Cultivating Somatic Awareness in Pastoral Care Through Mindfulness Posture and Boundaries

This document was written as framework of understanding for an experiential workshop provided for the Pastoral Services team at St. John Of God Subiaco Hospital, Western Australia in June 2025.

1.      Begin with Mindfulness: Attuned Presence in Pastoral Practice

Mindfulness in pastoral practice is not merely a tool or technique used for relaxation ot wellbeing—it is a state of relational presence, a way of being with oneself and with the other, that is both tender and spacious. It invites us into a posture of witnessing, not controlling; of allowing, not striving.

In this state, we become observers of our own experience, gently attuned to the unfolding of thoughts, sensations, and emotions without interference or judgment, and supporting curious wondering about those who are seated before us. When we allow experience to arise without grasping or resisting, we begin to see more clearly the subtle manner of our inner world—patterns, thoughts and memories that have shaped our embodied beliefs, that shape our sense of self, and our perception of others, and our safety in the world. Mindfulness in this “observing way” is not a passive reflection but a deeply engaged, somatic awareness. The body is speaking to us, with sensations, tensions, emotions, thoughts, memories and impulses. Mindfulness listens with a wider lens, welcoming all of our human experience. In pastoral practice, this spaciousness at the bedside transforms into relational attunement, across the plains —body, mind, conncetion, the environment and spirit. To be mindful is to be present to the imago Dei—in oneself and others. It is to honour the mystery of being fully human.

Mindfulness is not about going anywhere or doing anything, it is about being here, now, with what is, a present moment experience. It is a quieting of the mind’s habitual striving, a softening of the body’s defences, a welcoming of the moment, a hospitality of our lived experience. To practice mindfulness is to engage in two profound reversals of our usual cognitive orientation: a)      A turning inward—shifting attention from the external world to the interior landscape of body, mind, and soul. An observing witness.

b)     A change in the quality of our attention—moving from seeking and grasping to receiving and allowing. We need fewer words in this state.

These internal postures open the door to transformation by seeing and being with what is. In this way, mindfulness becomes a form of pastoral care [nourishing presence] for the self as well, a way of tending to the soul with compassion, curiosity and ease. We non-violently sit in the moment, noticing what is arising rather than eliciting more conversation through questions, inquiry and storytelling for the sake of it, and value the dual experience within the encounter, theirs, and ours. Recognising our shared experience is profound; no longer are we just providing a service of pastoral expertise or good intentions, but sharing a moment in time that, that is organic in its impulse, transforming us both.

2. Establishing Body Connection – posture informs perception, and the stress we hold.

In 2018, I experienced significant physical and psychological burnout following the prolonged period leading up to my mother’s passing. This disruption to my coping—and what felt like failure—led me towards body-based therapy, marking a pivotal shift in both my personal and professional identity.

Through this journey, I discovered a fundamental insight: when my posture is unbalanced (literally), so is my perception of how I view myself, others, my environment, and my God. I came to understand that posture extends beyond the physical realm—it reflects and impacts our internal state.

Our energy, emotions, and perception are closely connected to the way we position ourselves. An aligned posture facilitates access to states such as playfulness, courage, vulnerability, compassion, and composure. These are not traits to be forced; they naturally arise when we are physically, emotionally, and spiritually balanced and attuned—when stress can flow through us rather than be held in the body. Each posture we adopt shapes our attitude and state of mind in that very moment. 

A relaxed, upright position promotes neutrality, self-awareness, and authenticity. Conversely, collapsed or rigid postures often reflect stressed emotional states—despair or defensiveness, respectively. Postural habits reveal not only our feelings about ourselves but also our unconscious expectations of life and others.

