Balancing your nervous system? What does that have to do with counseling?
Balancing your nervous system may not be the first thing you think of when you consider counseling—but it plays a foundational role in emotional health, stress, and connection. Our nervous system influences how we experience anxiety, depression, anger, safety, and even relationships, often before we are consciously aware of it.
In this article, Dr. Judith Allen explores how counseling supports nervous system regulation and why mind–body approaches like somatic psychology are so effective. You’ll learn how stress and trauma affect the nervous system, the science behind fight-or-flight responses, and how integrating body awareness into therapy can lead to deeper healing, resilience, and long-term emotional regulation.
The Benefits of Working With a Somatic Therapist: What to Expect and How It Helps Healing
Your body often knows the truth long before your mind can explain it. If you’ve ever felt tension, anxiety, or emotional reactions that seem to come out of nowhere, somatic therapy offers a powerful, body-centered path to healing. Unlike traditional talk therapy alone, somatic therapy helps clients understand how stress and trauma live in the nervous system—and how to gently release what’s been held for years.
In this in-depth guide, Dr. Ernie Reilly, LCSW explains what somatic therapy is, how it works, who it helps most, and what to expect in your first session. You’ll learn how breathwork, movement, and body awareness can restore a sense of safety, regulate emotions, and support lasting healing. If you feel stuck despite “doing all the right things,” somatic therapy may be the missing piece your body has been waiting for.