Somatic Release for Jaw Tension: A Trauma-Informed Tool for Healthy Aggression
- Tanya Master
- Sep 15, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: 12 hours ago
A simple exercise to release tension and increase boundary capacity.
Many people struggle to express anger or assert boundaries. Often that difficulty shows up in the body—through chronic jaw tension, fatigue, irritability, or emotional shutdown.
This short somatic exercise is based on Dr. Peter Levine’s work in Somatic Experiencing and is designed to safely explore and release some of that tension.
Why Somatic Release for Jaw Tension Matters
Anger isn’t inherently harmful. When expressed with awareness, it can be a boundary signal: an internal alert that something isn’t okay. But if your system learned to suppress anger early on, it likely didn’t get the chance to integrate it.
That suppression doesn’t just live in the mind. It lives in the body.
As a trauma-informed psychosomatic consultant, I often see clients who are carrying stored survival responses—rage, fight, shutdown—that never had a safe way out. This can show up as chronic tension, emotional flatness, and relational confusion.
This exercise isn’t a fix-all. But it’s a practical way to start noticing what your body does with frustration or unmet needs—especially in the jaw.
The exercise: Somatic release through the jaw
This somatic release for jaw tension supports nervous system regulation. You can do this seated, with your feet on the floor. Take a moment to feel the support of the chair underneath you. You don’t need to force anything. Just notice what happens.
1. Begin with a deep breath.
Let the breath fill your belly and chest. You don’t need to count—just let it expand naturally.
2. Exhale with a low “voo” sound.
As you exhale, make a low, steady “voo” sound. Let it vibrate through your chest and jaw. It should feel slightly resonant—like a soft growl, not a shout.
3. Gently open your jaw as you exhale.
As the sound continues, slowly let your jaw open a little further. Just enough to notice. You’re not stretching, just exploring the range.
4. Pause when you feel tension.
If you feel resistance or discomfort, stop. Let the jaw come back to a neutral place. You’re not trying to “push through”, you’re tracking the edge.
5. Repeat with curiosity.
Do another round. Same breath in. Same “voo” sound. Same gentle jaw opening. Pay attention to what shifts, if anything.
6. Track what you notice.
Do you feel heat? Emotion? Numbness? Do you want to stop? Keep going? There’s no right answer. The goal is to build awareness, not to perform.
Why this keeps coming back
If this helped, but the tension returns, it’s usually not just about the jaw. This is often how the system holds back:
saying no
expressing anger
setting limits
The jaw becomes the place where that gets contained.
If this feels like a one-off physical issue, the exercise may be enough. If you’re noticing this shows up in how you speak, hold back, or manage conflict, then you’re no longer working with tension. You’re working with a pattern. 👉 Work with this directly in a 90-minute Deep Dive 👉 Or read: Psychosomatic Symptoms: What They Are, Why They Happen, and What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You
