How I am Using Somatic Movement to Release Trauma

A breast cancer diagnosis is a traumatic event. I have written about that topic here in other posts. I have recently discovered somatic movement as a way to release that trauma and it has been a game changer. 

A somatic movement is a movement that’s practiced consciously with the intention of focusing on the internal experience of the movement rather than the external appearance or the end result of the movement.

Since the definitions of soma and somatic are fairly generic, they can be used to describe a variety of forms of movement and healing modalities. Pretty much any type of movement or therapy that involves paying attention to your internal physical sensations and experiences can correctly be described as somatic.

Even before my cancer diagnosis I had tight hips and hip pain. Likely do to being a type A personality in perpetual forward movement combined with I attention to stretching properly. A few years back I strained my hip flexor in a spin class. The pain was so bad (and I have a high threshold) that I couldn’t bear weight on my left side and had to get my doctor to put my sock back on after my examination. It took me six weeks and a LOT of ibuprofen to recover. Hello constipation side effects!

My left side has continued to pain me ever since. I make regular visits to my chiropractor and an osteopath.

As I began to acknowledge the trauma of my diagnosis as see ways to heal and move past it, I spent time with a trauma counsellor for some talk therapy. It was hugely beneficial to understand how my upbringing, past experience and attachment style formed my, and my family’s reactions to my diagnosis. I also turned to fitness, deep breathing, tapping and meditation to assist me, especially during acute moments of stress. All helpful, but my left hip and lower back still nagged at me, especially at night.

This is where somatic movement enters the picture. In conversations with my therapist and yogi friends, I began to understand that emotions often become trapped in the pelvis and hip area. 

It turns out the hips serve as a storage facility for emotional tension, stress, and trauma. The hip muscles, particularly the psoas muscle, are notorious for harboring emotional stress. Furthermore, while I am active, I do desk work for a living as a self-employed marketer, so sitting at a desk, hunched over a desk with poor posture, coupled with likely a lifetime of emotional suppression, led to an accumulation tension in the hip region. Add a breast cancer diagnosis and all the trauma that brings and it is no wonder I was locked up.

Over the last month or so, I have begun incorporating 20-30 minutes of somatic hip opening and trauma release movement into my daily fitness routine. I change it up depending on the YouTube practice I happen to find that day, or guided by the Workout Witch, but based on the day, movements might include child’s pose, pigeon and sleeping pigeon, semi and full frog pose, cat cow, reclined knee to chest, happy baby, figure four pose, butterfly pose, windshield wiper of the knees, spinal twists, low lunges and squats (warning this one is super intense) and moving bridges. Each movement is done slowly and with mindful intention, coupled with deep breathing and visualization. 

Guess what?  It works!  Ok I still stiffen up and if I skip a couple of days I am back feeling tight again but it is helping with hip mobility. Bizarrely, for the first few times I did somatic movement, I also experienced nightmares, which I can only assume was my body’s way of releasing all that stress and fear I had locked up inside me during cancer’s fright and flight reaction to diagnosis and treatment. 

I have changed my diet a bit as well. Always half rabbit, I have always loved my veggies, but I have added in additional protein and am intentionally drinking a minimum of 3+ litres of water a day. 

I won’t say I am there yet when it comes to resolving my trauma. I still find myself clenching my jaw. I still have a long way to go before I feel truly relaxed (not sure that will ever be my natural state). But I am sleeping better, my hip and lower back are more supple and best of all, I don’t ache at night! 

And that folks, is what I call a win. 

Here are some of my go-to routines from YouTube