Somatic Therapy Chicago

Mind-Body Healing at Tides Mental Health

At Tides Mental Health, we integrate body-based (somatic) practices with traditional talk therapy to support healing across the nervous system, emotions, and thought patterns. Our work is informed by trauma research and Polyvagal Theory, which helps explain how chronic stress and trauma shape the body’s responses to threat and safety.

Distress is not experienced only in the mind – it also shows up in the body through breath, muscle tension, sleep, digestion, and a broader sense of safety. We help clients build awareness of these patterns and learn how to gently regulate their nervous system over time, supporting movement out of chronic survival states such as fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.

This integrative approach is especially helpful for trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic stress, and patterns that have felt difficult to shift through insight alone.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between the mind and body, recognizing that stress, emotion, and trauma are experienced through both our thoughts and nervous system. This work is informed by Polyvagal Theory, a trauma-informed framework that explains how the nervous system shapes emotional regulation, connection, and our sense of safety.

Polyvagal Theory describes three primary nervous system states: social engagement (safety and connection), sympathetic activation (fight-or-flight), and dorsal vagal shutdown (freeze). Understanding these patterns helps clients build greater awareness, regulation, and flexibility during stress and life transitions.

By integrating somatic techniques with evidence-based clinical modalities, we support work with trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and long-standing stress patterns in a way that promotes lasting change and improved self-regulation.

What is Nervous System Regulation?

Your autonomic nervous system controls essential functions like heart rate, breathing, digestion, and your stress response. It continuously scans your environment for signals of safety or threat – often outside of conscious awareness. Two primary branches shape these responses:

Sympathetic Nervous System: Activates the body for action through the fight-or-flight response by increasing heart rate, breath, and muscle tension.
Parasympathetic Nervous System: Supports rest, recovery, and regulation. A key pathway within this system is the vagus nerve, which connects the brain with the heart, lungs, and digestive system.

A regulated nervous system can move flexibly between activation and rest. For many people, especially those living with trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout, this flexibility becomes limited. You may feel constantly on edge, emotionally numb, disconnected, or shut down.

Trauma Recovery: Our trauma-informed somatic approach supports the processing of traumatic experiences by working with both the nervous system and emotional responses. This approach helps reduce physiological reactivity, increase regulation, and support a greater sense of safety over time.

Anxiety & Depression: Clients learn to recognize early signs of anxiety and shutdown in the body and develop skills to regulate those patterns. This supports steadier mood, improved emotional responsiveness, and greater resilience in daily life.

Chronic Pain & Tension: By addressing the relationship between stress, emotional activation, and physical tension, somatic therapy can support meaningful shifts in chronic pain patterns and the body’s stress response.

Emotional Regulation: Clients build somatic awareness – the ability to notice and respond to internal body cues – which strengthens emotional regulation and supports more intentional responses during stress.

Sense of Self & Confidence: Through body-based awareness and skill-building, clients often develop a stronger internal sense of stability, self-trust, and confidence.

Relationships & Connection: Understanding nervous system patterns can support healthier communication, boundaries, and emotional connection within relationships.

What Does the Research Support?

We use evidence-informed tools that support nervous system regulation through body awareness, breath, and movement. These include:

Breathwork

We teach slow, diaphragmatic breathing that emphasizes a steady rhythm and extended exhales to support nervous system regulation.

This type of breathing can:

Activate the parasympathetic nervous system.
Reduce physiological stress responses.

Interoception

Interoception refers to the ability to notice and interpret internal signals such as tension, hunger, chest tightness, or changes in heart rate. This internal awareness is often disrupted by trauma, anxiety, or chronic stress, making it harder to recognize needs and emotional states.

Our work helps clients:

Build body awareness in a safe, structured way.
Reconnect with physical sensations rather than disconnect from them.
Use internal cues to guide boundaries, rest, and emotional expression.

