Somatic Shaking to Naturally Release Trauma and Stress (Trauma-Informed Approach)

Our bodies are deeply intelligent, but many trauma survivors may not know how to reconnect with themselves and bodies. We face fatigue, tension, and stress that leaves us wondering if our bodies are a challenge to overcome instead of a part of us. 

One of the most natural ways we can release tension and stress is through somatic shaking. This practice, through a trauma-informed lens, is how we find gentle release without retelling our experiences, but explore release with our creative nature. I welcome you to join me as we discover how to find your version of somatic shaking that speaks to your body and authenticity, rebuilding intuition after trauma. 

What is Somatic Shaking?

Somatic healing is how we communicate with our bodies to release tension and even discover hidden beliefs we hold in our connective tissues. When we add shaking, we awaken the natural release that animals do instinctively. Somatic Experiencing® was developed because Dr. Peter Levine discovered that after stressful events, animals shake their bodies, leading to completing the stress response.

An example of this is when a dog shakes during a thunderstorm. Many dogs (including mine) will shake their bodies, which may make us worried or feel like we should try to stop this response. While shaking is because of fear, it’s also because they’re letting these feelings move through them. 

We’re capable of this too, but many of us skip release and relaxation, leading to tension remaining stored in our bodies. Something that used to come so naturally to us has been suppressed, usually because of our culture or not feeling like we’re in a safe enough environment to release. 

Just like how when we see our dogs shaking in a storm and want to comfort them to try and make the shaking stop, we may have felt the need to make ourselves stop shaking, thinking that it’s how we end the response, when it’s actually suppressing it. We might become disconnected during stressful times, thinking that once the threat has passed, our bodies must have processed through it. But this is when we store tension from never fully releasing these feelings. 

Somatic shaking isn’t about trying to push ourselves, having a big, dramatic unloading, or trying to perfect anything. It’s often subtle, intuitive, and leaves us feeling grounded. It’s about letting go without forcing and gently feeling safer within our own bodies. 

Somatic shaking benefits survivors by allowing us to release without retelling, and to reconnect with our bodies on a personal, intimate level. 

Many survivors gravitate toward mind body healing modalities along with therapy because we can feel through our emotions, instead of always discussing our traumas. While mental health services have their own benefits that body work can’t do, somatic shaking is how we can supplement a care plan to physically move toward an inner sense of safety. 

Along with the benefit of being able to release without retelling, here are a few other benefits of somatic shaking: 

• Less stress and tension
• Emotional release
• Nervous system regulation
• More energy from less energy toward holding 

The best part about this practice is how accessible and simple it is to explore.

We will have a more effective practice by starting from a grounded, whole place. 

Many trauma survivors may want to jump immediately into practices, often skipping the most important part of any somatic practice: grounding and resourcing. This gives our bodies the space and safety we need for release to be more natural and effortless.

I welcome you to read this blog post to learn more about somatic healing and these concepts in more detail, but below is a summarized version to begin our practice: 

1. I welcome you to find a comfortable, quiet, and safe space. 
2. You might choose to begin with a grounding exercise you enjoy. This supports bringing you into the present moment, so you’re more with your body and less inside your thinking mind. Examples are grounding meditations, noticing your five senses, or bringing awareness to the ground supporting you, noticing the points of contact you have with the ground. 
3. Identify an inner or external resource. This goes a step beyond grounding because this can bring you from an activated (or triggered) state into a more relaxed one. An external resource can be an object, person or pet, or focusing on something tangible in the room that brings you comfort. An internal resource is a pleasant memory or cultivating a feeling from your external resources. Your resource supports you to be fully present and come from a grounded, comfortable presence. 

A trauma-informed somatic shaking practice creates an atmosphere for remaining present and being in control of our practice. 

What differentiates regular somatic shaking from a trauma-informed lens is that you have a choice over everything you do. While there is no wrong way to shake, some practices may tell you to push through uncomfortable feelings, shake parts of your body you’re not comfortable with, or telling you how to feel.

Not all practices do this, but trauma-informed practices take extra care to avoid this. While it can’t cater to all triggers, it eliminates common and unnecessary ones. I welcome you to read this blog post to learn more about trauma-informed yoga and how it supports sexual trauma survivors. 

How to explore somatic shaking

Once you’ve grounded and discovered a resource that works for you, I welcome you to begin by releasing the pressure of doing this perfectly. It’s similar to if we were dancing for fun – we don’t need to follow a specific formula with perfect form. It’s all about going with the flow of our bodies. One of my favorite lines I say with embodiment work is that if you could trademark your movements, so they’re uniquely yours, what would that look like? This gives you more opportunity to find your own rhythm. 

I welcome you to explore shaking with this guide below, knowing you can go off the path and skip or adjust this however you like. You can also do this standing, sitting, or lying down. There are no strict rules for shaking, and I invite you to end at any time. 

1. You might choose to begin wiggling your fingers and toes. You could rotate your wrists, open and close your fists, or do anything that feels natural. 
2. You could explore your arms next, softly shaking them in your time and pace. 
3. From here, you might explore swaying your arms or incorporating your chest, gently shaking your shoulders
4. If you’re standing, you could do small hip circles, or drawing a figure 8 shape with your hips if you feel comfortable. 
5. You might choose to add your legs and feet, exploring one at a time if you’re standing. 
6. From here, I welcome you to shake your whole body if you like or to revisit any areas you think need more attention. 
7. When you’re ready to end, I welcome you to take a moment to see if you noticed any shifts from your practice. You might explore your energy levels, physical sensations, or emotions. It’s supportive to end with a few moments of grounding, or maybe you choose to have warm tea or take a walk outside afterward to shift out of your practice. 

Supportive reminders when shaking: 

• Pause as much as you need – you don’t need to be in movement the entire time. 
• You might choose to play music if you’re unsure how to start. A steady beat can support movement.
• Shaking isn’t about trying to force or push ourselves, but about softening and releasing. 
• If you’re at a complete loss for how to start, I offer a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself. It can be new and foreign to explore movement in this way, so you might choose to begin by following a teacher, making small adjustments based on what they’re doing. If you like, you can explore my somatic yoga for beginners’ class here on YouTube.

This work supports your intuitive nature that may feel needs to hide after trauma. 

Non-scripted movement is one of the most supportive way to connect with ourselves, because we’re in tune with our bodies instead of following strict movements. This supports our intuition and self trust, which often feels distant to us after trauma.

We can reawaken this trust without needing to relive our experiences and remind ourselves that our bodies are intelligent and capable of healing. When we give ourselves time to be seen, heard, and supported, our bodies will tell us what it needs. 

You might notice that emotions arise during this work, and that’s totally okay. I welcome you to explore this blog post to learn the reason many students feel angry after yoga, and these reasons also apply to somatic practices like the ones we explored today.

Supportive movement for deeper embodiment

If you wish to explore trauma-informed yoga that caters to common themes associated with sexual trauma, I welcome you to join me in my free, private library, the Cozy Corner. You’ll find a variety of classes for restoring embodiment, creating safety, grounding, and somatic exercises. I welcome you to join me inside!