Born to Be Wild Lifestyle Coaching

Reconnecting with your body after a complex trauma is not easy, and no one has the right to rush your process. When you’re ready, the question becomes: Which therapy will help you feel whole again?

EMDR and Somatic Therapy are both trauma-focused brain rewiring with body-based techniques to help you safely process stored pain and rediscover embodied pleasure.

As a Certified Somatic EMDR Practitioner and trauma-informed intimacy coach, I guide women and couples through their healing journey. In this post, I’ll explain how EMDR and Somatic interventions work together to support full-body trauma release and sensual reconnection.

The Difference Between EMDR and Somatic Therapy?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by therapy options, you’re not alone. EMDR and Somatic Therapy are two of the most powerful approaches for trauma healing, but they serve different roles in how trauma is processed and released.

EMDR Therapy: Structured Trauma Processing for the Brain

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured, evidence-based method developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It helps you reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer carry the same emotional weight. 

It is based on the idea that trauma can get stuck in the brain, leading to symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, or emotional numbness.

Through bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or tapping, it helps the brain activate its natural trauma processing system. It follows an eight-phase protocol that includes history taking, memory targeting, and desensitization, ending with re-evaluation and integration.

Unlike traditional talk therapy, it does not require you to verbally relive every detail of your trauma. Instead, it focuses on how memories are stored and helps reduce their emotional impact

Somatic Therapy: Bottom-Up Processing That Begins in the Body

Somatic therapy begins with the body. It is a bottom-up approach to trauma that prioritizes physical sensations over cognitive recollection. This method recognizes that trauma often lingers in the nervous system, manifesting as chronic pain or disease, disconnection from self or others, or dysregulation.

A somatic practitioner may guide you through breathwork, grounding techniques, or mindful movement to help release stored trauma and build nervous system resilience. It is less structured than EMDR and is driven by moment-to-moment awareness of what your body is communicating.

This type of therapy is ideal if you experience dissociation, physical tension, or feel disconnected from pleasure and presence.  

Why People Often Confuse Them?

EMDR and somatic therapy are often grouped because they are different from traditional talk therapy and work directly with the body’s response to trauma. 

EMDR includes elements of somatic awareness, especially in phases like the body scan. Both modalities are considered bottom-up approaches because they target trauma stored in the nervous system rather than relying on strictly logic or verbal recall.

While EMDR has an established structure, and somatic therapy is more intuitive and sensation-led, both share the goal of helping clients regulate their nervous systems, access deeper somatic healing, and integrate traumatic experiences. 

Key Differences

• Focus
  
  • EMDR focuses on reprocessing memories stored in the brain.
    
  • Somatic therapy focuses on releasing trauma stored in the body.
    
• Technique
  
  • EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, like tapping or eye movements.
    
  • Somatic therapy uses body tracking, movement, and sensation awareness.
    
• Structure
  
  • EMDR follows a highly structured eight-phase process.
    
  • Somatic therapy is fluid and follows the body’s natural rhythm.
    
• Trauma Processing Style
  
  • Traditional EMDR leans on top-down processing with some body awareness.
    
  • Somatic therapy uses bottom-up processing as its core framework.
    
• Ideal Use
  
  • EMDR is best suited for complex PTSD, flashbacks, rumination, or intrusive memories that disrupt daily life or present healthy relationships from forming.
    
  • Somatic therapy supports all trauma recovery.
    

Linking EMDR With Somatic Trauma Interventions

Certain phases of EMDR, such as desensitization and the body scan, involve body awareness. You may notice changes in breath, muscle tension, or emotional state as traumatic memories are processed.

If your practitioner is trained in both EMDR and somatic methods, they may include a variety of  grounding exercises, breathwork, or sensation tracking modalities. These adjustments support nervous system regulation and help you stay within your window of tolerance.

EMDR is not somatic therapy, but it can be adapted to include somatic tools. This combination allows for more embodied trauma processing while maintaining the structure of the EMDR protocol.

How to Know Which Is Right for You

Choosing between EMDR and somatic experiencing depends on how you experience trauma and what kind of support your nervous system needs. Each approach offers something different, and in many cases, they can be used together. Here are some ways to tell which may be the best fit for your current healing journey.

You may benefit more from EMDR if:

• You have clear memories that continue to trigger emotional distress
  
• You prefer structured sessions with a defined process and measurable goals
  
• You want to reduce flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts
  
• You feel emotionally ready to address specific past events with guidance
  
• You need a non-verbal alternative to talk therapy, but still want a method with structure
  

You may benefit more from somatic therapy if:

• You feel disconnected from your body or numb during emotional moments
  
• You experience physical symptoms of trauma, such as tension, pain, or shutdown
  
• You struggle with identifying memories, but still feel the effects of trauma
  
• You need help regulating your nervous system before deeper trauma processing
  
• You prefer a slower, physical, touch-based approach that prioritizes safety and presence
  

You may benefit from combining both if:

• You are doing trauma processing work and want to stay grounded and connected to your body
  
• You tend to get overwhelmed, angry or dissociate during intense emotional experiences
  
• You want to build body awareness while reprocessing trauma in a safe, supported way
  
• You are ready to go deeper but need to feel safe, sensual, and self-connected while doing so
  

There is no one-size-fits-all method for healing trauma. The right choice is the one that meets you where you are and honors your pace, your body, and your emotional needs.

