Glossary of Terms for Somatic Attachment Work
In the work of healing, language matters. The words we use to describe our inner experience shape how we meet it—whether with curiosity, compassion, or fear. This glossary is a living collection of terms drawn from somatic and attachment-based practices that invite us to come home to the body.
These definitions are meant to offer more than understanding—they’re invitations into practice. When we name what we feel, we begin to locate ourselves in the landscape of the body. From that place, healing becomes less about fixing and more about listening. May these words serve as small anchors of awareness, guiding you toward presence, integration, and the simple wisdom of your own felt sense.
Embodiment
Embodiment is the practice of inhabiting the body with awareness, allowing sensations, emotions, and experiences to be felt and expressed fully rather than bypassed or suppressed. It is the integration of mind, body, and spirit into lived experience—where the body becomes not just something we have, but something we are
“The body is not an object to be controlled, but a living process to be experienced.” — Thomas Hanna
Trauma
An overwhelming experience that exceeds a person’s capacity to cope, leaving a lasting imprint on the nervous system and sense of safety.
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” – Peter Levine
Shame
A self-conscious emotion arising when one perceives oneself as fundamentally flawed, unworthy of love or belonging, or not acceptable as one is.
“Shame corrodes the very part of us that believes we are capable of change.” – Brené Brown
“Shame can be defined as the emotion that arises when we believe we are too flawed to be loved and accepted by others.” — Chris Germer
Trust
A felt sense of safety in oneself and with others, allowing openness and connection.
“We do not learn trust through words alone, but through consistent, embodied experience of being held, heard, and respected.” – Prentis Hemphill
Boundary
The clear and compassionate recognition of where you end and another begins, protecting what is important while allowing connection.
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.” – Brené Brown
Authenticity
Living and expressing oneself in alignment with inner truth, values, and feelings.
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.” – Brené Brown
Resource
Any internal or external support that helps one feel grounded, safe, and capable of meeting challenges.
“Resourcing is the first step in healing trauma. When we connect to what gives us strength, safety, or pleasure, we build the foundation that allows the nervous system to reorganize.” - Diane Poole Heller
Pendulation
The natural rhythm of moving between states of activation and relaxation, or discomfort and safety, during healing.
“Accessing resources allows the nervous system to touch into pain without being overwhelmed. This gentle rhythm of expansion and contraction is what restores balance.” - Peter Levine
“When we work with trauma, we go back and forth between states of contraction and expansion, distress and safety, until the nervous system finds its own rhythm again.” - Peter Levine
Sensation
The felt sense of physical experiences within the body, including temperature, tension, movement, and pressure.
“The body is a sensing instrument of awareness.” – Thomas Hübl
Titration
The process of working with small, manageable pieces of challenging experiences to support integration without overwhelm.
“Trauma cannot be healed all at once. It must be healed in small doses, by gently touching into painful sensations and then returning to safety.” -Peter Levine
We are remade in the small acts of tending what we can bear.” -Francis Weller
Bottom-Up Processing
An approach that begins with body sensations and physiological states to support emotional and cognitive healing, rather than starting with thoughts.
“When we start with the body, we meet the nervous system where it lives. From there, change becomes not just possible, but sustainable.” -Luis Mojica
Agency
The sense of having choice, power, and the ability to take meaningful action in one’s own life.
“Trauma robs you of the feeling that you are in charge of yourself… The restoration of the body’s sense of agency is the very foundation of recovery.” - Peter Levine
Trigger
A cue or reminder that activates past painful memories or sensations, often causing a disproportionate reaction in the present.
“When we’re triggered, old neural pathways fire automatically, pulling us into states of fear or reactivity. With awareness, we can pause and choose a different response.” -Dan Siegel
Regulation
The capacity to manage and stabilize emotional and physiological states, returning to a sense of balance.
“Regulation is not about control; it’s about flow. When we can move between activation and calm without getting stuck, the nervous system regains its natural rhythm.” - Peter Levine
Attunement
The practice of being present with and responsive to another’s emotional and physiological states, creating safety and connection.
“Attunement is the energy of connection. When we attune to another, we allow our internal world to resonate with theirs, creating the foundation for secure attachment.” -Dan Siegel