Somatic Practices I Use to Feel Lighter and More Alive

It's been almost 3 years since I've taken the IWA Integrative Somatic Practitioner Certification program, and I can honestly say it's been one of the best investments of my life. I think it may actually be time for another program (we will see!), especially with back-to-school energy in full swing.

In the IWA Integrative Somatic Practitioner Certification program, we learned over 60 different somatic tools and techniques to help with healing the whole body — mind, body, spirit, and heart. The training was incredibly robust, and it's helped me (and clients!) with so many things that we struggle with in daily life, including stress and tension, anxiety, overthinking, physical ailments, excessive worry, fear, etc.

I don't like to play favorites, but over the years, I've come to integrate a few somatic practices into my everyday life, and they've become so second nature to me that I don't even think about it anymore. I simply use them in my everyday life, and they've helped immensely.

I have never felt so good in my body, so at peace, so energized, and so alive. The things that used to worry me don't impact me as much anymore. It's truly amazing how somatic practices have gently shifted things in my life that, over time, have created massive shifts and transformations through years of repeated use.

Without further ado, I'm sharing three of my favorite somatic tools below:

1. Pause-Reset-Redirect

Whenever I'm triggered by something, I simply pause, reset, and then redirect.

I notice what's happening without judgment (pause), do a breathing cycle or move my body (reset), and then either offer myself a reframe or redirect my attention to something more spacious (redirect).

This technique has helped me break so many patterns of mine because it provides SPACE to notice the pattern and then redirect my energy. This has helped me with things like assuming the worst and judging others.

For example, if someone says or does something and my immediate reaction is to assume the worst, I can now catch that reaction instead of automatically running with it. I can pause, reset, and give myself some space before deciding how I actually want to respond.

It's such a simple practice, but I've found it to be incredibly powerful.

2. Nature Bathing

This is one of my favorite tools and super simple.

It's simply making time to be outside in nature (preferably surrounded by trees) and simply be. Nature bathing is often underutilized but highly supportive to the mind, body, spirit, and heart.

I don't have to do anything special. Sometimes I'll just sit outside, walk around, or spend some time near the trees without trying to accomplish anything.

It's one of those practices that has become so natural to me that I don't really think of it as a “somatic practice” anymore. It's just something I do.

3. Therapeutic Yoga

The body holds SOOOO much tension and so many emotions. I love different restorative yoga poses because they help release tension and also allow emotions to come to the surface.

I might try this technique with a journaling session afterward, and it is such a beautiful way to release all that I've been carrying.

Sometimes I don't even realize how much tension I'm holding until I slow down enough to actually feel it. Therapeutic yoga gives me the space to notice what's happening in my body and work with it instead of just pushing through.

If I'm ever feeling more stuck or in a trickier state, I'll choose a different somatic tool (each somatic tool has so many use cases!), but for the most part, these are the ones that are naturally embedded into my everyday life.

And I think that's one of the biggest things I've taken away from somatic work. I don't have to wait until I'm overwhelmed or struggling to use these tools. They have become part of how I live my everyday life.

If you're feeling called to learn more about somatic practices, and how they can be used in your own life to feel lighter, more at peace, and more alive, OR if you are thinking about going back to school to learn something new and useful, or thinking about a career change, I highly recommend the IWA Integrative Somatic Practitioner Certification program.

You can learn more about my experiences here. And if you enroll and want to take $50 off, use my code LISA at checkout.

Here's to a fall season of feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and alive!