Embodied movement practices to Manage Stress

We live in a culture of late-stage capitalism that thrives on overconsumption, overwork, and numbing. We’re pushed to buy more, drink more, scroll more, and work past our limits—all while ignoring the toll this takes on our bodies.

Stress doesn’t just live in our thoughts or behaviours—it lives in our tissues, our breath, and our bones. It may show up as exhaustion, agitation, or worry. For some of us, stress is most noticeable in our relationships or how quickly we snap. For others, it’s the body that gives it away: a clenched jaw, shallow breathing, nausea, or persistent aches and pains. These signals are not random—they are narratives our bodies are trying to tell us.

This is where somatics invites us in. To listen to the body not just as a vehicle for exercise or productivity, but as a living archive of experience. The tension we carry is often pointing to deeper stories—of survival, of resilience, of what has been endured. By slowing down and paying attention, we begin to map our own embodied stress responses.

Free Embodied Movement Practice

As much as the body holds stress, it also holds resources. Inside us are places of ease, gentleness, strength, and freedom. Even if it feels hard to find at first, you can begin with neutrality—notice the surface of your skin, the roots of your hair, the steady pulse of your heartbeat, or the groundedness of your bones. These are all portals into the aliveness you already carry.

Movement is one way to connect back to these inner resources. Let your body guide you—close your eyes, follow your impulses, and notice what feels nourishing. Somatic practice is not about “fixing” yourself, but about remembering that within the same body that carries stress also lives the possibility of rest, connection, and vitality.

Follow the movement prompts of this free recording an embodied movement practice to work with stressors that show up .