By Alex Klassen, MSW, RSW

Somatic tracking is a brain retraining exercise developed in Pain Reprocessing Therapy, which helps clients reduce neuroplastic pain and symptoms by practicing safer responses to sensations occurring in the body^1,2.

Understanding how to practice somatic tracking can be a bit tricky at first, so let’s break down what it is, and isn’t!

SOMATIC TRACKING IS MINDFULNESS

When somatic tracking, we purposely direct curious attention to where we are feeling pain/symptoms. Mindfulness can be defined “moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a specific way, that is, in the present moment, and as non-reactively, as non-judgmentally, and as openheartedly as possible”³. Mindful awareness is different than our usual response to pain/symptoms, which look more like frustration, avoidance, trying to fix, or despair.

When we experience pain and symptoms, negative thinking and emotional dysregulation creates more danger in the brain, which leads to more pain¹. We need to stop this feedback loop! By mindfully observing physical sensations with curiosity and a non-fixing attitude, we increase safety in our nervous system and brain, breaking the sensitization cycle⁴. Over time, somatic tracking helps us reduce the amount of chronic neuroplastic pain/symptoms the brain generates².

SOMATIC TRACKING IS SAFETY BUILDING

While practicing somatic tracking, we coach our brains with calm breathing and simple messages of safety¹. We remind ourselves that neuroplastic pain and symptoms are safe to feel, occurring due to a mistake made by the brain. This can sound like:

“This symptom is not dangerous”

“While unpleasant, it is safe for me to feel this”

“My body is structurally safe”

“My brain is misinterpreting signals right now”

Simple, meaningful safety messages that resonate are helpful to include in the practice^1,2.

SOMATIC TRACKING IS EXPOSURE

Just like a fear or phobia, to reduce neuroplastic pain/symptoms, we must teach the brain that signals coming from the body are actually safe. Pain is a protector that wants us to fear, fix, and avoid dangers, and it can be overprotective^1,5. By intentionally moving our attention to difficult symptoms, while fostering a curious, non-judgmental, accepting attitude, we show the brain we’re safe in the presence of these physical signals. This leads to for corrective experiences, where our brain realizes we are safe¹. Just like overcoming a phobia, consistent exposure to a feared (but safe!) condition teaches the brain and nervous system we are safe.

SOMATIC TRACKING IS ACCEPTANCE (BUT ONLY FOR NOW!)

While practicing somatic tracking, we hold a posture of acceptance for all the sensations we can feel. Even if the sensations are unpleasant, we create safety by accepting of what’s temporarily here, rather than fighting, fixing or fixating on how we wish things would be⁶. An accepting posture doesn’t mean we resign to believing the neuroplastic pain/symptoms will be here permanently (remember, we’re doing this very exercise to reduce it!). We practice acceptance because it’s a way of creating safety in the nervous system, which leads to healing.

SOMATIC TRACKING ISN’T A QUICK FIX

Sometimes when practicing somatic tracking, our clients will notice their pain/symptoms move around, reduce, or even disappear! Bringing calmness and safety to our bodies/minds can have this effect. However, the symptoms may also stay the same, which can feel disappointing or unproductive. Remember, the goal of somatic isn’t to reduce your symptoms right now. The goal is to facilitate corrective experiences, where your brain learns to feel safe with physical signals¹. These corrective experiences stack up over time, retraining the brain and reducing pain. It may take a while; play the long game!

SOMATIC TRACKING ISN’T ONLY FOCUSED ON PAIN/SYMPTOMS

In addition to pain/symptom sensations, it is also important to use somatic tracking with emotions, neutral sensations and pleasant feelings in the body. Chronic pain/symptoms are often the loudest voice in the room, so we’ll pay attention to our bodies when focusing on the pain/symptoms, or not at all. Rebuilding safe connection to all physical sensations, including our emotions and nervous system states, is a crucial part of self-regulation and recovery^1,7.

SOMATIC TRACKING ISN’T A THOUGHT EXERCISE

“Somatic” can be defined as “relating to the body as opposed to the mind”⁸. While changing your thoughts and beliefs about your body is an important part of healing, when we're somatic tracking, we SHOW the brain the body is safe with our emotional response, rather than just TELL it².

While we do use words describe what we’re feeling and provide simple messages of safety during the practice, we don’t want to drift back into thinking, debating, analyzing, problem-solving, or mind-wandering. It’s important to catch your brain when it starts thinking. Congratulate yourself for noticing what it’s up to, and gently return to the light, curious observation of physical sensations. And don’t be surprised if this attention work feels like herding cats! Remember to take a sense of humour and lightness to your somatic tracking practice.

Time to get practicing! We've provided a free somatic tracking exercise you can use for any pain or symptoms you're currently experiencing. We recommend practicing somatic tracking when your pain/symptoms are in a low to medium range, so it's possible to feel safe while sitting with them.

References

1. Gordon, A., Ziv, A. (2021). The way out: A revolutionary, scientifically proven approach to healing chronic pain. Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC.
2. Pain Reprocessing Therapy Center (2021). Pain reprocessing therapy training.
3. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2015). Mindfulness. Mindfulness, 6(6), 1481–1483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-015-0456-x
4. Zeidan, F., & Vago, D. R. (2016). Mindfulness meditation-based pain relief: a mechanistic account. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1373(1), 114–127. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13153
5. Moseley, L. & Moen, D. (2022). Tame the beast: Understanding your pain. University of Southern Australia. https://www.tamethebeast.org/understanding
6. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness
7. Dana, D. (2019). 2-Day Workshop: Polyvagal Theory Informed Trauma Assessment and Interventions
8. Cambridge Dictionary. (2023). Definition of somatic. Retrieved from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/somatic