Resolving Anxiety with Somatic Practices: Winter Edition
Winter can be a cozy time of reflection, but for many, it’s also a season of heightened stress and anxiety.
Shorter days, colder weather, and the pressure of financial and family demands often intensify emotional strain.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, there’s good news: Somatic Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical, body-centered techniques to help you find clarity and regain control.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I often guide clients through Somatic CBT, a powerful approach that combines cognitive tools with somatic (body-based) practices. This integration not only addresses unhelpful thought patterns but also helps release physical tension stored in the body. Let’s explore how it works and what you can try today.
Understanding Somatic CBT
Somatic CBT builds on traditional CBT, which focuses on identifying and changing negative thoughts. It adds the critical element of body awareness, recognizing that stress and anxiety don’t just live in the mind—they also manifest physically. Tight shoulders, shallow breathing, and a racing heart are just some of the ways our bodies carry emotional burdens.
By tuning into these sensations and releasing physical tension, you create a more direct pathway to calming your mind. Think of it as a two-way street: your thoughts influence your body, and your body influences your thoughts.
Simple Tools to Try at Home
Here are 3 Somatic CBT practices to help you manage stress and anxiety this winter season:
1. Soften
HOW:
Take 10 seconds to notice any tense muscles in your body. Now soften them like a wet noodle. Pro-tip, tense all your muscles at once and then release!
WHY:
Humans are the only mammals that have tight muscles when we are not in danger. Soft muscles tell our brain we are safe.
2. Breathe
HOW:
Put your hands behind your head, interlace your fingers as you let your head rest in your hands, now breathe in your nose and out through your mouth.
WHY:
When we perceive threat we develop rapid shallow breathing. Interlacing our hands behind her head opens the diaphragm allowing us to breathe deeply and triggering cues of safety.
Repeat for 2-3 minutes, focusing on the sensations in your chest and belly as you breathe.
3. Shift
Identify a stressful thought you’ve been having, like “I can’t handle this.” Replace it with a more empowering one, such as “I’m doing my best, and I can ask for help.”
Pair this mental shift with an open posture—standing tall with shoulders back.
Notice how aligning your body with a positive thought enhances its impact.
🌿 “Your body holds the key to calming your mind — even in the coldest seasons.”
Why Winter Is the Perfect Time for This Work
Winter naturally invites a slower pace. It’s an opportunity to embrace stillness, deepen your self-awareness, and practice new tools that nurture your mental health. Somatic CBT is especially effective in winter because it helps ground you in the present moment, counteracting the seasonal tendency to ruminate or feel stuck.
When to Seek Professional Support
While these techniques are powerful starting points, working with a therapist trained in Somatic CBT can take your healing to the next level. A licensed and trained therapist can guide you through personalized strategies tailored to your needs and help you unlock lasting change.
If stress and anxiety feel overwhelming this Winter, know that you don’t have to face it alone. Reach out today to explore how Somatic CBT can help you find peace, no matter the season.
– Sheli Aguirre, LMFT
Book a Consult now by Calling 813-407-3679