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By Andres Galindo – Neurosomatic Teacher

My journey into somatic practices began not in a studio or clinic, but during a quiet evening walk through the Spanish mountains of Monóvar in mid-2022. I was living there at the time, embracing a year of creative productivity and introspection, when a dear friend invited me to join a 7-day Emotional Systemic Integration Training with Cristina Casanova (MA, M.Ed), a renowned Argentinian-American psychologist working with trauma healing through holistic and body-based approaches, who would later on become my teacher.

The training took place in Brihuega, in the heart of the province of Guadalajara, Spain. I had the time, I had the resources, and most importantly—I felt ready. That decision turned out to be a pivotal moment in my healing path. Cristina’s wisdom and experiential methodology opened a door I hadn’t even realized was closed: the body’s autonomous role in healing trauma.

One of the teachings that struck me most came through a video she shared—footage of a polar bear shaking off the aftereffects of being chased by hunters. Until that moment, I was unaware of this instinctive biological function shared by all mammals, including humans: tremoring, shivering, and shaking as a way to release stored stress from the autonomic nervous system. That image stayed with me, and I began to see the body not just as something to discipline, but as something to listen to, respond to, and care for.

This initiated my own somatic awakening. I learned about Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing, and how trauma isn’t just stored in the mind, but in the tissues, muscles, and cellular memory of the body. These understandings planted the seed of reconnecting with my body’s intuitive wisdom, a deep, non-verbal knowing that had been bypassed for years in favor of rational insight and mental clarity.

I felt a powerful calling to dive deeper, and soon after, I began studying TRE® (Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises), developed by Dr. David Berceli. Through this system, I learned that tremoring isn’t something we do—it’s something we just allow. In gentle, supported postures, the body begins to unwind, to discharge, and to integrate previously held trauma responses. The tremors are not random; they are natural neurological discharges of energy, a built-in mechanism for recovery.

Since incorporating TRE® into my weekly routine, I’ve come to understand it as a form of somatic hygiene—a concept that refers to intentional, regular practices for releasing tension and promoting nervous system regulation. Somatic hygiene supports mental clarity, emotional resilience, and physical vitality by respecting the body’s innate ability to rebalance itself (Jones, 2019). Just as we brush our teeth to maintain dental health, we need rituals that help release emotional residues and nervous system clutter.

Scientific research supports the benefits of these practices. Berceli (2008) explains that regular tremoring can reduce symptoms of PTSD, lower cortisol levels, and promote a balanced autonomic nervous system. Van der Kolk (2015) also emphasizes that trauma healing must include the body, noting that “the body keeps the score,” storing trauma in muscles and fascia unless it is consciously released.

Today, in my Nervous System Recovery courses, I guide students to practice their own somatic rituals. We use daily affirmations to rewire cognitive patterns, free-form movement and emotional pendulation to metabolize emotional energy, and TRE® tremoring to release residual stress and deepen the body’s trust in itself.

The path to healing doesn’t have to be linear or silent. Sometimes, the most powerful breakthroughs come through vibrations, movement, and deep listening to our mammalian selves. Somatic self-care is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for integration, wholeness, and sustainable well-being.

References

Berceli, D. (2008). The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process: Transcend Your Toughest Times. Namaste Publishing.
Jones, A. (2019). Somatic hygiene and the nervous system: Practices for embodied resilience. Journal of Somatic Practices, 12(3), 198–210.
Van der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.