The body often feels stress before the mind catches up. Tight shoulders, a clenched jaw or a sudden knot in the stomach can be early signals that something is off. Somatic psychology focuses on these physical cues and how tuning into them can help people feel calmer and more grounded.
“Sometimes your body notices stress first,” said Selma Bacevac, a licensed psychotherapist and behavioral health educator with BayCare.
Why Somatic Tools Are Having a Moment
Somatic practices are gaining attention in wellness and mental health spaces because people are seeking tools they can use in real time to help regulate stress. Grounding exercises, breathwork, gentle movement and sensory awareness all work with the nervous system to shift the body out of fight or flight. “When you learn to tune in, you get information sooner — and you can respond before stress snowballs,” Bacevac said.
Self-Compassion as a Stress Regulator
Self-compassion fits naturally into this approach. It means treating yourself with the same understanding you’d offer a friend. It’s a healthier way to cope with stress and stay motivated.
Research links self-compassion to better resilience, steadier emotions and more sustainable habits.
“Self-compassion isn’t letting yourself off the hook,” Bacevac said. “It’s choosing support over shame so you can keep going.”
Creating Space Between Stress and Your Response
Together, somatic awareness and self-compassion form a simple loop. You notice a sensation, name the emotion behind it, offer yourself a kind response and support your body with a calming action, like a slow exhale or relaxed shoulders.
“When you pair body awareness with self-kindness, you create a little space,” Bacevac said. “That space is often enough for your nervous system to settle and for your next choice to be smarter.”
Small Shifts That Help You Reset
Small, practical habits make this approach easier to use throughout the day. A long exhale, a brief jaw release, a hand over the heart or a quiet phrase like “This is a tough moment and I’m doing my best” can interrupt stress and help the body reset. Somatic tools work best when they feel natural to use throughout the day. A gentle, intentional shoulder drop can help your body settle without stepping away from what you’re doing. These moments don’t require equipment, privacy or extra time, just a willingness to pause and pay attention.
Learn more about protecting your mental health or connect with an expert for guidance and support: BayCare Behavioral Health
