The Bodily Roots of Experiential Psychotherapy: Reconnecting with Healing Through the Body

Introduction: Embracing the Body in Experiential Psychotherapy

In the vast landscape of psychotherapy, experiential approaches offer a profound reminder of the wisdom held in our bodies. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which often focuses on verbal expression alone, experiential psychotherapy asks us to turn inward, to feel, and to notice what emerges from the body. It’s a journey into the heart of what makes us human—our emotions, sensations, and lived experiences. Through my practice as a relational and experiential therapist, I integrate approaches like Hakomi, Focusing, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to invite clients into a safe, compassionate space where they can explore their emotional world with curiosity and care.

A Broader Context for Experiential Approaches

Experiential psychotherapy emerged as a pivotal evolution within mental health care, a response to traditional, cognitively focused models that often overlooked the body’s innate wisdom. By integrating body-centred practices, pioneers like Ron Kurtz and Eugene Gendlin paved the way for healing that respects the full spectrum of human experience—mind, body, and spirit. These methods recognize that much of our emotional life is held in our bodies, waiting to be listened to and understood. In this post, we’ll trace the origins of these somatic approaches, explore their impact, and reflect on the unique insights they provide to healing.

Embracing an Anti-Oppressive Framework in Experiential Psychotherapy

In experiential psychotherapy, an anti-oppressive framework is not just a background philosophy—it’s integral to the healing process. Recognizing the deep impact of systemic oppressions like colonialism, racism, sexism, and transphobia is crucial in this work. Many Two Spirit, trans, nonbinary, and queer clients carry embodied trauma linked to discrimination and societal exclusion. Through an anti-oppressive lens, experiential psychotherapy acknowledges that healing involves addressing these external forces as well as internal experiences.

This framework reshapes the therapy space itself by encouraging therapists to actively dismantle traditional power dynamics, viewing clients as collaborators rather than patients. By fostering equality in the therapeutic alliance, clients can safely access their vulnerabilities, knowing they’re seen and respected as whole individuals. In my practice, this means working to deconstruct traditional therapist-client hierarchies, creating an atmosphere where clients feel both supported and empowered to take charge of their healing journey. By tuning into the body and allowing each client’s unique story to emerge, experiential psychotherapy honours the full spectrum of their lived experiences, providing a space where they can reclaim their identity and agency.

Foundational Figures in Body-Centred Therapy

Ron Kurtz and the Hakomi Method

At the core of experiential therapy is the Hakomi Method, developed by Ron Kurtz in the 1970s. Kurtz’s innovative approach blends mindfulness, nonviolence, and body-centered exploration. Influenced by Buddhist principles and systems theory, Hakomi creates a safe, non-pathologizing environment where clients can observe their inner world without judgment (Kurtz, 2015). Kurtz introduced the concept of “mindful experiments,” subtle interventions that encourage clients to engage with their unconscious material in a gentle, embodied way.

Through these experiments, clients might notice how their bodies react to certain thoughts or memories, providing a doorway into the psyche. For example, a client may feel tension in their chest when discussing a painful memory, which in turn reveals unprocessed grief or fear. In Hakomi, we pay attention to these physical cues, allowing the client to explore their significance. This somatic insight fosters a deep sense of self-awareness and encourages clients to approach their experiences with self-compassion (Cole & Ladas-Gaskin, 2023, p. 45).

Eugene Gendlin’s Focusing and the “Felt Sense”

Eugene Gendlin, another contributor to experiential psychotherapy, developed Focusing in the 1960s. Focusing is built on the idea of the “felt sense”—a bodily awareness that goes beyond concrete words, tapping into unresolved emotions or insights waiting to be explored (Gendlin, 1981). Gendlin’s concept of the felt sense radically shifted therapeutic focus toward the client’s internal experience, emphasizing that healing stems from the body’s subtle cues and intuitive signals. His work laid the foundation for experiential practices that honour personal insights arising from non-verbal bodily awareness, allowing clients to uncover emotions without predefined narratives or labels.

