When the Body Remembers: Understanding How Trauma Lives Within Us
We often think of trauma as something that happens in the mind — a painful memory, an emotional wound, or a psychological scar. But trauma is not just a story that lives in your head. It’s an experience that the entire body remembers.
The body internalizes
When we experience something overwhelming — a loss, an accident, abuse, neglect, or any situation where we feel unsafe — our nervous system reacts instinctively. It releases stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, preparing us to fight, flee, or freeze.
If the danger passes and we can process what happened, our bodies usually return to a state of balance. But when trauma is chronic, severe, or left unresolved, the nervous system can get stuck in survival mode.
This is why trauma survivors may experience physical symptoms long after the event:
Muscle tension, chronic pain, or headaches
Digestive issues or appetite changes
Fatigue or insomnia
Heart palpitations or shallow breathing
Heightened startle response or anxiety
Your body isn’t betraying you — it’s trying to protect you. These reactions are the nervous system’s way of saying, “Something still doesn’t feel safe.”
Somatic Memory: When Words Aren’t Enough
Sometimes, people can’t put their trauma into words. That’s because trauma doesn’t just live in our thoughts — it’s stored in the body as sensations. You might not consciously remember what happened, but your body remembers how it felt.
A certain smell, sound, or even posture can trigger an emotional flashback — a flood of old feelings that seem to come from nowhere. These responses can be confusing or frustrating, but they are part of your body’s attempt to process what it couldn’t at the time.
Healing Through the Body
While traditional talk therapy is incredibly valuable, healing from trauma often requires including the body in the conversation. Approaches like:
Somatic experiencing
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
Yoga therapy
Breathwork
Mindfulness and grounding exercises
…can help you reconnect with your body safely, allowing old survival energy to be released. Healing doesn’t mean erasing the past — it means teaching the body that it’s safe in the present.
A Gentle Reminder
If you recognize yourself in these words, please know: there’s nothing “wrong” with you. Your body has been doing its best to keep you alive and safe. Healing is not linear, and you don’t have to go through it alone. With the right support — from therapists, community, or safe relationships — it’s possible to feel at home in your body again.
You are not broken. You are healing. And your body is part of that journey.
