Trauma is often seen as a collection of painful memories, leading traditional treatments to focus on reshaping thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions surrounding the traumatic experience. While this cognitive approach can be helpful, it only scratches the surface, missing the deeper layer—the body’s lived experience of trauma. Often, the body becomes the silent witness of past painful events, responding long after the mind has tried to forget. Our bodies can carry the imprints of trauma in the form of tension, chronic pain, and heightened stress responses. Understanding the body’s role in trauma is crucial for healing.
Pioneers like Peter Levine and Bessel van der Kolk have transformed our understanding of trauma by highlighting the body’s crucial role in the healing process. Peter Levine, through his work on Somatic Experiencing, emphasizes how trauma gets trapped in the nervous system and can be released by tuning into and gently guiding the body’s natural healing responses. Similarly, Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, underscores how trauma physically lodges itself in the body, manifesting as tension, pain, and dissociation. Both have shown that healing trauma requires not just addressing the mind, but deeply engaging with the body’s innate wisdom.
The nervous system, in particular, plays a key part in how trauma manifests. The "fight, flight, or freeze" responses are the body's natural ways of coping with danger. In the face of trauma, the body may stay stuck in one of these survival modes, even when the immediate threat has passed. This can result in feeling hyper-vigilant, anxious, or numb without understanding why. The wisdom of the body lies in its ability to signal what words may not. For example, a sudden tightness in the chest or knot in the stomach might reflect an unresolved trauma response. Listening to these sensations with curiosity, rather than judgment, can unlock deeper healing.
Imagine you’re carrying a backpack, but instead of supplies, it’s filled with moments of fear, pain, and helplessness. You keep moving forward, telling yourself to just think your way out of it, but no matter how much mental work you do, the weight doesn’t lift. That’s because trauma isn’t just stored in your memories—it’s stored in your muscles, your movements, your breath. This is where the wisdom of the body comes in. Experts like Peter Levine and Bessel van der Kolk teach us that to truly heal, we must pay attention to the contents in the backpack and listen to what it has been holding. Only then can we lighten the load and start to move freely again.
Simple Somatic Practices to Reconnect with the Body
Here are some ways in which you can integrate somatic practices to deepen your awareness of your bodily sensations and to foster healing from trauma.
Breathwork
Breath has a profound influence on our emotions, just as emotions deeply impact the way we breathe. Trauma, in particular, can disrupt our natural breathing patterns, leading to shallow or irregular breath, often reinforcing a state of anxiety or tension. By intentionally focusing on deep, rhythmic breathing—such as diaphragmatic or "belly" breathing—we can activate a state of calm and safety within the body, helping the nervous system return to balance. Breathwork not only helps release stored physical tension, but also facilitates the processing and integration of emotional and physical trauma in ways that cognitive approaches alone may not address. Alternatively, if deep breathing feels challenging, simply noticing any tension in your breath is a gentle starting point for reconnecting with the body and regulating emotional states.
Body Scanning
Body scanning is a somatic practice that involves mindfully bringing attention to different parts of the body, often starting from the head and moving down to the feet, or vice versa. This technique helps individuals develop greater awareness of physical sensations, tension, or discomfort that might be stored in the body due to stress or trauma. By noticing these sensations without judgment, individuals can foster a sense of presence and connection to their bodies, promoting relaxation and release of tension. Body scanning encourages a deeper understanding of how emotions manifest physically, and can be a powerful tool for grounding and calming the nervous system in moments of distress or anxiety.
Gentle Movement
Gentle movement is a key component of somatic practices, allowing individuals to reconnect with their bodies in a mindful and non-invasive way. These slow, intentional movements—such as stretching, yoga, or even light swaying—help release physical tension and trapped energy that may be stored in the body due to trauma or stress. By focusing on how the body feels during movement, rather than how it looks or performs, individuals can cultivate a sense of body awareness and safety. Gentle movement also supports nervous system regulation, as it encourages the flow of breath and energy, promoting a grounded and calm state of being. This approach is especially helpful for those recovering from trauma, as it respects the body’s boundaries while offering a pathway to healing and reconnection.
Integrating these somatic practices into trauma recovery will offer a powerful pathway for individuals to heal not just cognitively, but also physically and emotionally. These practices allow trauma survivors to develop a compassionate relationship with their physical experiences, learning to trust the body again. By doing so, the body shifts from being a source of distress to a powerful ally in healing. Understanding the body’s role in trauma is a reminder that healing isn’t just about thinking differently; it’s also about reconnecting to the body’s innate wisdom. This connection fosters resilience and offers a more holistic path toward recovery.
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