Somatic Social-Emotional Learning (SSEL) integrates body awareness into traditional social-emotional learning, recognizing that emotions live in our physical experiences, not just our thoughts.
Somatic means “of the body.” While traditional Social-Emotional Learning focuses primarily on cognitive understanding of emotions, SSEL acknowledges that our emotions physically manifest in our bodies:
Our education system has long separated mind from body, intellect from feeling. This artificial division disconnects us from our deepest wisdom. SSEL weaves these parts back together, honoring the body as an essential teacher in emotional intelligence.
Research confirms what our ancestors knew: movement and emotional regulation dance together. When we synchronize body and mind through somatic practices, we:
These accessible practices require no special equipment:
In our hyper-cognitive, productivity-focused world, SSEL offers a revolutionary return to wholeness. Beyond developing isolated “skills,” it invites educators and parents to help children remember what it means to be fully human—reclaiming the intelligence that lives in every cell, the knowing that pulses through each heartbeat.
By integrating somatic awareness with traditional SEL approaches, we create learning environments that honor children’s complete experience, supporting not just what they think, but what they feel, sense, and know in their bodies.
Your body is waiting to teach you. Can you feel it?
Ready to integrate these powerful somatic practices with your students or children? Liberated Learning offers the perfect starting point:
Check-In, Reflect, Connect: A Daily Interactive SSEL Workbook (Grades 5-12)
This thoughtfully designed workbook guides young people to:
Perfect for both classroom implementation and home practice, this resource provides structure while honoring each child’s unique somatic SEL experience. The daily format creates rhythm and consistency, essential elements for developing embodied emotional intelligence.
Learn more about the workbook and order copies for your classroom or family here