Aug 20, 2026 · 19 min · 9 segments
What if depression isn't only in the mind, but something we can also experience in the body? In this episode, we explore the somatic connection to depression and how emotional pain can show up…
First, depression is more than a mood that you're in.
When people think about the word depression, they often think about it as being sadness, but many people living with depression describe something else entirely.
They describe feeling flat or disconnected, having the weight of the world on their shoulders, feeling empty inside, and feeling numb to all emotions, almost like you're moving through life with a parking brake on.
With a somatic approach, I look at depression as though it's not only an emotional experience, it's a psychological one.
The body is involved.
The nervous system is part of this.
The muscles, breath, posture, energy levels, and even the way we move through space can all be affected.
Many people notice physical changes during periods of depression.
Simple things like your shoulders rounding forward, appearing as lack of confidence.
Your breathing becomes extremely shallow.
Movements become slower.
Laying down seems to be the only thing that's helpful.
Your energy may feel extremely depleted, and even simple tasks can feel overwhelming.
This is not a lack of your character.
It's an indication that the body is carrying a significant burden.
The nervous system may be conserving energy or withdrawing or protecting itself in ways that can feel immobilizing.
One of the most painful aspects of depression in the sense of disconnection is you feel disconnected from joy or even like you're not allowed to feel joy.
There's a disconnection from your purpose in life.
It's almost like we lose that we have a purpose at all, and most importantly, the disconnection from others, the people that we love, and it's confusing.
Why don't we wanna be around the people that we love? Many people stop noticing their physical needs.
Hunger cues become very unclear, which is why you see people carrying depression who aren't eating.
Sleep patterns are extremely disrupted.
Maybe you try to go to bed at a normal time, but you just can't fall asleep.
Or maybe when you, when your alarm goes off, you just can't seem to find the strength to get up out of bed.
Movement feels extremely difficult.
First, depression is more than a mood that you're in.
When people think about the word depression, they often think about it as being sadness, but many people living with depression describe something else entirely.
They describe feeling flat or disconnected, having the weight of the world on their shoulders, feeling empty inside, and feeling numb to all emotions, almost like you're moving through life with a parking brake on.
With a somatic approach, I look at depression as though it's not only an emotional experience, it's a psychological one.
The body is involved.
The nervous system is part of this.
The muscles, breath, posture, energy levels, and even the way we move through space can all be affected.
Many people notice physical changes during periods of depression.
Simple things like your shoulders rounding forward, appearing as lack of confidence.
Your breathing becomes extremely shallow.
Movements become slower.
Laying down seems to be the only thing that's helpful.
Your energy may feel extremely depleted, and even simple tasks can feel overwhelming.
This is not a lack of your character.
It's an indication that the body is carrying a significant burden.
The nervous system may be conserving energy or withdrawing or protecting itself in ways that can feel immobilizing.
One of the most painful aspects of depression in the sense of disconnection is you feel disconnected from joy or even like you're not allowed to feel joy.
There's a disconnection from your purpose in life.
It's almost like we lose that we have a purpose at all, and most importantly, the disconnection from others, the people that we love, and it's confusing.
Why don't we wanna be around the people that we love? Many people stop noticing their physical needs.
Hunger cues become very unclear, which is why you see people carrying depression who aren't eating.
Sleep patterns are extremely disrupted.
Maybe you try to go to bed at a normal time, but you just can't fall asleep.
Or maybe when you, when your alarm goes off, you just can't seem to find the strength to get up out of bed.
Movement feels extremely difficult.
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