Body-centered therapies address how the body responds to trauma …

There are moments when anxiety feels lodged in the chest like a stone or when old grief sharpens with no obvious trigger. Traditional therapy, with its emphasis on thought and insight, can offer clarity but sometimes understanding isn’t enough. The body often carries the weight of experience in ways words alone can’t touch, which is why a different kind of therapy has quietly been gaining ground.

Why body-centered therapies were developed
In the latter half of the 20th century, psychotherapists began noticing a recurring pattern: patients who intellectually understood their trauma still struggled to feel relief. This gap between cognitive insight and emotional resolution prompted a shift. Researchers and clinicians started asking whether the body — not just the mind — was also storing and replaying the effects of trauma. The result was a wave of therapies aimed at engaging the body’s own language: breath, movement, sensation, posture, and nervous system responses.

These therapies don’t replace traditional talk therapy; they address something it often overlooks. Rather than focusing on memory or belief patterns alone, body-based approaches seek to engage the physical processes that hold trauma, using awareness and sometimes subtle physical intervention. Among the most studied and practiced are Bioenergetic Analysis, Hakomi Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing.

Bioenergetic Analysis
Developed by Alexander Lowen, a student of Wilhelm Reich, Bioenergetic Analysis explores how suppressed emotions manifest as chronic muscular tension and altered posture. Practitioners believe that the body’s physical state reflects psychological defenses — slumped shoulders might indicate surrender or shame; a rigid stance might signal repressed anger or fear.

Sessions often combine verbal exploration with expressive movement, breathing exercises, grounding techniques, and sometimes intense physical work like pushing or vocal release. The goal is to help clients experience emotional clarity and internal alignment, not just through cognitive understanding but through physical release and reconnection.

Some research supports its efficacy, though it remains limited. A 2016 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that clients undergoing Bioenergetic Analysis reported improvements in emotional regulation, vitality, and interpersonal functioning. However, the methodology and sample sizes in much of the research remain underdeveloped compared to mainstream psychotherapies.

Hakomi Therapy
Created by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s, Hakomi is a mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy. The name itself comes from a Hopi word meaning “Who are you?”—a nod to its introspective nature. In practice, Hakomi focuses on gentle, present-moment awareness of bodily sensations and inner experiences. Therapists maintain a respectful, non-intrusive approach to guide clients through subtle shifts in attention to uncover unconscious beliefs embedded in body patterns.

Rather than using cathartic release like Bioenergetics, Hakomi favors curiosity, respect, and slowness. It blends somatic awareness with principles drawn from Eastern philosophy and systems theory. Several small-scale studies, including those reviewed in the International Body Psychotherapy Journal, have shown promising results for anxiety, trauma, and attachment issues.

However, Hakomi is not a spiritually neutral method. Its foundations are deeply rooted in Buddhism, Taoism, and shamanic belief systems. Concepts such as non-duality, inner wisdom, and the dissolution of ego are sometimes embedded into the therapeutic process itself. Christians should be aware that the spiritual underpinnings of Hakomi are not compatible with biblical doctrine. Even if certain somatic techniques appear useful, the therapy’s philosophical framework directly conflicts with the truth revealed in scripture. For that reason, Hakomi should generally be avoided by Christians seeking biblically faithful care.

Somatic Experiencing
Peter Levine developed Somatic Experiencing (SE) after decades of studying how animals naturally recover from life-threatening events. He noticed that while animals tend to return to normal function after danger, humans often remain stuck in states of fear or collapse. SE was designed to help people gently retrace their physiological responses to trauma in order to recover emotional stability and bodily regulation.

SE helps clients track physical sensations linked to traumatic memories, guiding them toward resolution without overwhelming reactivation. It emphasizes “titration” — breaking experiences into small, manageable steps — and “pendulation,” encouraging a rhythm between distress and calm. SE works with the body’s inherent mechanisms for regulating the nervous system and restoring a sense of safety.

The research base for SE is growing. A 2017 randomized controlled trial published in Journal of Traumatic Stress found that SE significantly reduced PTSD symptoms among survivors of political violence. Another study in Neuropsychotherapy in 2020 found that SE reduced anxiety and improved physiological regulation. Though more large-scale trials are still needed, evidence for SE is building steadily.

From a biblical worldview, SE presents fewer concerns. Its methods are rooted in physiology, not in spiritual or metaphysical systems. Although Levine occasionally uses spiritual language in his writings, the clinical application of SE does not require or promote any unbiblical spiritual framework. Christian therapists can adapt and practice SE with integrity as long as they remain grounded in biblical truth and a proper understanding of the person as both body and soul.

Who might benefit from these therapies
Individuals who experience chronic anxiety, trauma-related physical symptoms, or emotional numbness may find value in body-focused therapy. These approaches may also be helpful for those who have plateaued in talk therapy or who have difficulty putting their emotional experiences into words. Clients with unresolved trauma stored in the nervous system or bodily tension may find that physical engagement opens a path to healing that purely cognitive work could not access.

However, these therapies are not for everyone. Clients with dissociative disorders, severe psychiatric instability, or neurological vulnerabilities should approach body-based work carefully and under qualified clinical supervision. Not all somatic therapies are equally safe or theologically sound, and discernment is essential.

A discerning path forward
Christians should never hand over their discernment just because something feels effective. Body-centered therapies are not all created equal, and their usefulness depends not only on outcomes but on their underlying foundations. Some methods, like Somatic Experiencing, can be thoughtfully and biblically integrated into Christian counseling. Others, like Hakomi, introduce spiritual beliefs that stand in direct opposition to the truth of God’s Word.

Yet the central insight of these therapies remains relevant: God created human beings as embodied souls. When suffering lingers in the body, therapy that gently addresses physical processes can be a legitimate and biblically respectful tool if handled wisely. The key is not to accept every method uncritically, but to evaluate each one in light of scripture, theology, and the full dignity of the person created in the image of God.

Scotty