Somatic healing at Villa Wellness Center is body-based therapy for adults working through trauma, anxiety, and addiction recovery. Sessions use somatic experiencing, grounding techniques, and breathwork to address how trauma and stress live in the body. We work with most major insurance plans; call (844) 609-3035 to verify benefits.
SOMATIC THERAPY
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is a category of clinical psychotherapy that treats how trauma, anxiety, and chronic stress live in the body, not just in thoughts. The term comes from the Greek word for body. Established somatic approaches include Somatic Experiencing developed by Dr. Peter Levine, polyvagal-informed practice based on Stephen Porges’ research, and a broader set of body-based techniques used alongside traditional talk therapy.
Somatic work is grounded in the observation that the nervous system holds and patterns its responses to past experiences. When the body’s protective response (fight, flight, freeze) gets stuck after a traumatic or chronically stressful experience, the resulting nervous-system patterns can drive symptoms talk therapy alone struggles to reach: chronic tension, hypervigilance, dissociation, panic, and the cycles of activation and shutdown common in trauma and addiction recovery.
Somatic therapy is most effective as a complement to other evidence-based modalities (CBT, trauma-focused therapy, EMDR) rather than as a standalone treatment. The research base for somatic approaches is growing, particularly for PTSD, complex trauma, and chronic stress symptoms.
WHY CHOOSE US
Who somatic healing is for
Somatic healing is for adults whose trauma, anxiety, or addiction shows up physically as well as mentally. Tight chest, racing heart, frozen body, dissociation, chronic pain, sleep disruption, hypervigilance: these are nervous-system responses, not just thoughts. Talk therapy alone often cannot reach what the body has stored; somatic work can.
People who benefit most from somatic healing typically meet one or more of these conditions: trauma history (single-incident or chronic), PTSD or complex PTSD, chronic anxiety with physical symptoms, addiction with significant trauma overlap, dissociative responses, or a sense of disconnection from the body. Somatic work is also useful for people who have done talk therapy and want to go deeper than verbal processing allows.
You do not need a trauma diagnosis to start. Somatic skills (grounding, breath regulation, body awareness) are useful for almost anyone in active addiction recovery because they build the nervous-system stability that sustained sobriety needs.
What somatic healing at Villa looks like
Somatic sessions are 45 to 60 minutes with a licensed clinician trained in body-based therapy. The session combines verbal work with somatic practice: noticing body sensations, tracking nervous-system shifts, using breath or movement to discharge stuck activation. Sessions move at your pace; you stay in control of how much to engage and when to pause.
Somatic work pairs with the rest of your treatment plan rather than replacing it. People in PHP programming attend somatic sessions weekly or biweekly alongside individual therapy or Dual Diagnosis Treatment. Outpatient programming may use somatic work as a standalone weekly modality or as a complement to ongoing CBT or trauma-focused treatment.
The first session focuses on intake and pacing. The therapist reviews your history, current symptoms, and any prior body-based work, then introduces basic somatic skills (orienting, resourcing, grounding) before more advanced techniques. The goal is to build a base of nervous-system regulation before processing harder material.
Somatic approaches we use
Villa’s somatic healing combines several established body-based approaches, matched to clinical need rather than applied uniformly. Your therapist explains which approach fits which issue.
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Developed by Dr. Peter Levine and focuses on releasing trauma stored in the nervous system. The approach tracks subtle body sensations, helps the nervous system complete protective responses that were interrupted during traumatic events, and builds the capacity to tolerate and discharge activation.
Polyvagal-informed practice
Polyvagal theory (Stephen Porges) maps how the autonomic nervous system responds to safety and threat through three primary states: ventral vagal (social engagement), sympathetic (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal (freeze or collapse). Therapy helps you recognize which state you are in, build the skills to shift between states intentionally, and expand the window of tolerance.
Grounding and resourcing
Grounding techniques anchor attention to present-moment body sensations through touch, sight, sound, and breath. Resourcing builds an internal sense of safety by deliberately accessing memories, images, and body states associated with calm or strength. Both are foundational skills used throughout treatment.
Breathwork
Breath-based practices directly influence the autonomic nervous system. Slow diaphragmatic breathing activates the parasympathetic response and reduces hyperarousal. Other patterns can shift mood, focus, or energy. Breathwork is used as both a session technique and a daily self-regulation tool.
Body awareness and movement
Some sessions include gentle movement or postural awareness to track where tension lives, how breath flows or restricts, and what the body needs in the moment. Movement is invitational, never required, and adapted to physical ability and comfort.
Somatic approach comparison
Three somatic approaches form Villa’s core body-based work. They are commonly combined rather than chosen one-versus-another, but the comparison below helps clarify what each does and when each is most useful.
Somatic Experiencing vs polyvagal-informed practice vs grounding: which fits which issue?
