The Somatics of Using Your Voice
Holding the charge of being heard
Lately I’ve been noticing how the silencing we feel in the collective mirrors the silencing many of us carry inside. It’s not just “out there.” It lives in our bodies—old conditioning, learned protections, the impulse to stay small so things feel safe.
Speaking up—especially from the heart—often creates a charge in the body. That charge isn’t bad; it’s energy. But it can feel like heat in the chest, fluttering in the belly, a lump in the throat, tightness in the jaw, or the urge to run. If you’ve spent years keeping quiet to keep the peace, no wonder your system lights up when it’s time to say the thing.
Somatic work helps us be with that energy without shutting down or exploding. It teaches us how to stay present with ourselves while we speak—so our voice becomes a bridge back home, not another moment of self-abandonment.
Why your body reacts when you speak
Belonging = survival. Your nervous system tracks safety through connection. Risking disapproval (even imagined) can ping old alarms.
Past learning. If you were praised for being “easy” or punished for being “too much,” parts of you learned: Staying quiet keeps me safe.
Protection shows up as sensation. Tight throat, shallow breath, rigid posture—these are your body’s ways of bracing for danger. They’re not flaws; they’re strategies.
The work isn’t to “turn off” the charge. It’s to increase your capacity to feel it and stay connected to yourself while you speak.
A somatic frame for voice: feel → support → express
Feel: Notice what’s happening now (sensations, emotions, impulses) without immediately fixing it.
Support: Offer your body something regulating (touch, breath, orientation) so the charge has somewhere to land.
Express: Speak from the supported body, not the braced body—clearer, kinder, more you.
Micro-practices you can use before, during, and after speaking
Before: “Find my ground”
Orient: Gently look around the room. Let your eyes land on 3–5 things you like. Tell your body, “Here. Now.”
Anchor touch: One palm on chest, one on low ribs. Feel the contact.
Low, slow exhale: Inhale naturally. Exhale longer than you inhale (like fogging a mirror, mouth or nose). 4–6 rounds.
During: “Ride the wave”
Throat space: Imagine breath moving behind your tongue and down the throat. Soften jaw, unclench teeth, let tongue rest.
Feet first: Feel your heels or the floor under your toes as you speak. If seated, feel your sit bones.
Sentence breaks: Speak one sentence, pause for one gentle breath, then continue. (Capacity grows in the pauses.)
After: “Let it move”
Shake it out: Hands, wrists, shoulders—10–20 seconds.
Lengthen the back body: Fold over your thighs or lean forward on a counter; breathe into the back ribs.
Co-regulate: If available, be with someone safe or step outside and let your senses settle.
Befriending the parts that learned to be quiet
If speaking brings up shame, freeze, or panic, that’s a part doing its job. Try meeting it with curiosity:
“I see you, the one who learned it was safer to stay small.”
“Thank you for protecting me back then. I’ve got more support now.”
Offer physical comfort while you speak to the part (hand to heart, gentle cheek hold, or a scarf around your shoulders).
You’re not forcing the protector out of the way; you’re unblending so your adult self can lead the conversation.
Build capacity with a gentle “voice ladder”
Start where it’s easiest and move one rung at a time.
Whisper to yourself in a quiet room, hand on chest.
Speak a single true sentence out loud when you’re alone.
Record a voice memo to yourself; listen back kindly.
Share with one safe person (text or in person).
Speak in a small group that feels supportive.
Name a boundary or need in a low-stakes situation.
Bring your voice to higher-charge spaces (wider audience, harder conversation).
Stay on a rung until your body says, “This feels doable.” Titration (small doses) beats bravery theater.
If you freeze mid-sentence
Name it: “I’m noticing my throat got tight. I just need a breath.” (Truth regulates.)
Sip water while feeling your feet.
Start simpler: “What I really mean is…” and say one clear line.
A short practice: Speak-from-the-Heart (3 minutes)
Settle (45s): Feel your sit bones and feet. One slow exhale.
Place a hand where you feel the charge (throat/chest/belly). Say, “Energy is here, and I’m here too.”
Choose one sentence you care about. Speak it slowly. Pause. Repeat once.
Close with thanks to the part that got activated. Gentle shoulder roll. Done.
Why this matters (now)
When individuals reclaim their voice with care, the collective tone shifts. More truth. More nuance. Less collapse and less attack. Using your voice somatically isn’t just personal healing; it’s community medicine.
And I think that’s really important right now. ✌️
If you want support
This is the kind of work we practice in my small-group containers—learning to stay with sensation, meet protective parts with compassion, and speak from a more grounded self. If this resonates, you’re welcome to explore my offerings or reach out with a question. No pressure—just an open door.
P.S. If you try one of these practices, notice what changed (even 5%). Capacity grows in small, consistent ways.