When I Started Listening to My Body: An Introduction to Somatic Healing

The moment I discovered something powerful...

There was a time in my life when I felt completely disconnected from my body. In fact I honestly didn’t even know I was experiencing felt sensations within my body. 

I was functioning.

Showing up.

Doing all the things.

But inside, I was exhausted. Stressed the eff out. My muscles were tight. And I was constantly in my head.

3am wake ups were normal. 

My mind racing. Overthinking the day. Running scenarios through my mind that would never really happen. 

If you’ve ever lived in that space, where your mind is always on and your body feels like it’s just along for the ride, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Have you ever noticed your body reacting to something, maybe excitement, joy, or stress?

Or noticed patterns like tension, racing thoughts, or poor sleep without questioning what they might be telling you?

I’m an emotional person and at one point in my life I thought it was a weakness. 

I’ve learned that it is in fact… not a weakness.

It's how my body communicates with me.

I worked in a high-pressure job. And over time, it got worse. 

My body and mind absorbed everything. 

The impossible deadlines.

The not so quite negative talk that became common.

Toxic work trauma bonding at its finest.

I do not fault anyone for that. It's just what happened.

I still remember it like yesterday.

Teams went off (which was a constant). It was a message from the big boss. My stomach did a back flip. This was the moment I became aware of this reaction within my body and it was the day that changed everything.

I couldn’t unfeel it.

It became constant.

And that’s when I realized my body was talking and I had to listen.

That experience is what eventually led me to learning about the somatic body and eventually becoming a certified somatic healing practitioner.

If you want to read more about my brush with burnout, I share all about it in this blog post: Beyond Hustle: My Journey with Burnout and Why Rest is the Secret

Anyway… back to what I was saying…

Here’s something to think about:

• Where does your body react when stress enters the room?

  • Your stomach? Your chest? Your jaw?

    
    

These are the sensations worth noticing.

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What is Somatic Awareness and Somatic Healing?

Somatic awareness is the foundation - it's the practice of noticing what's happening inside your body. Your breath, your felt sensations, the subtle signals your body sends.

It's learning to feel your way into the present moment. To get out of your head and into your body.

Here's how it works:

You have a thought. That thought triggers an emotion. That emotion creates a felt sensation in your body.

That felt sensation is where somatic awareness begins.

Your body holds information the mind can't always access. And when you create space to listen, a lot begins to soften on its own.

Somatic healing builds on this foundation.

It's about creating a safe container where you can pause, become present, and work with what your body is holding - releasing tension, regulating your nervous system, and restoring your energy.

Your body is constantly communicating with you. 

Once you begin to notice and observe these sensations, you open yourself up to learning an entirely new language.

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A Simple Way to Understand It...

If you’ve ever practiced yoga, this will resonate.

There’s a big difference between forcing yourself into a pose and allowing your body to meet it in its own way.

One is effort-driven. The other is awareness-driven.

Somatic healing works the same way.

It’s about listening. Noticing. Observing.

Think of your body like a compass.

When you slow down and notice, it offers direction through felt sensation.

It naturally points towards what you need, rest, movement, breath, stillness, or all of these.

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Your Body as Your Compass

Think of your body like a compass.

When you slow down and notice, it offers direction through felt sensation. It naturally points toward what you need - rest, movement, breath, stillness, or release.

This is what I call somatic intuition.

This is when your body becomes your guide.

You start to notice what feels expansive vs. contracting.

What's aligned vs. what's draining.

What's true vs. what you've been telling yourself.

I'll be sharing more about somatic intuition in future posts - how to tune in, trust it, and use it to navigate your life. For now, just know that awareness is where it starts.

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What Somatic Healing Does

When you begin to work somatically, the shifts are often subtle at first.

Your breath deepens.

Your shoulders drop.

You start to feel more grounded and present.

Over time, you may notice that you’re no longer overriding yourself in the same way.

You begin to recognize when you’re tense, overwhelmed, or depleted, and instead of pushing through, you respond with care.

This is where real change happens.

Through awareness.

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A Simple Somatic Practice You Can Try Right Now

This is a body-based somatic awareness practice that will help you notice the sensations of your body. 

