Alexithymia in Autistic Adults: How Somatic Therapy Can Help

Neurodiversity-Affirming & Somatic Therapy in Louisiana and Florida

For many autistic adults, emotional expression doesn’t come easily—and that’s not due to a lack of feeling. In fact, many experience intense emotional states but struggle to make sense of them. This difficulty has a name: alexithymia.

Alexithymia is common in the autistic community, and it can lead to challenges in relationships, mental health, and even physical well-being. Traditional talk therapy may not always be enough. That’s where somatic therapy comes in—a body-centered approach that can be particularly powerful for people who experience emotions in nonverbal or hard-to-label ways.

What Is Alexithymia?

Alexithymia literally means "no words for emotions." It refers to a difficulty in identifying, interpreting, or describing feelings. Common signs include:

• Feeling disconnected from emotions

• Saying “I don’t know what I feel” or “I feel nothing”

• Difficulty understanding physical sensations connected to emotions

• Challenges in empathizing or recognizing others’ emotions

While alexithymia is not exclusive to autism, it is much more common in autistic adults—affecting up to 50%, according to some studies.

The Overlap Between Autism, Alexithymia, and the Body

Autistic individuals often experience a unique relationship with their bodies and sensory systems. Many describe being either hyper-aware or disconnected from bodily sensations. When you layer alexithymia on top of this, it can become especially challenging to identify whether what you’re experiencing is anxiety, hunger, sadness—or all three.

This is where somatic therapy becomes crucial.

What Is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between the mind and body. Instead of relying solely on verbal expression, it helps clients tune into physical sensations, movements, posture, and breath as doorways to understanding emotions.

In the context of alexithymia, somatic therapy creates a nonverbal, body-first pathway for emotional insight—perfect for those who may struggle with identifying feelings in words.

How Somatic Therapy Supports Autistic Adults with Alexithymia

Here’s how somatic therapy can be especially beneficial:

1. Body Awareness

Clients learn to notice subtle physical cues: tension, temperature changes, gut feelings. These sensations can provide early indicators of emotional states.

🌀 Example: Noticing tightness in the chest may be a cue that you’re feeling anxious, even if you don’t “feel” anxious yet.

2. Grounding and Regulation

Somatic techniques such as breathwork, body scanning, or rhythmic movement help regulate the nervous system. This can reduce overwhelm and create space for reflection.

💡 Many autistic adults report living in a near-constant state of hypervigilance. Somatic tools help shift the body out of “fight or flight.”

3. Interoception Training

Interoception is the ability to sense internal bodily states (like hunger, heart rate, or muscle tension). In therapy, we can practice strengthening interoceptive awareness, which is key for emotional understanding.

4. Nonverbal Emotional Expression

Sometimes the body says what words cannot. Somatic therapy uses movement, gesture, sound, or even creative visualization to explore emotional landscapes beyond languag

What a Somatic Therapy Session Might Look Like

A session might include:

• A guided body scan to locate areas of tension or numbness

• Gentle movement or stretching to release emotional holding patterns

• Pausing to track body sensations in response to a question or memory

• Mindful breathing to reconnect with the present moment

You’re never pressured to talk about emotions you can’t yet name. In fact, naming comes later—only when it feels organic.

Therapy for Autistic Adults in Florida and Louisiana

If you’re an autistic adult navigating alexithymia, you deserve support that honors your unique way of experiencing the world. Somatic therapy offers a safe, respectful path toward embodied emotional awareness—without forcing you to “talk it out” before you're ready.

📞 Interested in exploring somatic therapy virtually in Louisiana or Florida? Schedule an appointment by clicking here.