Movement & Grounding

We draw on gentle, trauma-informed movement practices to release tension, reconnect with the body, and restore a sense of presence. These can include:

Slow, guided somatic movement.
Grounding practices that anchor attention in the present.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation.

Clinical Support

Research shows that these body-based practices can reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression – especially when integrated with talk therapy.

Who Benefits from Our Somatic Therapy in Chicago?

Our clinical team at Tides Mental Health works with a wide range of individuals, couples, and families across the lifespan who can benefit from somatic therapy:

Adolescents & Young Adults: Adolescents facing academic pressure, identity exploration, or family conflict can benefit from learning nervous system regulation through somatic work. Young adults navigating major transitions often find this approach helpful for building emotional resilience, steadier self-regulation, and a stronger sense of confidence.

Adults: Individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, or feeling “stuck” in life discover new pathways to healing through our evidence-based approaches. Our somatic therapy helps adults develop tools for managing stress, chronic pain, and emotional distress while supporting overall well-being.

Couples & Families: Partners struggling with communication breakdowns and relationship issues benefit from understanding how nervous system states affect interactions. Our trauma-informed approach helps couples and families create more safety and connection in their relationships.

People from Diverse Cultural & Identity Backgrounds: We provide culturally responsive, trauma-informed care for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, and multilingual clients. Our diverse clinical team understands how discrimination and systemic injustice affect the nervous system and offers specialized support through evidence-based approaches.

Chronic Pain & Somatic Symptoms: Clients experiencing chronic pain, physical tension, or unexplained physical symptoms often find relief through our somatic techniques that address the mind-body connection and support nervous system regulation.

People Seeking Alternative Approaches: If traditional talk therapy hasn’t provided the relief you’re seeking, our somatic therapy offers a different pathway that works with the body’s natural healing capacity alongside evidence-based clinical interventions.

Our Clinical Approach to Somatic Therapy

At Tides Mental Health, our clinical team integrates somatic therapy with multiple evidence-based approaches to provide comprehensive, trauma-informed care. We combine the latest research in somatic therapeutic techniques to create personalized treatment plans.

Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Every client’s story, history, and healing process is unique. That’s why we begin with a collaborative assessment focused on safety, clarity, and support – not on labeling or pathologizing your experiences. Our goal is to understand what you’ve been through, what has helped you survive, and what you need now to feel safe, connected, and supported moving forward.

Trauma is not limited to singular, dramatic events. It can also develop through ongoing stress, identity-based harm, medical experiences, family dynamics, neglect, or systemic oppression. These experiences often shape the nervous system in lasting ways, influencing how we experience safety, connection, and emotional regulation.

Throughout this process, we move at your pace. You choose what you want to share and when. If something feels overwhelming, we slow down. If you’re unsure what you need, we explore that together. Our role is to listen carefully, reflect both what’s working and what’s challenging, and collaborate on a plan that supports your healing on your terms. This may include somatic tools, talk therapy, nervous system regulation work, or simply having consistent space to be understood without judgment.

Evidence-Based Somatic Techniques

Our therapists utilize a variety of somatic techniques tailored to each client’s comfort level and therapeutic goals:

Body Awareness & Grounding: We guide clients in gently noticing physical sensations to strengthen present-moment awareness and support nervous system regulation. These somatic techniques help manage anxiety, emotional distress, and physical symptoms.

Breathwork for Regulation: Breathing practices rooted in Polyvagal Theory help activate the parasympathetic nervous system and promote emotional regulation. Our clinical team teaches various breathwork techniques to support nervous system regulation and reduce physical tension.

Movement & Somatic Experiencing: Gentle movement practices help clients express and release emotions stored in the body. These somatic techniques support trauma recovery, emotional regulation, and the development of a healthier relationship with physical sensations.

