Feel It, Don’t Fight It
Somatic Therapy + DBT
Play the audio version on Substack →
This week in our September series, we’re exploring how somatic therapy complements the structured, skills-based model of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
You don’t have to choose between skills and sensations.
Sometimes, it’s the combination that helps you stay afloat.
🧠 What Is DBT?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, developed by Marsha Linehan, is a structured, evidence-based approach that blends cognitive-behavioural techniques with mindfulness and radical acceptance.
It’s especially helpful for people who struggle with emotional regulation, black-and-white thinking, intense relationships, or feelings of emptiness.
In DBT, you learn core skills like:
Distress tolerance (how to survive crisis without making it worse)
Emotion regulation (understanding and managing emotions)
Interpersonal effectiveness (setting boundaries, asking for needs)
Mindfulness (staying present and aware)
But here’s the thing: these skills are easier to talk about than to feel into — especially when your nervous system is overwhelmed.
✨ Where Somatic Therapy Comes In
When the body is in a state of threat — fight, flight, freeze, or fawn — even the best DBT skills can feel out of reach. Somatic therapy helps you access those skills by first helping your system settle.
For example:
Before practicing distress tolerance, you might need to orient to the space around you so your body knows it’s not in danger.
Before trying to name an emotion, you might need to track how it feels in your chest, belly, or throat.
Before choosing a DBT skill, you might just need to pause, breathe, and notice: what’s my system asking for right now?
That pause is powerful.
✨ Somatic Practice: Grounding Before Skills
This practice can be used before you engage in a DBT skill or anytime you feel stuck in a reactive state.
🧰 For Beginners:
Sit or lie down comfortably.
Look around and name 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Place one hand over your chest or belly and notice your breath. No need to change it — just feel it.
Ask yourself: “What’s happening inside me right now?”
From this place of awareness, choose a DBT skill that might serve you (like TIPP, STOP, or ACCEPTS).
🧭 For Those Already Practicing:
Try integrating body cues into your DBT log or diary card:
“Where in my body do I feel this emotion?”
“Did I notice a shift in sensation after using a skill?”
“What did my body need before I could regulate?”
🛋️ Tend to it in Therapy
Bring your somatic awareness and DBT work together in session by asking:
“I freeze when I try to use a skill — can we explore that somatically?”
“Can we start with body cues before going into distress tolerance?”
“How can I learn to notice what my body needs before picking a skill?”
📣 Call to Action
Skills don’t replace sensations — they build on them.
If you’ve been practicing DBT and want to deepen the connection to your body, somatic therapy can help.