This practice encourages clients to pause, tune in, and listen to what their bodies are holding, offering profound clarity and a path toward emotional release. For clients who may struggle to articulate complex feelings, Focusing reveals insights that words alone cannot. In my practice, I encourage clients to “stay with” the sensation they experience—whether a knot in the stomach or a weight on the shoulders—and explore what unfolds. This approach is particularly validating for queer and trans* clients, who often find safety in a nonverbal exploration of identity-related challenges, fostering healing that respects their internal rhythm and capacity (Gendlin, 1981, p. 32).

Ruella Frank and the Relational Body in Gestalt Therapy

Ruella Frank’s work in Gestalt therapy further illuminates the significance of bodily experience, particularly within relational dynamics. Drawing from developmental and movement theory, Frank examines how bodily movements—like reaching or pulling away—inform our interactions and relationships (Frank, 2023). She identifies “fundamental movements” that form the basis of how we connect with others from infancy onward, emphasizing that these bodily patterns shape our sense of self and our interactions.

For example, Frank’s exploration of kinesthetic resonance—how we physically respond to the movements of others—reveals insights into our early attachment patterns and relational styles. This approach is transformative in working with clients who have experienced relational trauma, as it provides a way to engage with relational wounds through the body rather than through words alone. For trans and queer individuals who may have experienced rejection or judgment, these movement-based insights allow for a safe exploration of identity and belonging in therapy (Frank, 2023, p. 18).

Key Principles of Experiential Therapy

Experiential therapy is guided by core principles that unify its various approaches. Central to this is mindfulness—bringing awareness to present experiences without judgment, allowing the body’s messages to surface naturally. Body-mind unity is another pillar, holding that the mind and body are interconnected, each influencing the other in profound ways. Self-compassion is essential in these practices, inviting clients to approach their bodies with curiosity and care, acknowledging that healing is not about “fixing” but about deeply listening to and honouring what our bodies need. These principles create a safe and expansive space for clients to engage deeply with their own experiences, helping them access memories, emotions, and insights that may have remained dormant without this compassionate and mindful approach.

Practical Applications of Body-Centred Techniques for Marginalized Communities

Body-centred techniques like Hakomi, Focusing, and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy can be particularly transformative for individuals from marginalized communities. These approaches not only provide healing from individual trauma but also address the collective impact of societal discrimination. In working with Two Spirit, trans, and queer clients, body-centred therapy can serve as a tool for resilience, offering a pathway to reclaim spaces within themselves that may have been harmed by systemic injustice.

For clients navigating cultural or intergenerational trauma, body-centred therapy can bring to light the inherited effects of collective wounds. In a session, a client may feel a heavy sensation in the chest when discussing family history, reflecting generations of unresolved grief. Through Focusing, they can gently explore this somatic expression, tracing it back to a source that reveals layers of identity and ancestral resilience. These insights help clients honour their heritage while finding ways to hold these experiences with greater ease and self-compassion. These practices empower clients to reclaim a sense of belonging within themselves, fostering resilience against external pressures.

Integrative Somatic Approaches in Therapy

Blending Hakomi and Focusing: A Daily Practice

As a therapist, I integrate Hakomi and Focusing daily, guiding clients to explore their sensations with gentle curiosity. This approach honours the client’s own pace, recognizing that healing is a process rather than an endpoint. During sessions, I might invite clients to close their eyes, notice a sensation, and see if any words, images, or feelings arise. This mindful, body-centered awareness allows them to connect with their own wisdom and the experiences held within their bodies.

For example, a client may feel a vague sense of unease but struggle to pinpoint its source. By guiding them to focus on their felt sense, they may discover that this unease relates to a specific memory or unprocessed emotion. In working with LGBTQIA+ clients, these insights can be especially valuable, as they often reveal deeper narratives around safety, acceptance, or self-identity. Through this process, clients feel empowered to understand and heal from within.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy for Trauma

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, developed by Pat Ogden, is a trauma-sensitive approach that incorporates both Hakomi and Focusing principles. This approach is particularly useful for clients experiencing post-traumatic stress, as it works directly with the body’s trauma responses. In Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, we pay attention to physical responses—muscle tension, posture, movement—observing how these embodied reactions reflect trauma-related memories or emotions (Ogden, 2015).

