Somatic Trauma Therapy: How Trauma Lives in the Nervous System and How to Release It Safely

Trauma is not defined by what happened.
It is defined by how the body and nervous system responded.

As a Somatic Therapist, Sound Therapist and Integrative Dietitian working with trauma in Melbourne, I see this every day. People often arrive knowing their story, understanding their past, and having done years of talking therapy. Yet their body still feels tense, reactive, shut down or unsafe.

This is because trauma is not stored as a memory alone.
It is stored as a nervous system pattern.

How Trauma Lives in the Nervous System

When an experience overwhelms the body’s capacity to cope, the nervous system shifts into survival.

• Fight.
• Flight.
• Freeze.
• Shutdown.

If the body is unable to complete these survival responses, the energy remains stored in the nervous system. Over time, this can show up as symptoms that feel confusing or disconnected from the original event.

Common trauma based symptoms include:

• Chronic anxiety or hyper vigilance
• Emotional numbness or dissociation
• Fatigue and heaviness
• Startle responses
• Muscle tension or pain
• Digestive issues
• Sleep disturbance
• Difficulty feeling safe in relationships
• A sense of being on guard or collapsed

These are not signs of weakness. They are adaptive nervous system responses that once served a purpose.

Why Trauma Cannot Be Healed Through Talking Alone

Talking can help make sense of experiences. But trauma does not live in language.

It lives in sensation, reflex and physiology.

When trauma is approached only cognitively, the nervous system may remain unchanged. This is why people often say they understand their trauma but still feel affected by it.

Somatic trauma therapy works because it communicates directly with the nervous system.

What Is Somatic Trauma Therapy

Somatic trauma therapy is a body based approach that supports the safe release of stored survival energy.

Rather than revisiting traumatic events, we focus on what is happening in the body in the present moment.

The work is slow, respectful and guided by your nervous system.

In my practice, somatic trauma therapy focuses on:

• Creating a felt sense of safety in the body
• Increasing nervous system capacity and flexibility
• Tracking physical sensation without overwhelm
• Supporting completion of interrupted survival responses
• Re establishing connection to the body
• Integrating emotional and physiological regulation

Healing happens not by reliving trauma, but by allowing the body to finish what it could not at the time.

How Trauma Is Released Safely in Somatic Therapy

Safety is the foundation of trauma work.

In somatic therapy, we do not push, force or flood the system. We work in small increments that the nervous system can integrate.

This process may involve:

• Noticing subtle body sensations
• Allowing gentle movement or impulses
• Supporting breath regulation
• Orienting to the present environment
• Using pauses and resourcing
• Allowing the nervous system to settle between activations

This prevents retraumatisation and supports lasting regulation.

The body leads the process. Not the story.

The Role of Sound Therapy in Trauma Healing

Sound therapy is a powerful support in trauma work because it bypasses the thinking mind and communicates directly with the nervous system.

Used intentionally, sound can:

• Support down regulation of hyper arousal
• Gently awaken shut down systems
• Improve vagal tone
• Support emotional processing without verbalisation
• Create a sense of containment and safety

Sound therapy is integrated clinically as part of a broader somatic approach.

How Nutrition can Support Trauma Biology

As an Integrative Dietitian, I also assess the biological impact of trauma.

Long term nervous system stress can affect:

• Blood sugar regulation
• Digestive function
• Hormonal balance
• Nutrient absorption
• Immune function
• Energy production

Supporting the body nutritionally helps stabilise the system so somatic work can land and integrate.

Trauma healing is not just psychological. It is physiological.

What to Expect in Somatic Trauma Therapy Sessions

Sessions are paced, collaborative and responsive to your system.

They may include:

• Nervous system education
• Somatic awareness and tracking
• Grounding and orientation practices
• Breath and gentle movement
• Sound therapy
• Nutritional guidance when appropriate
• Integration and resourcing

There is no pressure to disclose details or relive experiences.

We work with what your body communicates in the present moment.

Trauma Therapy in Melbourne That Prioritises Safety

If you are seeking trauma therapy in Melbourne that respects your nervous system and works at the level trauma actually lives, somatic therapy offers a deeply effective and safe pathway.

Trauma releases when the body no longer needs to stay in survival.

Ready to Begin Your Trauma Healing Journey?

If you feel ready to explore trauma healing in a grounded, body based and supportive way, I invite you to book a somatic trauma therapy session.

We work together to support your nervous system toward safety, regulation and reconnection.

Book your somatic therapy session here

Sending love,
Anca Vereen

Somatic Therapist, Sound Therapist, Integrative Dietitian