Somatic Therapy for Reducing Burnout in Caregivers  

Family members with caregiver roles not only assist other family members with activities of daily living, but they also provide mental, social, and financial help when needed. They often experience higher levels of stress, and when faced with a lack of support or resources, they may also experience burnout. This chronic activation of their nervous system leads to depletion and dysregulation. Burnout is the body’s way of saying SLOW DOWN.  

What Burnout Might Feel Like In The Body  

In addition to noticing a reduced capacity to keep doing it all, caregivers who experience burnout may also feel defeated, frustrated, or numb. 

Common physical symptoms are: 

• Exhaustion (feeling absolutely burned out) 

• Stomach or gastrointestinal problems (stomach pain, loss of appetite, and a change in bowel movements) 

• Reduced immune system (leading to getting sick often) 

• Body aches and muscle tension 

• Recurring headaches 

• Difficulty sleeping 

Potential Long-Term Impact of Burnout  

Burnout is not only felt in the body, but can also greatly impact a person’s physical health or wellbeing. Left unmanaged, burnout is linked to long-term cardiovascular problems, like high cholesterol and heart disease, as well as chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. For reasons like this, it is important to take burnout seriously, and somatic therapy is proven to help.  

What Is Somatic Therapy and How Can It Reduce Burnout 

Somatic therapy is a body-based form of therapy that recognizes the deep connection between the mind and body. It focused on the physical manifestations of emotions, psychological pain, and stress. By enhancing body awareness and integrating practices that aim to release stored tension, caregivers can calm their nervous system and reduce burnout.  

What a Somatic Therapy Session Might Look Like 

Somatic therapy emphasizes the calming environment of the therapy space, as this helps individuals feel safe and relaxed. Sessions will often start with a check-in and grounding practice, but this won’t always be the case. The therapist will tailor their approach to each individual’s unique experience, situation, and nervous system. 

Techniques used during sessions focus on the mind-body connection. Common techniques include: 

• Body scan: This includes the therapist guiding a client’s awareness to their different body parts and asking them to notice sensations, such as tension, temperature, and ease.  

• Tracking body sensations: This includes paying attention to physical sensations, and then noticing where the sensations move or allowing the waves of sensations to move through the body. 

• Conscious breathing: There are breathing patterns that can be used to connect with the body and calm the nervous system. 

• Grounding and Resourcing: This includes the client noticing the present moment and connecting with supportive sensations, such as feeling their feet pressed against the floor or feeling their back against the chair.  

Sessions are also likely to include processing what comes up and identifying ways to practice body awareness outside of the therapy space.  

Interested in exploring somatic therapy?  

Call or text us at 250-718-9291, and we’ll help get you connected with the counsellor who feels like the best fit for you.  

References:

• Bahari, G. (2022). Caregiving burden, psychological distress, and individual characteristics among family members providing daily care to patients with chronic conditions. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 58(4), 2043-2049. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.13026  
• Nicholson, W. C., Sapp, M., Karas, E. M., Duva, I. M., & Grabbe, L. (2025). The Body Can Balance the Score: Using a Somatic Self-Care Intervention to Support Well-Being and Promote Healing. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 13(11), 1258. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111258  
• WebMD. (2024, March 5). Burnout: Symptoms and Signs. https://webmd.com/men/mental-health-male-sexual-problems  

Written by: Danielle Grenier

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