Trauma first and foremost disrupts the normal functioning of the nervous system, leading to extremes of autonomic arousal that often does not return to baseline once traumatic events are over. Dysregulation of arousal is a common feature in relational trauma. Such dysregulation is present for the individuals and for the family unit. When carers are dysregulated their capacities to cope with the challenges of caregiving are compromised. In turn, children are left to manage not only their own dysregulation but also the fluctuations occurring in their carers. Somatic resources and the embodiment of non‐somatic relational resources are efficient for physiological arousal and emotional regulation. Sensorimotor psychotherapy offers a means to better understand arousal and dysregulation as well as employ effective strategies to stabilise children and carers in challenged families. This article will provide a sensorimotor psychotherapy framework that can help in identifying priorities for therapeutic stabilisation efforts for children with abuse and/or neglect histories and their family members. The authors will discuss the value of employing somatic resources in preference to other categories of resources, and suggest practical ways in which to convert any non‐somatic resource into a more embodied experience.

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