any details about the sensation—its size, shape, temperature, movement, Get curious about it without trying to change it.
6. After about 30 seconds with this sensation, deliberately shift your attention to a part of your body that feels neutral or relatively Perhaps your hands, feet, or back against the chair. Spend about a minute noticing the sensations in this area.
7. Now, return to the anxiety-related Has it changed at all? Notice any shifts, however subtle.
8. Continue this pendulation between the activation (anxiety sensation) and regulation (neutral or comfortable area) for several cycles, spending longer in the regulated areas than with the
9. Throughout the practice, notice moments of discharge—perhaps a spontaneous deep breath, a yawn, a stomach gurgle, or subtle These signal the nervous system releasing tension.
10. Complete the practice by returning attention to your resource, feeling it in your body for several minutes before gently opening your

With regular practice, this exercise builds capacity to be with anxiety sensations without becoming overwhelmed, while supporting the nervous system’s natural pendulation toward regulation.

Exercise 3: Grounding Through the Lower Body

Anxiety often manifests as a feeling of being “ungrounded”—disconnected from the lower body and the earth’s support. This exercise reestablishes that crucial grounding connection.

1. Begin by standing or sitting with your feet flat on the If possible, remove your shoes to increase sensory contact.
2. Bring full attention to the soles of your Notice all sensations—pressure, temperature, tingling, pulsing—without judgment or analysis.
3. Gently press your feet into the floor, then Repeat several times, noticing how your legs, pelvis, and spine respond to this movement.
4. Imagine your feet developing roots that extend deep into the earth, anchoring you Feel these roots growing downward with each breath.
5. Begin to notice how the ground pushes back up to support you—you don’t have to hold yourself up through muscular effort alone; the earth constantly supports
6. Bring awareness to your legs—the bones, muscles, and joints that structure your connection to the Feel their substantial presence.
7. Notice your pelvis as a heavy, stable basin at the center of your Allow it to feel weighted, substantial, and supported from below.
8. As you continue breathing naturally, observe how the breath movement influences sensations in your lower The diaphragm’s movement may create subtle pulsations felt all the way down to your feet.
9. Throughout this practice, whenever you notice your attention drifting into anxious thoughts, gently return focus to the physical sensations in your lower body and
10. To complete the practice, take a few steps mindfully, noticing the sensations of contact, weight transfer, and support with each

This exercise can be practiced for 5-10 minutes daily and briefly employed whenever anxiety arises. It helps counteract the upper-body focus and disconnection from ground support that frequently accompany anxiety states.

Clinical Applications: Working with Specific Anxiety Manifestations Somatic Experiencing offers specialized approaches for different manifestations of anxiety: Panic Attacks

SE understands panic attacks as intense sympathetic activation often followed by parasympathetic

collapse. Key interventions include:

Identifying and addressing triggers that precede panic

Working with incomplete defensive responses that fuel panic physiology Developing early warning awareness of pre-panic sensations

Creating containment for intense sensations without suppression Building tolerance for activation without immediate collapse Establishing emergency grounding techniques tailored to the individual

Social Anxiety

In social anxiety, the social engagement system (regulated by the ventral vagal complex) becomes overridden by defensive responses. SE approaches include:

Titrated exposure to manageable social situations Processing early experiences of social threat or humiliation Restoring healthy function of the social engagement system Developing embodied resources for social interactions

Working with the specific defensive responses triggered in social contexts Addressing shame at the somatic level

Generalized Anxiety

With its persistent worry and hypervigilance, generalized anxiety often involves chronic low-level sympathetic activation without sufficient pendulation to restoration. SE works with:

Expanding the capacity for parasympathetic restoration Identifying and discharging accumulated stress activation Restoring healthy boundaries between self and world Developing greater tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity Addressing the somatic patterns of scanning for threat Recalibrating the nervous system’s baseline arousal level

Integration with Other Approaches

Somatic Experiencing complements other therapeutic approaches to anxiety:

With Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

While CBT addresses thought patterns contributing to anxiety, SE works with the underlying physiological patterns. Combined, they create powerful change at both cognitive and somatic levels. SE can help ground cognitive insights in bodily experience, while CBT can provide helpful frameworks for understanding what emerges through somatic work.

With Mindfulness Practices

SE and mindfulness share an emphasis on present-moment awareness, though SE is more directive in working with activation and employs specific interventions rather than open awareness alone.

Mindfulness can enhance the interoceptive awareness central to SE, while SE provides specific tools for working with activation that might otherwise derail meditation practice.

With Medication

For some individuals, medication provides crucial support that creates space for the nervous system to learn new patterns through SE. As SE work progresses and the nervous system develops greater self- regulatory capacity, medication needs may change (always in consultation with the prescribing physician).

Conclusion: The Promise of Embodied Healing

Somatic Experiencing offers a fundamentally different approach to anxiety—one that honors the body’s wisdom and works with, rather than against, the nervous system’s natural healing capacity. By addressing anxiety at its physiological roots, SE can create lasting transformation that goes beyond symptom management.

This approach recognizes that anxiety is not merely a mental state to be controlled but a whole-organism response that carries important information. As individuals learn to listen to this information with curiosity rather than fear, the symptoms that once seemed like enemies often become guides toward greater wholeness and authenticity.

The path of somatic healing for anxiety is not always linear. It involves developing a new relationship with bodily experience—learning to trust sensations as messengers rather than threats. This journey requires patience, compassion, and often the support of a skilled practitioner who can guide the process of reconnecting with the body’s innate wisdom.

For those suffering from anxiety, perhaps the most hopeful aspect of the somatic approach is its recognition that we are not broken systems in need of external control, but intelligent, adaptive organisms with an innate capacity for self-regulation that can be rediscovered and strengthened. Through the body, we find not only the roots of our anxiety but also the pathways toward its transformation.

 

Keywords: Anxiety, polyvagal theory, gestalt therapy, psychotherapy, parents, parental trauma, somatic experiencing
Contact us: Feel and Heal Therapy Office