The Body Remembers: How EMDR and Somatic Tools Help You Reconnect to Your Whole Self
- Kristy McConnell, R. Psych.
- Dec 3
- 3 min read
You hear it everywhere these days: nervous system regulation, embodiment, somatic healing. People are understanding something that's been true all along: your body isn't just along for the ride in therapy. It's doing the work with you.
At Off the Beaten Path Psychology & Wellness, we work from the belief that your body holds important stories, experiences, emotions, protective responses, even when you can't find the words for them. We integrate EMDR therapy with somatic awareness practices to help people reconnect with their bodies, release stuck patterns, and move toward healing that actually feels grounded and real.
What Is Somatic Awareness?
Somatic therapy is rooted in something pretty straightforward: the body remembers what the mind forgets. Whether you've experienced trauma, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm, your body often carries the weight of it. That might show up as tightness in your chest, restlessness in your legs, or a frozen feeling when you try to talk about something painful.
Somatic practices help you notice these sensations without judgment and respond with care. They might include:
Gentle breath work
Mindful body scans
Movement or posture shifts
Tuning into impulses (like the urge to cry, run, or curl up)
This kind of awareness helps you reconnect with your nervous system, not to fix or override it, but to understand it and offer it something new: genuine safety and support.
How OBP Integrates Somatic Work and EMDR
EMDR is evidence-based work that helps your brain and body process distressing memories. It uses bilateral stimulation, things like eye movements or tapping, to support that process. What makes our approach different is that our clinicians layer in somatic awareness, which keeps you present and regulated throughout the session.
This integration allows you to:
Notice how your body responds to certain memories or beliefs
Track changes in breath, posture, or emotion throughout the session
Feel more empowered in your own healing process
Experience moments of calm, clarity, or release (even without retelling every detail)
Clients often tell us they appreciate that EMDR and somatic work don't require them to relive their whole story. Instead, they get to tune into the present moment, let their body guide the process, and create space for something new.
A Free Tool to Support Your Journey
To help you explore this mind-body connection more deeply, we've created a free worksheet based on the SIBAM model: a framework used in somatic trauma work that helps you get curious about your own experience.
The SIBAM Somatic Awareness Worksheet guides you through:
Sensation – what's happening in your body
Image – mental pictures or symbols that arise
Behaviour – urges or impulses in your body
Affect – emotions that are present
Meaning – thoughts or beliefs connected to the experience
Use it before or after EMDR sessions, or anytime you want to gently explore your inner experience.
Whole-Person Care, Rooted in Connection
Here's what we believe therapy really is: it's a way of coming home to yourself. That means working not just with your thoughts, but with your body's wisdom: the sensations, reactions, and patterns that have helped you survive and get this far.
Whether you're navigating trauma, burnout, anxiety, or relationship challenges, our therapists create space for all of you. Using EMDR, somatic practices, and attachment-focused approaches, we help you feel more grounded, more present, and more connected, in session, and in your actual life.
At Off the Beaten Path Psychology, we provide counselling and therapy services to individuals, couples, and families in Airdrie, Calgary, and Cochrane, Alberta. Our team supports anxiety, burnout, relationship challenges, and trauma recovery. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your mental health journey.