What is Somatics?
Somatics is derived from the Greek root 'soma' which means 'the living body in its wholeness.'
Somatics refers to body-centered approaches that help heal your nervous system and restore a greater sense of ease within. For women in recovery, this means learning practical tools to feel emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them as often, to notice triggers before they escalate, and to build resilience in the face of stress.
We want to normalize that being in our bodies, especially in early recovery, can feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or even unsafe. Numbness, anxiety, overwhelm, and tension are not signs that you’re doing anything wrong, they are signs that your system have been carrying a lot for a long time.
At Moonrise, nervous system health isn’t about achieving perfect calm. It’s about building a felt sense of safety, learning to move through discomfort with more support, and discovering that our bodies can become allies in recovery rather than enemies, obstacles, or afterthoughts.
We also understand that somatics is not just an individual process, it’s also deeply relational. Healing often happens in the presence of another regulated body, which is why intentional community and trained staff attunement are central to our model.
Somatics is a cutting-edge therapeutic approach to healing that draws on the latest understanding of trauma and the nervous system, while also honoring the body as a wise guide in the recovery journey. By integrating somatics as a process and practice, Moonrise Recovery empowers women to move beyond “white-knuckling sobriety” into a sustainable recovery that feels more alive, grounded, and free.
Why Does Somatics Matter?
Addiction is characterized by an inability to cope with one's feelings - in other words, an inability to feel okay in their bodies. Substance misuse actually becomes their best attempt to self-regulate and manage their inner life. We understand addiction as a symptom of unhealed trauma and culturally imposed ways of existing that inherently disconnect us from our bodies.
We cannot think our way out of trauma. Trauma must be metabolized through the body and through relationship (one body to another body.) Therefore, if one is to experience lasting recovery it is imperative that they learn how to deepen their relationship with the territory of their soma. This is why somatic work is foundational to Moonrise Recovery's approach to healing and evolution.
Our approach holds somatic work as a process of change that helps you heal your nervous system and create the inner space to live a life aligned with your values.
Our somatic approach bridges wisdom traditions with evidence-based trauma education, practical, body-centered tools and clinical support. Women explore body-based practices like yoga, meditation, and mindful movement, as well as gaining an embodied understanding of how their nervous system drives their stress responses and addictive behaviors. We provide experiential support to help women recognize their triggers, increase their tolerance for a wider range of emotions, and practice regulation skills that can replace old patterns of substance use.
We also acknowledge that our bodies are shaped by relationships, culture, and history. That’s why intentional community, connection, and guided somatic inquiry are essential to lasting transformation at Moonrise. Over time, women gain the skills to notice what their body is really asking for and how to cultivate new ways of being that feel steady, empowered, and alive.