Somatic Healing: Connection Between Creativity and Movement
Have you ever noticed how your mood can shift in an instant when you move or your body? Or how hard it is to create when your body feels tense, tight or tired?
There’s a reason for that.
Our bodies hold our emotions, stress, stories and lived experiences. And while we may be able to rationalize or make sense of these things, healing begins when we are able to connect with our body and it’s sensations. There is a deep connection between healing, movement and creativity - let’s get into it.
What is somatic healing?
Somatic healing is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between the mind and body. It helps individuals become aware of how their body stores tension, trauma, and emotional pain.
Through grounding, breathwork, movement, and mindful attention to sensation, you can begin to restore regulation and safety within your nervous system.
Somatic healing recognizes that we can’t always think our way to healing — sometimes, we need to feel and move through it.
Creativity as a somatic practice
The creative process is carried out and expressed through our body. Any activity and modality in the creative arts engages the senses and can be a great way to regulate the nervous system. Art-making in the form of painting or collage, for example, engages our visual senses. Dance and using clay engages our tactile senses. Cooking and baking engages our sense of taste and smell. The simple fact that these various activities activates our senses make them somatic by nature.
The connection between movement and creativity
Movement invites the process of transmuting and transforming energy - which is the language of emotions. When we engage in both creative and movement practices we can help to move energy and better manage our emotions.
Here are some ways the two can be connected:
Clay work or collage-making paired with deep, mindful breathing
Scribbling or mark-making with your whole arm instead of just your wrist
Freeform dance or intuitive movement to a song that mirrors your mood
Painting while standing and swaying to music
Moving your body in response to the colors, shapes, or textures you’re using
When you pair movement with creativity, you invite your whole self into the healing process — mind, body, and spirit.
Healing isn’t linear, and it isn’t only intellectual. It’s a process of coming home to your body, making space for your feelings, and allowing your creativity to lead you somewhere new.
By integrating movement and creativity, you create a powerful somatic healing practice that supports both emotional release and self-discovery.
Are you feeling ready to dive into a whole body approach to healing? I have availability for both in person (Miami, FL) and virtual (Florida and New York) for individual Somatic Art Therapy sessions - blending movement and creativity in a personalized approach tailored to your current challenges. You can schedule a FREE consultation call here!
Or if you want to explore Somatic Healing in a group setting- I teach weekly Somatic Healing at Daily Flows Movement Studio on Thursdays at 7:45 PM. You can sign up for the class on the Daily Flows website here!
