What is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and how can it help me?

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-based approach to therapy that helps you understand and heal how trauma and emotional pain live in your body—not in your thoughts or feelings.

When something overwhelming or traumatic happens, it doesn’t just affect your mind—it can get “stuck” in your nervous system. This might show up as:

• Physical tension or numbness

• Trouble relaxing or feeling safe

• Sudden reactions you can’t explain

• Feeling shut down or overwhelmed

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy helps you listen to what your body is trying to tell you—and gently work with those sensations, movements, and impulses to release what’s stuck and restore a sense of balance and safety.

What will I get out of this therapy?

You’ll learn to:

• Notice how your body reacts to stress or emotional triggers

• Release stored tension or trauma by exploring small, intentional movements

• Understand how posture and body habits relate to emotional patterns (like self-protection, shame, or fear)

• Feel more grounded, calm, and connected in everyday life

What happens in a session?

Instead of only talking about your experiences, your therapist might guide you to:

• Explore a small physical movement—like lifting your shoulders or making a fist—and notice what feelings or memories come with it.

• Notice your posture—Do you tend to shrink in or brace yourself? You’ll experiment with shifting your posture slowly and observing how that affects your emotional state.

• Tune into physical sensations—like tightness, heaviness, or tingling—as a way to connect with your emotions or inner experiences.

• Slow things down—Sensorimotor work happens gently and gradually, helping you stay within a safe emotional range while working through difficult material.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy helps you get out of your head and into your body—because sometimes, your body remembers what your mind doesn’t. This approach supports deep healing by helping you feel safer, more present, and more in control of your emotional and physical reactions.