Why Does Anxiety Feel Physical? Somatic Approaches and EMDR in Arcadia

If you understand your stress logically but your body still feels stuck in fight-or-flight, your nervous system may need support, not just insight. Somatic approaches and EMDR can help reduce the body’s alarm response and build a steadier sense of safety.

I know why I’m stressed, so why do I still feel it in my chest?

This is one of the most common questions we hear at Aspire Counseling Group. You can understand your triggers, talk it through, and still feel anxiety in your body: tight chest, racing heart, stomach tension, restless energy, or trouble sleeping.

Anxiety often includes physical symptoms. That does not mean something is wrong with you. It can mean your nervous system is working hard to protect you, even when there is no immediate danger.

Our clinicians support clients every week who feel stuck in physical anxiety and want practical tools plus deeper healing, not just talk.

Why anxiety shows up in the body?

When your brain perceives threat, it can activate a survival response (fight, flight, freeze). That response can show up as:

• muscle tension
• shallow breathing
• faster heart rate
• stomach discomfort
• dizziness or feeling on edge

Sometimes the alarm stays on after chronic stress, trauma, or repeated overwhelm. That is where somatic approaches can help, because they work with the body, not only thoughts.

Who this is for?

This post is for you if:

• You feel anxiety physically (chest tightness, nausea, racing heart, tension) even when you should be fine.
• You get stuck in a loop of overthinking and reassurance-seeking, but your body still feels unsafe.
• You have a history of trauma or chronic stress and your nervous system feels constantly activated.

Serving Arcadia and nearby communities

We serve clients in Arcadia and nearby Pasadena, San Marino, and Monrovia, with in-person sessions and telehealth across California.

What is somatic awareness?

Somatic awareness is learning to notice what your body is communicating, with curiosity instead of fear. It is not about forcing yourself to calm down. It is about building a more accurate sense of safety in the present moment.

A simple 3-step framework:

1. Notice: Where do you feel it most (jaw, chest, shoulders, stomach)?
2. Name: Put words to the sensation (tight, heavy, fluttery, hot, numb).
3. Nudge toward safety: Use grounding or regulation skills to help your system settle.

Over time, this can reduce the intensity and frequency of body anxiety because your nervous system learns, again and again, that you are safe right now.

Ready for support?

If anxiety is showing up in your body and you want support that goes beyond coping in the moment, we can help you understand what is happening and build tools that create real change over time.

Book online: https://www.therapyportal.com/p/aspirecg/appointments/availability/
Call or text: 626-639-8844

How EMDR can help when anxiety feels stuck?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a structured psychotherapy that helps many people process distressing experiences and reduce the emotional and physical charge attached to them.

A few key points:

• EMDR is commonly used for trauma and PTSD, and it can also help when anxiety is connected to distressing past experiences or triggers.
• Sessions include focusing briefly on a memory, body sensation, or trigger while using bilateral stimulation (such as guided eye movements or tapping), within a structured plan.
• The goal is not to erase your memories. The goal is to reduce the distress and body alarm response that gets activated in the present.

Learn more about EMDR therapy in Arcadia: https://aspirecounselinggroup.com/our-approach/emdr-therapy-arcadia/
Explore anxiety therapy in Arcadia: https://aspirecounselinggroup.com/specialties/anxiety-therapy-arcadia/

What to expect if you start therapy with us?

Most clients want to know what the first steps feel like. Here is a simple overview:

• Matching: We help match you with the right clinician based on your goals, schedule, and fit.
• First sessions: We clarify what you are experiencing, what is keeping it going, and what you want to change.
• Skills plus deeper work: Many clients benefit from practical tools (sleep, grounding, nervous system regulation) while also doing deeper therapy work over time.
• Pacing matters: Trauma-informed care prioritizes safety, consent, and going at a pace your system can tolerate.

What you can do right now when anxiety spikes?

If your body suddenly ramps up, try one of these grounding tools.

Cold sensation grounding (ice or cold water)

Hold an ice cube in your hand and focus on:

• temperature
• texture
• where you feel it most
  This can interrupt spiraling thoughts and bring attention back to the present.

4-7-8 breathing

Inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Repeat 3 to 5 rounds.
If holding feels difficult, shorten the counts and focus on a longer exhale.

Peripheral vision reset

Soften your gaze and gently notice the edges of the room.
Then name 5 things you can see, 4 you can feel, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.
This can help signal safety to your nervous system.

When is it time to see a professional?

Consider professional support if:

• anxiety interferes with work, relationships, parenting, or sleep
• you avoid places or situations because of panic sensations
• your body feels on high alert most days
• coping tools help a little but do not stick

Therapy can help you understand what is happening, reduce the body’s alarm response, and build skills that create real change over time.

FAQs

Do you offer EMDR therapy in Arcadia?

Yes. If you are looking for EMDR therapy in Arcadia (or nearby Pasadena, San Marino, or Monrovia), we can help you understand whether EMDR is a good fit and what the process looks like.

Do you offer telehealth across California?

Yes. We offer in-person sessions in Arcadia and telehealth across California.

Is somatic therapy the same as EMDR?

Not exactly. Somatic approaches focus on body awareness and nervous system regulation. EMDR is a structured method often used for trauma-related distress and triggers. Many clinicians integrate both depending on needs and fit.

Will I have to talk about everything that happened?

Not necessarily. You stay in control. Treatment is paced, and your therapist should explain the process clearly and prioritize safety and stabilization.

Author: Ani Martikyan, LMFT
Aspire Counseling Group, Arcadia, CA
Last updated: February 2026