In somatic-informed spiritual care, posture serves as a gateway to deeper understanding. We observe how individuals carry themselves and ask: How are they experiencing life? Do they seem burdened, free, fearful, generous, expressive, or avoidant? These non-verbal, embodied signals provide insight into long-held beliefs and habitual responses. Established postural patterns don’t just reveal stories but point us to the storyteller. Through mindful practice, we begin to interrupt unconscious protective behaviours with conscious presence that exhibits safety and leans toward a reparative attachment experience. Gradually, we transition from observing automatic reactions and assumptions to attuned discernment and full awareness of the present-moment experience of the client.

Pastoral practitioners, whether intentionally or not, often use high empathy, mirroring, and touch to engage compassion as a core emotional response. They can repeatedly lean into encounters—over bedsides, across boundaries—creating relational intensity rather than postures of ease. While compassion and empathy are vital in therapeutic relationships, excessive activation of mirror neurons can lead to fatigue, sense of overdeveloped responsibility and vicarious trauma. This occurs when caregivers overidentify and “absorb” their clients' emotional pain, which can even result in symptoms like those experienced by the clients themselves. 

Automatic empathy, driven by mirror neurons, leads to a full-body arousal as if the listener is experiencing the event themselves. This subconscious effect increases allostatic load and over-stresses the caregiver's system. The caregiver’s posture is a silent communicator—not only shaping how they are perceived, but also how the client’s body responds. Leaning in may say “I care,” but it may also say “you are fragile,” or “you need help.” That message, when absorbed through the body, can heighten stress, blur relational boundaries, or inhibit a client’s own regulation.

From a somatic perspective, posture is both input and output—we shape and are shaped by it. A leaning-in posture may reflect a caregiver’s own internal sense of urgency, effort, or desire to "fix," which the client may pick up on as pressure. Over time, this habitual bodily patterning can reinforce nervous system strain in both caregiver and client. Instead, a stable, grounded posture—upright yet soft, open but not leaning—can hold space with presence and containment. It allows for a more reciprocal nervous system interaction, where the caregiver’s body says: “You are not alone, and I trust in your capacity.”

As for posture, it informs our state, perception, and coping. When posture is maintained with ease—feet grounded, spine lengthened, breath available—incoming stressors and over-aroused states can be released without retaining the mirrored emotional response.

Sitting upright with a relaxed pose during stressful situations has been shown to sustain self-esteem, reduce negative emotions, and foster resilience. It even enhances speech fluency and reduces self-occupation. Research also indicates that walking upright significantly improves psychological states, reducing low mood, fatigue, pain, and physiological stress markers like blood pressure and galvanic skin response. In contrast, slumped postures increase feelings of helplessness and physiological distress. [see references].

Posture is not merely a superficial adjustment—it is a potent somatic gateway to resilience, clarity, and compassionate presence. It protects against burnout. Our allostatic load reflects the cumulative impact of chronic stress, or in pastoral practice, the ongoing effect of being exposed to people's pain, suffering, and trauma while responding daily to unpredictable situations. Releasing stress involves helping the body complete its natural recovery processes so it can return to a balanced state, supporting long-term health and resilience. We release stress through novel, expressive, and explosive activities. Think: singing, dancing, moving, jumping, sprinting, laughing, yelling, crying, making, and shaking things! Other religions and contemplative paths have recognised the power of embodied movement for centuries—think yoga, twirling Sufis, psalm singing, crying laments, surrendering postures, and Sabbath rest.

It is also significant that practitioners intentionally celebrate the wins—the joys—with full-bodied movement and rituals. Our brains are wired to notice threats more than successes—a survival mechanism called negativity bias. In intense or high-pressure environments, this bias becomes stronger. Celebrating wins intentionally activates the brain’s reward system, helping shift perception from survival to growth and giving the nervous system a moment of relief. Every time we pause to acknowledge success, beauty, wonder, and awe, we reinforce neural pathways that associate effort with reward. We expand capacity for appreciation, building psychological safety and embodied confidence. Celebrating wins isn’t about ego or ignoring our stressors—it’s a nervous system intervention, a way to metabolise our stress, reinforce hope, and support embodied resilience in the face of challenge.