For instance, a client might unconsciously clench their fists or tense their shoulders when recounting a traumatic event. By focusing on these reactions, clients can gradually release the “held” energy in their bodies, allowing them to process trauma safely and without re-traumatization. For marginalized individuals who have faced systemic oppression or violence, this approach offers a compassionate, validating space to process trauma in a way that respects both their body and their personal narrative (Ogden, 2015, p. 27).

Case Vignette – Embodying Experiential Therapy for Relational Healing

Consider Robhyn, a nonbinary person who has struggled with rejection and judgment in their relationships. During a session, Robhyn describes feeling “pulled back” whenever they attempt to connect deeply with others. This sensation is explored in therapy using Hakomi’s mindful experiments. By gently inviting Robhyn to lean into this “pulling back” sensation and observe how it feels in their body, we uncover early relational wounds where Robhyn felt unsafe to fully express themselves.

Through this embodied exploration, Robhyn begins to recognize that this “pulling back” is a protective response. This realization opens a space for compassion, as they begin to understand how past experiences have shaped their present relational patterns. Using Focusing, we guide Robhyn to hold this felt sense with kindness, allowing them to rewrite the narrative around their body’s instinctual reactions. Over time, Robhyn develops a newfound trust in their ability to engage authentically, with a greater sense of safety and agency in their connections with others.

Embodying the Role of an Experiential Therapist

Creating a Safe, Anti-Oppressive Space

In my work, creating a safe, non-pathologizing space is paramount. I strive to foster an anti-oppressive environment that respects each client’s unique experiences and identities. By using body-centered approaches like Hakomi and Focusing, I invite clients to engage with themselves in a way that honours both their inner world and their external realities, which may include experiences of discrimination or exclusion.

The Transformative Power of Body Awareness

Connecting with the body is a journey back to oneself, a reclamation of experiences that words alone cannot reach. For clients who have been marginalized or silenced, this work is about more than healing individual wounds—it’s a reconnection to identity, power, and agency. Through body-centered therapy, we learn that healing is not about “fixing” but about deeply listening to and honouring what our bodies need. This journey offers a path to resilience, allowing clients to step into their own stories with compassion, courage, and strength.

Cultivating Mindful Body Awareness Outside the Therapy Room

One of the strengths of body-centred therapies is that they offer clients tools they can use outside the therapy room. Practicing body awareness is a skill that clients can incorporate into their daily lives, helping them stay grounded and connected even in challenging situations. For many, especially those in marginalized groups, this can be a way to manage moments of stress or anxiety tied to systemic discrimination.

Simple practices like mindful breathing, grounding exercises, or taking a moment to tune into the felt sense can serve as powerful tools for self-regulation. I often encourage clients to notice their physical sensations during moments of stress—such as clenching fists or tightening muscles—and to bring curiosity to these responses rather than judgment. By developing a practice of mindful body awareness, clients can begin to establish a compassionate relationship with their bodies, building resilience in the face of adversity. This everyday practice is an invitation for clients to come back to themselves, to listen, and to trust in their bodies’ capacity for healing and renewal.

Continue the Convo

If the ideas in this blog resonate with you, I warmly invite you to connect with me. Whether you’re a therapist seeking to incorporate somatic approaches into your practice, or someone navigating complex emotions and looking for support, I’m here to help. You may book individual therapy sessions or peer consultations online. Be sure to bookmark this blog for future insights, reflections, and updates.

References

Cole, J. D., & Ladas-Gaskin, C. (2023). Hakomi with internal family systems and focusing: A deeper look at mindfulness-centered therapies. Stone Lizard Press.

Frank, R. (2023). The bodily roots of experience in psychotherapy. Routledge.

Gendlin, E. (1981). Focusing. Bantam Books.

Kurtz, R. (2015). Body-centered psychotherapy: The Hakomi Method. LifeRhythm.

Ogden, P. (2015). Sensorimotor psychotherapy: Interventions for trauma and attachment. W.W. Norton & Company.