Integrated Clinical Modalities

Our holistic approach combines somatic therapy with other evidence-based approaches including:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to examine the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behavior.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to strengthen mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to build psychological flexibility and support values-based action.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy to strengthen present-moment awareness and body-based attention.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) to explore and work with different parts of the self in a non-pathologizing way.
Trauma-Informed Identity Work to support exploration of identity through a lens that honors lived experience and context.

Culturally Responsive Clinical Care

Our diverse clinical team provides trauma-informed care that honors each client’s cultural background, identity, and experiences. We understand that safety looks different for different people, and we adapt our therapeutic approach accordingly to support optimal healing and improved self-esteem.

What to Expect: Your Somatic Therapy Journey

Free Consultation and Clinical Matching

We begin with a complimentary 15-minute consultation to understand your needs and determine if our somatic therapy services are right for you. Our clinical team takes care to match you with a therapist whose expertise and approach align with your goals and comfort level.

Initial Sessions and Safety Building

Your first sessions focus on building therapeutic rapport and creating safety through our trauma-informed approach. We’ll explore what brought you to therapy and gently introduce somatic awareness practices at your comfort level. There’s no pressure to engage in any somatic techniques that don’t feel right for you.

Personalized Treatment Planning

As therapy progresses, we continuously tailor our clinical approach based on your responses and needs. Some sessions may focus heavily on somatic techniques, while others integrate more traditional talk therapy methods. We follow your pace and nervous system responses to guide what feels most helpful and appropriate in the work.

Flexible Session Options

We offer weekly or bi-weekly sessions in both in-person and virtual formats. Our team understands that different approaches work best for different people and schedules, and we provide flexibility to support consistent engagement in therapy.

Support Between Sessions

We may suggest optional practices you can explore between sessions, such as mindfulness exercises, journaling, or gentle movement practices. These skill-building activities support your ongoing growth and help integrate new awareness into daily life.

Why Choose Tides Mental Health for Somatic Therapy in Chicago?

Specialized Clinical Expertise: Our team has extensive training in somatic therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and trauma-informed care. We stay current with the latest research and evidence-based approaches to provide the highest quality clinical services.

Holistic, Integrated Approach: We combine somatic therapy with other proven therapeutic modalities to address the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Our evidence-based approaches ensure comprehensive care tailored to your unique needs.

Diverse, Inclusive Team: Our clinical staff reflects the diversity of Chicago, providing culturally responsive care for individuals from all backgrounds. We’re committed to creating a safe space where you can feel seen, heard, and supported.

Trauma-Informed Care: Every aspect of our practice is designed with trauma awareness in mind. Our clinical team understands how trauma affects the nervous system and provides gentle, effective support for healing.

Personalized Treatment: We never use a one-size-fits-all approach. Every treatment plan is carefully designed for your specific needs, goals, and nervous system patterns through comprehensive clinical assessment.

Flexible Service Options: We offer both in-person and telehealth sessions to meet your scheduling and comfort needs. Our clinical team works with you to find the format that best supports your healing journey.

Begin Your Healing Journey Today

If you’re ready to explore how somatic, Polyvagal-Informed therapy can support your mental health and well-being, we invite you to take the first step. Our clinical team at Tides Mental Health is here to support you through evidence-based approaches that honor both your mind and body’s capacity for healing.

Whether you’re dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, relationship issues, or simply seeking personal growth, our somatic therapy services offer a pathway to lasting change and improved self-esteem. Our trauma-informed approach creates the safety and support needed for meaningful healing to occur.

Ready to get started? Contact Tides Mental Health today to schedule your free 15-minute consultation. During this conversation, we’ll learn about your needs and goals, answer your questions about somatic therapy, and help you determine if our clinical approach is right for you.

Don’t wait to begin your journey toward improved mental health and emotional well-being. Our clinical team is ready to support you with compassionate, evidence-based care that honors your unique story and supports your growth. Your nervous system has been working hard to protect you—now let us help you expand your capacity for regulation, resilience, and joy through our comprehensive somatic therapy services in Chicago.