3. Attuned Boundaries – where do I start and stop, and where do they begin?

Pastoral practitioners often operate from a deep place of holy hospitality and missional service. They are well meaning, and hold the highest of good intentions for the health of the other. Yet, they may lack conscious awareness of the distinction between personal boundaries and their good intentions to care. Many rely on relational skill and storytelling for connection and coping, rather than the mindful self-awareness rooted in grounded relational attunement.

Where is the boundary? Without a clear internal sense of where I end and you begin, it becomes easy to overextend, overserve, or unconsciously absorb the emotional projections of others. Here, mindful somatic awareness offers a vital tool. By tuning into the body’s felt sense, practitioners can begin to visualise, sense, and anchor boundaries in real time. This embodied clarity doesn’t create distance—it cultivates presence with integrity. It allows the practitioner to remain fully engaged and attuned, without merging or rescuing.

A strong felt boundary supports ethical care, enhances attunement, and helps us recognise when a client or care recipient may be projecting unmet needs into the relational space—what we understand as transference. Rather than reacting, withdrawing, or collapsing, the practitioner can hold a compassionate posture rooted in self-awareness and a mature pastoral identity. In this way, boundaries become a living practice—an embodied safeguard for both the caregiver and the one being cared for.

Many people—both care recipients and caregivers—give up their boundaries long before they ever have them, seeking identity or meaning in another person, experience, possession, or group. Beliefs like “she will make me happy,” “he will take away my loneliness,” or “they will speak for me” become substitutes for feeling and owning one’s own experience.

Practitioners who are sensitively aware of their own boundaries—expressed through safe presence, healthy vulnerability, and authentic responses to suffering—can model what it means to belong to oneself. This self-belonging fosters trust, resilience, and a deeper capacity for human flourishing.

Ultimately, cultivating embodied presence, attuned boundaries, and mindful curiosity enables us to hold and witness the complexities of human experience with greater clarity, compassion, and a profound sense of connection—nourishing both those we serve and our own pastoral heart.

Reflection:

·       How do you personally celebrate wins and joys in your practice, and what impact have you noticed on your nervous system and resilience?

·       Can you describe a situation where mindful somatic awareness helped you establish or strengthen boundaries in your pastoral or caregiving role?

·       What strategies do you use to manage transference or emotional projections in relational spaces, and how do these align with your concept of attuned boundaries?

·       How has cultivating embodied presence and mindful curiosity improved your ability to connect with those you serve while maintaining your coping capacity and your pastoral identity?

APA References:

Nair, S., Sagar, M., Sollers III, J., Consedine, N., & Broadbent, E. (2014).

Do slumped and upright postures affect stress responses? A randomized trial.

Health Psychology, 34(6), 632–641. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000146

Hackford, J., Mackey, A., & Broadbent, E. (2017).

The effects of walking posture on affective and physiological states during stress.

Behaviour Research and Therapy, 97, 100–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2017.07.005

Antonelli, M., Barbieri, G., & Donelli, D. (2022).

Effects of nature walks on mood and physiological markers in stressed individuals: A systematic review.

Cities, 122, 103527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2021.103527

Lee, J., Park, B. J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Ohira, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2011).

Effect of forest bathing on physiological and psychological responses in young Japanese male subjects.

Public Health, 125(2), 93–100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2010.09.005

Tags: Somatic Awareness, Embodied Practice, Pastoral Care, Spiritual Care, Trauma-Informed Care, Mindful Presence, Nervous System Regulation, Embodied Resilience, Vicarious Trauma, Allostatic Load, Mirror Neurons, Transference and Boundaries, Posture and Perception, Body-Mind Connection, Attuned Boundaries, Somatic Spirituality, Grounded Presence, Practitioner Wellbeing, Supervision and Self-Reflection, Ethical Care, Compassionate Leadership, Embodied Chaplaincy, Burnout Prevention, Self-Compassion in Caregiving, How Posture Affects Mood, Mindfulness in Ministry, Emotional Regulation for Caregivers