The Importance of Somatic Healing in Trauma Recovery
- Dr. Deilen Michelle Villegas
- Sep 29, 2025
- 3 min read
By Dr. Deilen Michelle Villegas, Ph.D.
Trauma Recovery Expert | Holistic Practitioner | Author of Rewired for Resilience
Why Somatic Healing Matters in Trauma Recovery
Trauma is not just a story from our past—it’s an experience that lives in the body. For too long, trauma recovery has been framed solely through the lens of the mind, focusing on talk therapy and cognitive processes. While these are powerful tools, they often miss a critical piece of the puzzle: the body’s memory of trauma.
Through my work as a Trauma Specialist and Holistic Practitioner, I’ve seen how trauma embeds itself in the nervous system, shaping how we think, feel, and respond to the world around us. This is where Neurosomatic Intelligence (NSI) comes in—bringing together the science of the brain with the wisdom of the body to create deep, sustainable healing.
The Body Keeps the Score
When we experience trauma, the body’s natural survival mechanisms—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—can get “stuck,” keeping us in a state of hypervigilance or shutdown long after the original threat has passed. This unresolved energy can manifest as:
Anxiety and panic attacks
Chronic pain or tension
Digestive issues
Emotional numbness
Difficulty in relationships
Somatic healing recognizes that trauma is not only psychological, but also psychosomatic and neurosomatic. Healing requires us to address both the neurobiology of trauma and the body’s wisdom in holding and releasing that trauma.
Neurosomatic Intelligence: Reframing the Way We Heal
Neurosomatic Intelligence is a groundbreaking approach that teaches us to work with the nervous system, not against it. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” we begin to ask, “What happened to me—and how is my body protecting me?”
By reframing trauma responses as protective adaptations rather than personal failures, clients begin to reclaim self-compassion and curiosity. This shift creates space for healing, embodiment, and transformation.
10 Somatic Practices to Regulate Your Nervous System at Home
Here are 10 simple yet powerful tools you can begin today:
Grounding Through Your Feet – Stand barefoot and press your feet into the floor. Notice the sensation of stability.
Belly Breathing – Place a hand on your stomach and breathe deeply, letting your belly rise and fall. This stimulates the vagus nerve and calms the nervous system.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation – Tense and release each muscle group from head to toe to discharge stored tension.
Humming or Chanting – Vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve and regulate your parasympathetic nervous system.
Orienting Practice – Gently look around the room, naming colors or objects, to remind your body that you are safe in the present moment.
Shaking It Out – Allow your body to shake or tremble, mimicking how animals release stress after danger.
Self-Holding – Cross your arms and place your hands on your shoulders, offering your nervous system the sensation of safety and containment.
Cold Water Reset – Splash your face with cold water or hold an ice cube to quickly bring your nervous system back to regulation.
Somatic Journaling – Write about where emotions “live” in your body, noticing patterns of tightness or openness.
Gentle Movement – Practices like yoga, tai chi, or walking outdoors help discharge stored energy and foster regulation.
My Work as a Trauma Specialist
As a Board-Certified Holistic Health and Trauma Recovery Expert, my mission is to guide individuals through the journey of healing by weaving together:
Clinical expertise in trauma-informed mental health
Somatic practices that reconnect mind, body, and spirit
Neurosomatic tools that rewire protective patterns in the nervous system
Ancestral wisdom and holistic modalities that restore balance and sovereignty
This multidimensional approach helps clients not only survive trauma, but thrive beyond it.
Final Thoughts & Invitation
Somatic healing teaches us that resilience isn’t about “pushing through”—it’s about listening to the body, restoring safety, and creating new pathways for thriving. Trauma may have shaped you, but it does not define you.
In my book, Rewired for Resilience: The Neurosomatic Path to Healing, Embodiment, and Transformation, I share the science, practices, and stories that can help you reclaim your power and create lasting change.
Available for Purchase on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rewired-Resilience-Neurosomatic-Embodiment-Transformation/dp/1969550406/ref=sr_1_1
👉 Visit www.DrDeilenMVillegas.com to stay updated, explore my services, and be the first to know when the book is released.
You are not broken—you are being rewired for resilience. 🌿
Comments