Pause for a moment.

Take notice of your breath without changing it.

Where do you feel your breath in your body?

Your chest, belly, throat, elsewhere?

Then ask yourself:

What sensation(s) do I feel within my body?

There’s no right answer. 

All you need to do is notice the sensations.

This is somatic awareness and how to begin learning the language of your body. 

Sometimes, what you notice is very little,  or even nothing at all. That’s part of the practice too.

And over time, body-based somatic practices like this help build a stronger mind–body connection so you can hear (and feel) your truth. 

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Experiencing Somatic Work (Because this is all about feeling)

Somatic work is something you feel and experience. 

That’s why I created Start Your Day in Power — a free somatic audio ritual to help you anchor into your body and meet the day from a grounded, steady place before everything else pulls at you.

It’s a simple way to experience somatic awareness for yourself.

To slow down.

To listen.

To begin the day connected to your energy.

And if you find yourself wanting deeper support, I also offer Personal Somatic Energy Reset sessions. These are one-on-one containers where we create space to release what’s been held, listen more closely to what your body is communicating, and restore your energy in a way that feels safe and intentional.

This work meets you where you are — and supports the version of you that’s ready to rise.

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Your Body is Your Compass: Learning Somatic Intuition

If you’re curious, here are a few questions you can ask yourself.

The point here is to become the observer.

There isn’t anything you need to change. Just observe:

• What sensations am I aware of in my body right now?

• Where do I feel those sensations the most?

• Can I observe them without needing them to be different?

• What happens when I simply stay present with what I notice?

Somatic intuition is your invitation to drop into the felt sensations of your body.

Your body has its own language and it's always speaking.

Are you ready to listen?

Written from my heart,

Heather Alice-Marie

P.S. Want to keep the momentum going? Choose what feels good for you:

→ Try a free somatic audio session to calm your mind and reconnect with your body.

→ Join my email Community - Get the Spark!

→ Start your daily gratitude practice with the Uncage Your Life Journal.

Let's connect on IG: @heatheralicemarie  and Substack💛

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About Heather Alice-Marie

Heather Alice-Marie is a somatic healing practitioner and the founder of Uncage Your Life.

Through somatic practices and audio experiences, she creates space for you to notice your body's signals and tune into your own somatic intuition.

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Somatic Healing & Awareness FAQs

Q: What is somatic healing?

A: Somatic healing is a body-based approach to awareness that focuses on noticing felt sensations, breath, and the subtle signals your body is constantly communicating. Rather than thinking your way through stress or emotion, somatic healing invites you to slow down and listen to the body’s experience in the present moment.

Q: What is somatic awareness?

A: Somatic awareness is the practice of noticing what’s happening inside your body — sensations, breath, tension, or ease — without trying to change or fix anything. It’s the foundation of somatic work and the starting point for learning your body’s language.

Q: How is somatic healing different from traditional therapy?

A: Traditional talk-based therapy often focuses on thoughts, stories, and cognitive understanding. Somatic healing works with the body directly, recognizing that stress, emotion, and experience are also held and expressed through the nervous system and physical sensations.

Q: Can somatic practices help with stress and burnout?

A: Yes. Many people turn to somatic practices when they notice patterns like chronic tension, racing thoughts, poor sleep, or feeling disconnected from their body. By increasing awareness and presence, somatic work can support nervous system regulation and help create a greater sense of ease and grounding.

Q: Do I need experience with yoga or meditation to practice somatic healing?

A: No. Somatic practices don’t require flexibility, specific poses, or prior meditation experience. They’re about awareness, not performance, and can be practiced gently, wherever you are.

Q: How do I start practicing somatic awareness?

A: A simple way to begin is by pausing and noticing your breath and any sensations in your body — without trying to change them. Even small moments of awareness can help you start tuning into the signals your body is already sending.

Q: What is somatic intuition?

A: Somatic intuition is what develops when you practice somatic awareness consistently - your body becomes a compass that guides your decisions, shows you what's aligned, and helps you navigate life with clarity. It's beyond healing; it's learning to trust the sensations of your body.