Somatic Practices in Group Therapy: How Shared Support Can Help Your Anxiety and Trauma

Anxiety and trauma do not just live in your thoughts. They settle into your body, showing up as a tight chest, a racing heart, shoulders that never quite relax, or in many other ways unique to each individual. At Connected Roots, we use somatic therapy for anxiety to help clients reconnect with their bodies, and we have found that the healing potential of this type of therapy is increased even more within a group. Below, we look at how somatic practices and shared support work together, and what that can mean for your own healing.

The Struggle	The Support
Anxiety keeps you stuck in your head, replaying worries	Somatic practices bring your focus back into your body, where safety can be felt, not just experienced through thoughts
Trauma can make you feel alone, like no one else understands	Group therapy connects you with others who have lived through similar struggles
Talking about what happened does not always calm your nervous system	Body-based tools like breath, movement, and grounding help regulate your nervous system in real time
Isolation can make healing feel impossible	A supportive group offers a felt sense of connection while you do the work

What Is Somatic Therapy and Why Does It Matter for Anxiety and Trauma?

Somatic therapy treats the body - not just the mind - as part of the healing process. Anxiety and trauma often show up as physical patterns, like a clenched jaw, shallow breathing, or a nervous system stuck in high alert. Talking through what happened is valuable, but does not always reach these patterns on its own.

Our therapists at Connected Roots draw on somatic work alongside approaches like Internal Family Systems and attachment theory. The goal is to help your nervous system learn, through direct experience, that it is safe to settle, a shift that conversation alone does not always reach.

Somatic tools used in session might include:

• Grounding exercises that bring attention back to the present moment

• Breathwork to help calm an activated nervous system

• Gentle movement or body awareness practices

• Tracking physical sensations as they shift during a session

  
  

How Does Group Therapy Add to Somatic Healing?

Group therapy adds a layer of shared experience that individual sessions cannot fully replicate. At Connected Roots, we have watched clients who felt alone in their anxiety or trauma realize (often for the first time) that others in the room understand exactly what they are describing.

Such recognition supports the nervous system too. Feeling seen and understood by a group can be regulating in itself, the same way somatic therapy for anxiety uses body awareness to signal safety. The combination of body-based tools and group connection often leave clients feeling supported in a way individual talk therapy alone does not provide.

What Happens in a Somatic Group Therapy Session?

A somatic group therapy session usually blends conversation with body-based practices structured so that everyone has room to participate at their own pace. Sessions might open with a grounding exercise, move into sharing, and close with a body-based practice, all of which lead to feeling settled rather than activated.

Clients who describe feeling nervous before their first group session often note that each week they leave with new skills to implement on their own.

A typical group session might include:

• A brief grounding or breathing exercise to open

• Time for members to share what is present for them

• Guided body awareness or movement

• A closing practice to help everyone leave feeling settled

  
  

Why Do Shared Spaces Help with Trauma Recovery?

Shared spaces help with trauma recovery because isolation tends to make trauma symptoms worse, while connection helps regulate the nervous system. Trauma can leave people feeling like they are the only ones carrying their pain. Group therapy interrupts that pattern by placing people in a room with others who have faced similar struggles.

This is part of why Connected Roots was built around the idea of “roots,” which is the supportive people, values, and connections that help people stay grounded in their lives. In group settings, those roots often include other members themselves. Somatic therapy for anxiety fits naturally into this kind of space, since regulating the body with people who understand you tends to be more effective than doing so alone.

Is Group Somatic Therapy Right for You?

Group somatic therapy might be right for you if you are seeking support that goes beyond talking, and if healing alongside others sounds more helpful than isolating.

However, individual therapy may be a better starting point if you are not ready to share in a group setting, or if you want more one-on-one time to build coping skills first. Coaching may suit you better if you are not working through a diagnosable concern, but want structured support toward a goal. Our team at Connected Roots can help you figure out which of these approaches fits your situation, including whether somatic therapy for anxiety within a group setting makes sense for where you are right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does insurance cover group therapy at Connected Roots?

Yes, in many cases. We accept Medicaid, Aetna, Anthem, and United Healthcare, and our intake coordinator can verify your benefits before your first session. We also offer sliding scale options when available and can provide superbills for reimbursement.

Do I need therapy experience before joining a somatic group?

No prior experience is needed. Our groups are structured to welcome people at any stage, whether you have never tried therapy before or you are looking to add a group component to your individual therapy support.

Will I have to share more than I am comfortable with?

No. Group therapy at Connected Roots is designed to let you participate at your own pace, and you are never required to share more than feels right for you in a given session.

How is somatic group therapy different from regular talk therapy?

Somatic group therapy adds body-based practices like grounding and breathwork to what you might share verbally, which help to regulate your nervous system.

If anxiety or trauma has left you feeling stuck, or simply alone, Connected Roots is here to help. Our group and individual therapy sessions are available to Colorado residents, in person at our Boulder office at 1650 38th St #100E, Boulder, CO 80301, and via telehealth. Click on the Contact Us button on the right side of every page and schedule a consultation with our team, or you can email eliot@connectedroots.net.