How to Know What Your Body Is Asking For

A Guide to Choosing the Right Somatic Therapy at the Right Time

Most people don’t need more modalities—they need the right intervention for their current state.

At Exalted Grace, somatic manual therapy is approached as a continuum, not a menu. Your nervous system, tissues, breath, and psyche move through different phases of stress, integration, release, and restoration. What supports you during one phase may be inappropriate—or overwhelming—during another.

This guide will help you understand:

• What your body is communicating

• Which therapeutic approach best meets that message

• How to layer services over time for sustainable healing

The Three States Most Clients Move Through

Most people arrive in one (or more) of these states:

1.

Activation / Overload

You may notice:

• Muscle guarding, tight jaw, shallow breathing

• Anxiety, mental fatigue, irritability

• Trouble sleeping or “never fully resting”

• Feeling disconnected from your body

What your body needs:

Down-regulation, safety, rhythm, and containment.

Best-fit services:

• Somatic massage (gentle–moderate pressure)

• Sound therapy (nervous system entrainment)

• SOMA-style breathwork (regulated, not cathartic)

• Combined sessions (touch + sound or breath)

This phase is about teaching the body it is safe to soften—without forcing release.

2.

Stagnation / Disconnection

You may notice:

• Feeling “stuck,” numb, or flat

• Chronic pain without a clear injury

• Emotional heaviness or lack of motivation

• A sense that talk therapy alone isn’t enough

What your body needs:

Subtle reorganization, internal listening, and recalibration.

Best-fit services:

• Craniosacral therapy

• Lymphatic or myofascial release

• Quiet somatic sessions with minimal verbal processing

• Breath as awareness (not intensity)

This phase supports the nervous system in repatterning, not pushing.

3.

Integration / Expansion

You may notice:

• A desire for meaning, clarity, or embodiment

• Feeling stable enough to explore deeper layers

• Life transitions, identity shifts, or spiritual curiosity

• A sense that “something new wants to emerge”

What your body needs:

Integration across body, breath, psyche, and consciousness.

Best-fit services:

• Living Temple Meditation (full immersion)

• Multi-session arcs combining touch, sound, and breath

• Guided somatic inquiry + embodiment practices

This phase is not about fixing—it’s about alignment and coherence.

Why Combination Sessions Exist

Many clients don’t fit neatly into one category.

Combination sessions (massage + sound, breath + bodywork) are ideal when:

• The body needs grounding and gentle activation

• You want nervous system regulation without going fully internal

• You’re rebuilding trust with your body after stress or burnout

These sessions allow your system to organize itself organically, rather than being driven by a single technique.

When to Choose a Full Treatment vs. Supportive Care

Choose supportive or combination care when:

• You’re managing ongoing stress

• You want regular nervous system maintenance

• You’re integrating life demands (work, parenting, caregiving)

Choose a full treatment or Living Temple experience when:

• You feel at a threshold or transition point

• You’ve plateaued with conventional approaches

• You’re ready for a deeper reset or reorientation

Think of it as the difference between tuning the instrument and retuning the entire orchestra.

How We Decide Together

You don’t have to self-diagnose.

Each session is guided by:

• Your current nervous system state

• Tissue tone and breath patterns

• Capacity for integration that day

• Your stated intentions and lived context

The goal is not intensity—it’s precision.

Client Self-Inquiry Form

“What Does My Body Need Right Now?”

Section 1: Current State

(Check all that apply)

• ☐ I feel tense, wired, or overstimulated

• ☐ I feel exhausted or burnt out

• ☐ I feel emotionally heavy or disconnected

• ☐ I’m experiencing chronic pain or restriction

• ☐ I feel relatively stable but seeking depth or clarity

Section 2: Nervous System Signals

In the past two weeks, I’ve noticed:

• ☐ Shallow or restricted breathing

• ☐ Trouble sleeping or staying asleep

• ☐ Frequent muscle tension or jaw clenching

• ☐ Emotional reactivity or shutdown

• ☐ A desire to slow down and go inward

Section 3: Touch & Sensitivity

• ☐ I need gentle, supportive touch

• ☐ I’m open to deeper manual work

• ☐ I prefer minimal talking during sessions

• ☐ I benefit from sound, vibration, or rhythm

• ☐ I feel ready for an immersive experience

Section 4: Intentions

Right now, I’m seeking (choose up to 2):

• ☐ Stress relief / nervous system regulation

• ☐ Pain or tension relief

• ☐ Emotional processing or support

• ☐ Integration after a life change

• ☐ Spiritual or embodied exploration

Section 5: Capacity Check

Today, my capacity feels:

• ☐ Low — I need support and grounding

• ☐ Moderate — I can engage gently

• ☐ High — I feel resourced and curious

Suggested Service Matching

• Mostly activation + low capacity:

  → Somatic massage + sound therapy

  
  

• Stagnation + sensitivity:

  → Craniosacral or quiet manual therapy

  
  

• Mixed signals / moderate capacity:

  → Combination session (body + breath or sound)

  
  

• Stable + seeking depth:

  → Living Temple Meditation or immersive arc

Your body is not a problem to solve—it is an intelligent system responding to its environment.

The right therapy meets you where you are, not where you think you should be.