How Trauma Affects the Body—And How Healing Can Begin
A Journey of Awareness, Release, and Renewal
By Hiral Patel, OTR/L
Many people come to therapy wondering why their bodies still feel tense, restless, or “on guard,” even when life seems calm on the surface. Trauma isn’t just an emotional wound—it leaves its imprint on the body too.
Trauma Is the Body’s Survival Response
When people hear the word trauma, they often think of emotional pain or distressing memories. But trauma isn’t only a story we hold in our minds—it can live in our muscles, our breath, our posture, and even our digestion. Our bodies remember what our minds sometimes try to forget.
Trauma is less about what happened and more about how your body responded when something felt overwhelming, unsafe, or too much to handle. It might have been a sudden event, like a car accident, or a slow build-up of stress over time.
Your nervous system has built-in ways to help protect you—fight, flight, or freeze. These are natural, protective responses. But when the body doesn’t get the chance to fully release them, it can stay “stuck” in survival mode.
*Image courtesy of LynLake Centers for Wellbeing
The Physical Signs of Stored Trauma
Even long after the event, unresolved trauma can show up in everyday life, such as:
Persistent muscle tension or aches
Feeling easily startled or always “on edge”
Digestive discomfort or changes in appetite
Trouble sleeping or never feeling fully rested
Feeling disconnected or emotionally numb
These are not weaknesses—they are your body’s way of saying: “I’ve been trying to keep you safe.”
*Image courtesy of Cottonwood Tucson
The Nervous System’s Role
Think of your nervous system as a dial: it adjusts between activation (sympathetic “fight or flight”) and rest (parasympathetic “rest and digest”). Trauma can keep that dial stuck in high alert or shut-down mode, even when the danger has passed.
Somatic Experiencing works with this system directly, helping it “reset” through gentle awareness, movement, and releasing stored survival energy.
How Somatic Experiencing Supports Healing
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a gentle, body-focused therapy designed to help your nervous system find its way back to balance. Unlike traditional talk therapy, SE doesn’t require you to retell your story in detail. Instead, it helps you notice physical sensations, images, memories, behaviors and emotions and gently begin to release the tension your body has been holding.
Clients often find that as their body begins to feel safer, they:
Experience more calm and clarity
Sleep more deeply
Feel more at home in their own skin
Regain energy for the things that matter most
A Gentle First Step
Healing doesn’t have to start with something big. Try this:
Place your hand on your heart or stomach. Take a slow, easy breath in. Notice what’s happening inside—any warmth, tightness, or even nothing at all is okay.
This gentle check-in lets your nervous system know it’s safe to pause.
Ask yourself: What would help me feel just a little safer right now?
Even this small moment of noticing can help your body begin to shift.
You Don’t Have to Carry It Alone
Trauma isn’t a sign of being broken—it’s a sign your body has been working hard to protect you. With compassionate support, your body can learn it no longer has to hold on so tightly.
Thinking About Taking That First Step?
Sometimes, the hardest part of healing is simply getting started. If you’ve been wondering whether therapy might help you feel more grounded, more at ease, or just more like yourself, you’re not alone.
I’d love to offer a gentle space to talk about what you’ve been carrying and explore whether Somatic Experiencing could be a good fit for you.