What a Session on Both Might Look Like as a Newcomer

If this is your first time exploring EMDR or somatic therapy, it is natural to feel curious, cautious, or unsure of what to expect. When the two are integrated, sessions are designed to be spacious, gentle, and led by your body’s cues—never rushed or forced.

A session may begin with breathing & grounding. You might be guided to notice your breath, where your body makes contact with the ground, chair, or any sensations that feel neutral or safe. This helps your nervous system settle before engaging with anything more activating.

From there, you and your practitioner might identify what resources you have to navigate your way back to a center and grounded place, should you become activated. Then we might select a focus, a sensation, experience or an emotional pattern you want to explore. 

Using bilateral stimulation, such as gentle tapping or eye movement, it begins to engage your brain’s natural trauma processing system. But unlike traditional EMDR, you are not asked to power through discomfort. Instead, somatic cues are used to slow things down, check in with your body, and pause whenever needed. A guided visualization exercise and binaural beats can also be combined to help guide you through this process.

Throughout the session, the therapist or certified coach may ask questions like, “What do you notice in your body right now?” or “Does that sensation have color or texture as we continue?” This helps you stay connected to your physical experience and avoid getting overwhelmed. The goal is not to fix or force anything, but to follow your body’s pace, allowing release, integration, or insight to arise naturally.

You are always in control. Whether you are working with a specific trauma or simply learning to reconnect with your body, the process is collaborative. Safety, consent, and presence are more important than pushing through. Over time can build towards receiving more pleasure, deeper sensations, and growing your self-trust.

When Do You Combine These Two Practices?

You combine EMDR and somatic therapy when you are ready to process trauma without losing connection to your body. Some clients begin with one and slowly integrate the other. Others benefit from using both approaches from the start. The right moment depends on your nervous system’s capacity, your sense of safety, and your desire to feel more present in your body.

Combination work is especially supportive when:

• You feel emotionally ready to address traumatic memories, but still hold fear or tension
• You dissociate, shut down, or feel overwhelmed during traditional sessions
• You want to stay embodied while working through memories to allow your body and mind to reprocesses them in a healthy way
• You need help building safety and regulation skills before accessing painful material
• You are healing from sexual trauma or abuse and want to reconnect with your sensuality slowly and intentionally

Often, the decision to combine these two approaches comes through collaboration with your practitioner. A skilled trauma-informed professional can assess how regulated your nervous system feels, what kind of processing you are ready for, and whether layering somatic interventions with EMDR therapy will support your goals. 

If you are not sure where to begin, your therapist or certified coach can help identify what your body needs most right now.

Some clients start with somatic therapy to build body awareness and emotional resilience. Once their system feels grounded, EMDR therapy is introduced to safely process memories. Others begin EMDR but notice their body disconnects or shuts down. That is often a sign that somatic tools need to be integrated.

Finding the Practitioner For Your Healing

The practitioner you work with shapes how safe, supported and effective your healing process feels. You need someone who understands how trauma lives in the nervous system and who can track, adjust, and respond with presence and compassion, not pressure.

I bring training in both EMDR and somatic therapy, along with experience supporting women and couples through trauma recovery, with the intention of developing more love, passion and presence in their relationships. I help you reconnect with your body, its desires, set boundaries that feel right, and rebuild safety from within, so you are triggered less often and the reaction is not as severe or simply no longer disrupts your life, partnerships or career.

At Born to Be Wild Lifestyle, I create sessions that honor your pace and your process. Whether you’re healing from sexual trauma, dissociation from your body or life in general, or disconnection from pleasure, we’ll work together to restore nervous system regulation, embodiment, and trust that you are in control.

If you’re ready to begin, I invite you to take the next step. Apply for a FREE consultation today!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is EMDR a form of somatic therapy?

EMDR is not a somatic therapy by definition. However, it often involves body sensations during trauma processing in some of its stages, which is why some people confuse the two.

How does EMDR therapy work?

EMDR helps reprocess traumatic memories by using bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping. This allows the brain to reduce the emotional charge of a memory and store it in a more adaptive way, without needing to retell or relive the traumatic experience in detail.

What are the 8 stages of EMDR?

The eight phases of EMDR are: history taking, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. Each phase builds safety and supports gradual trauma processing, helping the brain shift how it stores and responds to distressing memories.

What are the exercises for EMDR?

Exercises in EMDR include bilateral stimulation like eye movements, tapping, or audio tones. Some people also use grounding tools, visualization, and safe-place imagery to stay regulated.

Can I perform EMDR on myself?

Self-administered EMDR is not recommended for trauma processing. Without guidance, it may lead to emotional flooding or dissociation. However, a skilled and long term client of EMDR can seek options for consideration about gentle self-administered processing ideas from their coach on a case by case basis.

Is EMDR just hypnosis?

No, EMDR is not hypnosis. While both access unconscious material, EMDR keeps you fully awake and in control. It uses focused attention and bilateral stimulation to help you reprocess memories consciously, similar to replicating the natural REM sleep cycle, but while awake, without altering your awareness or inducing a trance state.