As we honor mothers and their profound presence in our lives in May, it’s a great time to gently remind everyone that health is not always visible on the surface. There is often more happening with the body and the mind that we cannot see in others, or ourselves.  

The demands of modern life have increased and women typically balance multiple roles, responsibilities and expectations that can strain the nervous system and disrupt hormonal balance. Many women express that they understand what they need, yet still feel stuck, overwhelmed or unable to follow through with self-care. This is often not a failure of willpower, but a reflection of how their nervous system is functioning.

The Root of Stress Patterns

The layers of stress that women hold may have been influenced by ongoing caregiving, cultural pressure to prioritize other people’s needs, medical or relational trauma or long-term patterns of “holding it together.” The structure of 24-hour daily cycles can also work against women’s natural 28-day hormonal rhythm. Over time, this mismatch can contribute to chronic stress and a range of symptoms, including burnout, menstrual irregularities, fatigue, disconnection, anxiety, digestive issues, chronic pain and sleep disturbances.

Traditional talk therapy relies on a top-down approach, engaging the thinking brain. Somatic methods take a bottom-up approach, working directly with the body and the brain’s emotional and survival centers. By working with sensations, reflexes and responses, Somatic Experiencing helps address the root of stress patterns. It restores a sense of balance and safety from within and allows individuals to access and shift the deeper biological patterns that keep them feeling stuck.

The Ability to Notice 

Somatic Experiencing is a body-centered, evidence-based approach to healing chronic stress, adrenal burnout and trauma. It places the nervous system at the center of care and invites us back to something many of us have lost: the ability to truly notice. This kind of noticing—of sensations, emotions and subtle shifts—is deeply human yet often overlooked in modern life.

Developed by Peter A. Levine, Somatic Experiencing takes a gentle and gradual approach. Rather than focusing on reliving painful experiences, it supports the body in releasing stored stress patterns over time. It helps rebuild resilience by guiding attention toward physical sensations and internal cues, allowing the body to process what it has been holding in a safe and manageable way.

Sessions may include simple yet powerful practices such as orienting to the environment, conscious breathing, creative expression and vocalization along with tracking sensations, thoughts and emotions. Through these practices, individuals begin to strengthen interoception—the ability to sense and understand what is happening inside the body. This awareness plays a key role in regulating functions like heart rate, breathing, hunger and emotional responses.

Gentle Healing

For many women, this work offers a powerful experience of being supported and truly seen. Practitioners approach the body with care, respect and curiosity, creating space for healing that feels collaborative rather than forceful. This sense of co-regulation—being with someone who is grounded and present—can be deeply stabilizing.

In a world that often asks us to push through and override our needs, Somatic Experiencing offers something different. It invites us to slow down, listen inward and rebuild trust with our bodies. From this place, healing becomes less about fixing and more about reconnecting—leading to greater resilience, vitality and a more embodied way of living.

Ashley Otero is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Somatic Experiencing Facilitator at Insight Chiropractic Health & Wellness Center. Her mission is to help people return to a steadier, more vital relationship with their bodies. Insightchirohealth.com. Instagram: @InsightChiropractic.