Trauma specialists say demand is rising for somatic therapy

Mental health professionals are seeing more interest in body-based trauma care, including somatic therapy, EMDR and Internal Family Systems. The shift reflects growing recognition that trauma can affect the nervous system and physical health, not just thoughts and emotions.

Why it matters: - Trauma care is moving beyond talk therapy alone as more clients seek treatment that addresses both emotional distress and physical symptoms. - Specialists say a broader mix of evidence-informed approaches may help people with complex, long-running or repeated trauma.

What happened: - Mental health professionals are reporting rising demand for somatic therapy and related body-based trauma treatments. - The trend is being driven by growing awareness that trauma can show up in the body, not only in memory or mood. - Sybil Ottenstein, founder and clinical director of Somatic Psychotherapy Center, said more people are seeking care that recognizes the connection between the body and emotional health.

The details: - Somatic therapy focuses on sensations, breathing, posture and movement to help people recognize and release trauma-related patterns. - EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, including guided eye movements, to help process distressing memories. - Internal Family Systems, or IFS, treats the mind as made up of internal parts that may hold protective or wounded roles. - Holistic trauma therapy often combines somatic experiencing, mindfulness-based practices and traditional psychotherapy. - Practitioners say treatment plans are usually tailored to a person's history, symptoms and preferences. - Ottenstein said a personalized approach can help clients work through trauma in a way that feels safe, gradual and meaningful. - Somatic Psychotherapy Center provides trauma-focused mental health services in Brooklyn and Manhattan. - The practice also offers virtual sessions throughout New York. - The center says it combines somatic therapy with Somatic Experiencing, Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR and IFS. - The practice says its care is designed to support nervous system regulation, trauma recovery, anxiety treatment and emotional integration. - Contact details listed in the release include the website More information, the LinkedIn page company profile, the Instagram account social page and the Facebook page social page.

Between the lines: - The release reflects a wider clinical shift toward trauma treatment that integrates physical and psychological care. - Specialists framed recovery as a phased process that can include stabilization, processing and integration, rather than a fixed number of sessions. - The emphasis on multimodal care suggests demand for providers who can match different therapies to different trauma presentations. - The trend also points to growing acceptance of somatic methods within mainstream mental health care.

What's next: - Trauma clinicians expect demand for specialized, body-based providers to keep growing as awareness of trauma's physiological effects spreads through training and public messaging. - Practices like Somatic Psychotherapy Center are likely to continue using broader intake assessments to match clients with the right mix of therapies. - Clinicians say future care will likely keep expanding the toolkit for single-incident trauma, complex trauma and ongoing stress exposure.

The bottom line: - Somatic therapy is gaining traction as trauma care moves toward individualized treatment that addresses both the mind and the body.