Somatic Coaching: Why Mindset Shifts Aren’t Enough

by

Mar 6, 2025

Somatic Coaching

Most coaches know the value of exploring a client’s mindset: we support them to examine limiting beliefs, reframe their perspectives, and translate their insights into forward movement toward their goals. But what happens when intellectual understanding isn’t enough? Clients may know what to do, but when it comes time to do it, their body and nervous system may still be holding them back.

Often, the answers lie beneath cognition—they are in the nervous system, which holds wisdom that isn’t always expressed in words. This wisdom reveals itself through images in the imagination and sensations in the body. To coach the imagination and the body, we coach somatically.

What is Somatic Coaching?

The word somatic comes from the Greek word soma, meaning “of the body.” In coaching, this means recognizing that transformation doesn’t happen only in the mind—it happens through the entire body.

In coaching parlance, we often refer to the “whole person” of the client. And I’ll pause here and ask you a question: What does “whole person” mean to you? It may be helpful to reframe that to, Who am I as a whole person?

That question won’t be easy—or at least short—to answer for most of us. And that is the point. When clients come into a session, they are problem-focused. They are thinking about all the things they’ve already thought about regarding their situation—either what they don’t want or what they do want but don’t have. They are “zoomed in” on the problem. Zooming in is a nervous system response. For example, when we feel stressed, our nervous system locks onto the source of activation, leading us to analyze all the reasons we feel this way.

While zooming in can be useful for immediate problem-solving when we are in true moments of crisis, it doesn’t serve us in the longer term and can keep us locked into a narrow perspective. In coaching, we often see clients applying this same narrow focus to everyday challenges, keeping them stuck in repetitive thought loops. A “whole-person” approach zooms out. It considers every aspect of a client’s life but through the client’s experience. The focus isn’t just on the situation; it’s on how the client, as the main character, is thinking, feeling, and experiencing their situation. And the way we experience anything is through the whole body.

Why Do Somatic Coaches Pay Attention to the Body?

 

In the 17th century, René Descartes asserted that “there is a great difference between mind and body, inasmuch as body is by nature always divisible, and the mind is entirely indivisible… the mind or soul of man is entirely different from the body.” These and similar theories have shaped the idea that the mind is separate from the body, reinforcing the long-held belief that thinking and reasoning happen independently of physical processes.

Traditional approaches compare the mind to a computer—a rule-based, logic-driven system that governs our body. Some research challenges this and suggests that our thoughts are intertwined with our physical actions and sensations. Our brains don’t process information in isolation. Instead, we form our understanding from the way we interact with the world through our bodies. For example, studies show that using hand gestures can enhance memory and problem-solving, and physically holding something warm (like a cup of tea) can help enhance feelings of warmth toward others. Another study shows that thinking about the future causes people to lean slightly forward, while thinking about the past makes them lean slightly backward.

If cognition is not just in the mind but also in the body, then insight and transformation must also happen through the body. When clients feel stuck, it likely isn’t because they haven’t thought through what they need to do. It may be because their nervous system, emotions, or embodied experiences are reinforcing their current state. If a client is leaning back or slumping down when discussing their goals, that could indicate deeper feelings about moving forward or stepping up. If they’re physically tense when speaking about a challenge, that tension may reflect unspoken emotions that are keeping them from seeing different perspectives.

Because somatic coaching works with present-moment body awareness, it naturally raises a question: Where is the line between coaching and therapy? If we acknowledge that the body holds memories and emotions, how do we work with them ethically without crossing into therapeutic territory?

What is the Difference Between Therapy and Somatic Coaching?

When some coaches hear references to the nervous system or even client emotions, alarm bells sound, and they ask: But isn’t that firmly in the realm of therapy? It’s helpful to differentiate present-moment nervous system and emotional responses from extreme trauma responses and the “emotional past.”

Therapy is typically designed to help clients resolve past traumas that are impacting their well-being or stopping them from moving forward in life. Coaching, on the other hand, has a more present-moment and forward-looking focus. Yet, clients don’t enter coaching sessions divorced from their past.

Our past experiences shape patterns of thinking, feeling, meaning-making, relating, grasping, avoiding, believing, and denying—all of which influence the way we experience ourselves, others, and the world around us. Often, we don’t see these patterns until they are reflected back to us in some way or revealed over time through retrospection.

The difference between coaching and therapy is that coaches don’t identify these patterns and draw conclusions. We don’t root around in the cellar of a client’s memories, asking them to unpack what happened so we can work with them to heal their past.

Instead, we focus on the cues we receive from the client—their facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, or the metaphors they use. Rather than asking questions that focus on the story behind why they feel a certain way (the what), we focus on the person in front of us (the who). For example, instead of asking “Why do you feel that way?”, we might say, “I’m noticing that as you shared that with me, your jaw was twitching—what is that twitch telling you?” Or, “You spoke about feeling like an elephant is sitting on your chest—what purpose is the elephant serving for you?” This approach keeps the client connected to their present-moment physical experience rather than pulling them into a mental analysis of the past, which provides them deeper awareness of the here and now and how it may be impacting their ability to move forward.

When Should a Somatic Coach Refer a Client to Therapy?

There are times when a client’s experiences and responses signal that their needs go beyond the scope of coaching. While somatic coaching helps clients explore their present-moment experiences, some emotional or nervous system patterns are rooted in deep psychological distress.

Signs Indicating Referral:

  • Significant and persistent mood changes such as irritability, anger, anxiety, or sadness
  • Decline in performance at work or school
  • Withdrawal from social relationships and activities
  • Changes in weight and appearance, including negligence of personal hygiene
  • Disturbances in sleep (either oversleeping or difficulty falling or staying asleep)
  • Expressions of hopelessness or suicidal thoughts.

To be fully grounded in the difference between somatic coaching and therapy, it’s best to ensure you are properly trained in somatic methodologies. Comprehensive training from an ICF-accredited institution will help coaches develop the skills to work with present-moment bodily awareness while maintaining ethical and professional integrity in their practice.

How Do I Learn More About Somatic Coaching?

Integrating somatic practices into coaching requires ongoing learning and deep personal exploration. Join Cindy Muthukarapan MCC, ACTC and Tracy Brown (author of this post) in the Coacharya Level 2 ICF-PCC program, designed to deepen your practice. Discover how to make your client interactions more meaningful and find a new level of presence. Learn more here: Somatic Coaching & Personal Mastery- Coacharya Level 2- ICF PCC

 

We’d love to hear from you: How has somatic coaching impacted your work? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below!

References

(Credit to Tracy Brown for her insightful piece, ‘Somatic Coaching: Why Mindset Shifts Aren’t Enough,’ originally shared on LinkedIn.)

Tracy Brown
Tracy Brown

Switchism

View Posts
Tracy is a seasoned Holistic Life and Well-being Coach, holding PCC and EMCC Senior Practitioner Level certifications. Her approach blends mindfulness, somatic awareness, and reflective practices, empowering clients to unlock their potential. With certifications in Meditation and Mindfulness and ongoing Somatic Experiencing® training, she draws from a deep well of knowledge. Her diverse career spans leadership roles in the fashion industry, entrepreneurial ventures, and curriculum design for personal and leadership development. Tracy is dedicated to sharing her expertise, both with individual clients and as a mentor for learner coaches.

Read Next