Dimension | Somatic Experiencing (SE) | Polyvagal-informed practice | Grounding and resourcing |
Primary focus | Releasing trauma stored in the nervous system through tracking body sensations | Mapping and shifting autonomic nervous system states (ventral, sympathetic, dorsal) | Anchoring attention to present-moment body sensations and building internal safety |
Best for | Adults with single-incident or complex trauma needing direct nervous-system work | Adults whose nervous system cycles between hyperarousal and shutdown | Adults early in recovery or new to body-based work; foundational skill-building |
Session intensity | Moderate to deep; pacing matched to clinical readiness | Moderate; psychoeducation paired with state-shifting practice | Lower intensity; useful at any stage of treatment |
Daily-life portability | Some practices transfer; many require therapist guidance | Skills transfer well once internalized | Highly portable; designed for use outside sessions |
Typical use phase | Mid to late treatment after stabilization base is built | Throughout treatment; foundational and ongoing | Early treatment; foundation for deeper trauma work |
These three approaches are commonly combined rather than chosen one-versus-another. Grounding and resourcing build the foundation of nervous-system stability needed before deeper work. Polyvagal-informed practice provides the framework for understanding which state you are in and how to shift. Somatic Experiencing is the deeper trauma-processing modality used once stabilization is in place. Your therapist matches the approach to your current clinical readiness rather than picking one for the whole treatment.
How somatic healing fits the rest of treatment
Somatic healing pairs naturally with trauma-focused therapy, individual therapy, and medication management. People with significant trauma history often combine somatic work with EMDR or trauma-focused CBT for layered coverage.
Somatic healing for Camden County and surrounding areas
Somatic therapy in New Jersey at Villa Wellness Center is available to adults across Camden, Gloucester, and Burlington counties from our Sicklerville facility. Trauma-informed body-based care is less commonly available than standard talk therapy in the region; our Outpatient treatment programs fills that gap for people within a 15- to 30-minute drive. Trauma is highly prevalent among adults in addiction treatment. SAMHSA’s TIP 57 (Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services) reports that the majority of adults entering substance use treatment have experienced one or more significant traumatic events, and the National Center for PTSD estimates that approximately 6 to 8 percent of US adults develop post-traumatic stress disorder in their lifetime, with substantially higher rates among adults in addiction care.
We serve South Jersey, including Sicklerville, Blackwood, Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Gloucester Township, Pine Hill, Berlin, Clementon, Stratford, and Somerdale in Camden County; Williamstown, Glassboro, Washington Township, Sewell, and Turnersville in Gloucester County; and Mount Laurel, Marlton, Medford, and Moorestown in Burlington County. The facility is accessible via the Atlantic City Expressway and Route 42.
If you are searching for somatic therapy in NJ, our admissions team can verify your benefits and schedule an initial session within about a week for outpatient care.
Insurance coverage for somatic healing
Villa Wellness Center works with most major insurance plans. Somatic healing is typically covered as part of the broader treatment plan when delivered by a licensed clinician. Coverage depends on your specific plan and the level of care your treatment plan calls for. We verify your benefits before treatment begins, free of charge.
Call (844) 609-3035 or use the form on this page to start verification. If your plan does not cover the program at our facility, our admissions team can discuss self-pay options.
Plans we work with: Aetna · Blue Cross Blue Shield · Cigna · Humana · United Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Dr. Courtney Scott
Medical Director
Dr. Courtney Scott
Medical Director
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Courtney Scott, MD. Board-eligible in Addiction Medicine, Medical Director at Villa Wellness Center. Full bio at about-us/our-team/
Reviewed for clinical accuracy against current American Music Therapy Association practice standards.
What is somatic healing?
Somatic healing is body-based therapy that addresses how trauma, stress, and addiction live in the nervous system, not just in thoughts. It uses techniques like somatic experiencing, grounding, breathwork, and body awareness to help the nervous system regulate and release stuck activation.
How is somatic healing different from talk therapy?
Talk therapy works primarily through verbal processing of thoughts, feelings, and history. Somatic work adds direct attention to body sensations and nervous-system states. People often combine both because each reaches material the other cannot.
Who benefits from somatic healing?
Adults with trauma history, PTSD, chronic anxiety with physical symptoms, addiction with trauma overlap, dissociation, or a sense of disconnection from the body benefit most. Somatic skills are also useful for anyone in active addiction recovery because nervous-system regulation supports sustained sobriety.
What happens in a somatic healing session?
Sessions are 45 to 60 minutes with a licensed clinician. The therapist combines verbal work with somatic practice: tracking body sensations, breath patterns, and nervous-system shifts. You stay in control of pacing; the work moves only as fast as feels safe.
Do I have to talk about specific traumatic events?
No. Somatic work can address the body’s response to trauma without requiring you to narrate specific events in detail. The therapist follows what the body brings up and what you choose to share.
Is somatic healing evidence-based?
Somatic Experiencing and polyvagal-informed practice have growing research support, particularly for PTSD, complex trauma, and chronic stress. Somatic work is most evidenced as a complement to other evidence-based therapies (CBT, EMDR, trauma-focused therapy) rather than as a sole treatment.
Does insurance cover somatic healing?
In most cases, yes. Somatic healing delivered by a licensed clinician as part of an addiction or mental health treatment plan is typically covered by commercial insurance. We verify your benefits free of charge.
How do I get started?
Call (844) 609-3035 to speak with admissions or use the form on this page to start insurance verification. The admissions team reviews fit, confirms benefits, and schedules an initial assessment. Outpatient intake typically happens within a week.
Start somatic healing in Sicklerville
If somatic work is the right next step for you, call (844) 609-3035 to speak with admissions or use the form on this page to start insurance verification. Outpatient intake typically happens within a week.