In recent years, conversations around trauma healing have shifted away from purely cognitive approaches toward more embodied practices. In this insightful discussion, somatic therapist and educator Joshua Sylvae joins host Sam Believ to explore how somatic experiencing and psychedelic work intersect — not as competing methods, but as complementary paths toward nervous-system regulation and deeper emotional integration.
Rather than focusing only on thoughts or memories, Sylvae emphasizes a simple but often overlooked truth: healing happens through the body as much as through the mind.
What Is Somatic Experiencing?
At its core, somatic experiencing is a therapeutic approach that invites people to notice sensations in the present moment. Instead of analyzing experiences intellectually, it encourages curiosity about what is happening in the body — tension, warmth, movement, breath, or subtle shifts in energy.
Sylvae explains that many modern therapeutic models rely heavily on “top-down” strategies, where individuals attempt to change thoughts or beliefs in order to influence emotions. Somatic work, by contrast, focuses on “bottom-up” processing, allowing the nervous system itself to guide healing. By paying attention to sensations rather than controlling them, individuals begin to access layers of experience that words alone cannot reach.
This approach recognizes that trauma is not simply a story we remember — it is a physiological pattern stored within the nervous system.
Trauma as Nervous-System Dysregulation
One of the central themes of the conversation is redefining trauma. Instead of viewing trauma solely as a catastrophic event, Sylvae describes it as a state of nervous-system dysregulation. Some people may experience intense events and recover quickly, while others develop long-lasting symptoms after seemingly minor stressors.
In somatic experiencing, the focus shifts away from labeling experiences as “big” or “small.” What matters is how the body responds. When the nervous system becomes stuck in fight-or-flight or freeze states, symptoms like anxiety, depression, and chronic tension can emerge.
Healing, therefore, involves helping the body complete unfinished survival responses. During sessions, individuals may experience shaking, crying, or spontaneous movement — natural processes that release stored stress energy.
The Body’s Natural Release Mechanism
Sylvae often references the animal world to illustrate how the body processes stress. After escaping danger, many animals shake or tremble, releasing excess survival energy. Humans, however, tend to suppress these involuntary responses, interpreting them as signs of weakness or loss of control.
Somatic experiencing creates a safe environment where these natural release processes can unfold. Instead of forcing catharsis, practitioners help clients build stability first — guiding them to notice moments of comfort alongside moments of distress. This gentle back-and-forth movement, sometimes described as pendulation, allows the nervous system to integrate intense experiences without becoming overwhelmed.
Where Psychedelics Enter the Picture
The conversation then turns toward psychedelics and their potential role in somatic healing. Sylvae suggests that psychedelic experiences often open pathways to deeper awareness of bodily sensations and emotional patterns. By influencing neural pathways associated with perception and inhibition, psychedelics can bring unconscious material into conscious awareness.
This increased awareness can create opportunities for bottom-up processing similar to what occurs in somatic therapy. People may find themselves feeling emotions more vividly, noticing subtle bodily signals, or experiencing spontaneous release of tension.
However, he cautions that psychedelics alone are not a cure. Without integration and somatic grounding, intense experiences may remain unresolved. Combining somatic practices with psychedelic work can help individuals process insights in a more embodied and sustainable way.
Letting Go of Control
A recurring theme throughout the discussion is the challenge of surrender. Many people approach healing with a desire to control their inner experience — to regulate emotions, suppress discomfort, or force positive outcomes. Both somatic experiencing and psychedelic work invite the opposite approach: allowing the body’s intelligence to guide the process.
This can feel unfamiliar or even unsettling at first. Modern culture often values control and productivity, leaving little space for involuntary movement or emotional expression. Yet Sylvae suggests that true regulation emerges not from rigid control, but from developing trust in the body’s natural rhythms.
Integrating Talk Therapy and Somatic Awareness
While somatic experiencing emphasizes bodily sensation, Sylvae does not dismiss traditional talk therapy. Instead, he views healing as a multidimensional process involving sensation, emotion, imagery, behavior, and meaning. Verbal reflection can help individuals make sense of their experiences, while somatic awareness anchors those insights in lived reality.
This integrative perspective recognizes that humans are complex beings. Thoughts and narratives matter, but so do posture, breath, and subtle physical signals. By attending to all these layers, therapy becomes less about fixing symptoms and more about restoring balance.
Practical Tools for Everyday Regulation
Toward the end of the conversation, Sylvae offers simple practices for people experiencing anxiety or overwhelm. One of the most accessible tools is “orientation” — gently noticing the environment, allowing the eyes to wander, and becoming curious about colors, shapes, and sounds. This practice activates the nervous system’s natural calming response, helping individuals feel safer and more grounded.
He also encourages people to consciously notice moments of comfort and pleasure. Many individuals become trapped in cycles of focusing only on what feels wrong. By acknowledging positive sensations alongside discomfort, the nervous system learns to move fluidly between states rather than remaining stuck in distress.
Healing as an Ongoing Process
Ultimately, the discussion between Sylvae and Believ highlights a shift in how we understand trauma and healing. Instead of viewing recovery as eliminating symptoms, somatic experiencing focuses on increasing flexibility — the ability to remain present in the here and now without being pulled into past experiences.
Psychedelics, when used responsibly, may open doors to deeper awareness. Somatic practices help individuals walk through those doors with stability and integration. Together, these approaches suggest that healing is less about controlling the mind and more about reconnecting with the body’s inherent wisdom.
In a world that often prioritizes thinking over feeling, this perspective offers a powerful reminder: sometimes the most profound healing happens not through analysis, but through listening to the subtle language of the body itself.
Based on the Ayahuasca Podcast episode “Somatic experiencing and psychedelics” with Sam Believ and Joshua Sylvae.
