Somatics

A Path to Embodied Awareness and Growth

What are Somatics?

Somatics is a therapeutic, experiential approach that bridges the body and mind, focusing on your internal experience to foster healing and personal growth. Derived from the Greek word soma (meaning “the living body”), somatics highlights the interconnectedness of your physical body, emotions, thoughts, and energy.

At its core, somatics invites you to listen to your body’s innate wisdom. It’s not about fixing or striving for external goals but about exploring sensations, emotions, and patterns with curiosity and compassion. Through somatics, you can reconnect with your body as a source of resilience and balance, aligning with your natural rhythms and cultivating ease.

Somatics in Practice at Lakeside Yin

Somatics can look different depending on the context, but it always centers on cultivating presence and awareness. At Lakeside Yin, somatics is offered in two key ways:

Somatic Movement Practices

Somatic movement integrates gentle, intentional movements into personalized yoga sessions, group classes, and workshops. These practices focus on how your body feels as it moves, rather than achieving specific postures or external goals.

In somatic movement practices, you may:

• Release tension and habitual holding patterns.

• Improve mobility, alignment, and coordination.

• Cultivate a deeper connection to your body through mindful movement.

Inspired by modalities like the Feldenkrais Method and Hanna Somatics, these practices are integrated into yoga sessions, group classes, and workshops, creating a supportive and body-centered experience.

Come practice with us:

Kathryn offers Somatic-themed weekly group movement classes at at Astute Counseling and Wellness in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Sign up at the link or via ClassPass.

Or practice online, join one of Lakeside Yin's registered series.

Check out our Weekly Schedule, for ways to work with Kathryn.

Somatic Embodiment Practices

Somatic embodiment emphasizes being in your body rather than moving it. These practices are central to Somatic Exploration sessions and somatic embodiment group classes, helping you tune into your body’s subtle cues in the present moment.

Somatic embodiment may include:

• Exploring physical sensations like warmth, tension, or lightness.

• Observing the flow of breath and its influence on your body.

• Engaging in guided inquiries to explore emotions or sensations with curiosity.

• Creating stillness to allow insights to emerge naturally.

These client-led practices adapt to your comfort level, offering a gentle, safe way to reconnect with your body’s natural wisdom.

Curious about how somatics might support you? Explore our Somatic Exploration sessions or visit the FAQ below to learn more.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Understanding Somatics, Mindfulness, and Movement

What makes somatics unique?

Somatics prioritizes your internal experience rather than external goals, inviting you to listen to your body’s signals. Whether through movement, stillness, or breathwork, somatics fosters self-awareness, alignment, and healing in a deeply personal way.

Is somatics for me?

Somatics is for anyone curious about the connection between body and mind, whether you’re seeking to reduce stress, navigate trauma, or feel more at home in your body. It’s highly adaptable to meet your unique needs, no matter your experience.

What is mindfulness, and how is it practiced?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment with curiosity and compassion. While seated meditation is common, mindfulness can also be practiced through movement, breathwork, walking, or even daily activities like eating or washing dishes.

What is embodiment, and how does it relate to somatics?

Embodiment is about fully inhabiting your body and being present to its sensations and emotions. Somatics uses embodiment practices to deepen self-awareness and align the body and mind.

What is breathwork, and how is it different from pranayama?

Breathwork is a broad term for practices that use breath to influence your mental, emotional, and physical state. Pranayama, rooted in yoga, is a specific form of breathwork designed to balance energy (prana) and calm the mind.