How Trauma Lives in you Body
Understanding Somatic Healing and EMDR
Have you ever reacted to something in a way that surprised you — like snapping at someone you love, feeling frozen in place, or suddenly overwhelmed with emotion out of nowhere? You’re not “too sensitive.” You’re not “overreacting.” These responses often aren’t coming from your mind — they’re coming from your body.
Trauma doesn’t just live in memories. It lives in your nervous system, your muscles, your breath, and your bones.That’s why talk therapy alone sometimes isn’t enough. And it’s why therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Somatic Therapy can be so life-changing.
🌿 What Does It Mean for Trauma to Live in the Body?
When something overwhelming or unsafe happens — whether it’s a major trauma or a series of subtle, chronic stressors — your body has to find a way to survive. If you couldn’t fight or flee, your system may have frozen or shut down. And unless the experience was fully processed, your body likely stored the survival response.
That stored trauma can show up as:
A tight chest or throat that always feels “stuck”
Sleep issues or chronic fatigue
Panic or anxiety with no clear trigger
Emotional numbness or disconnection from others
Chronic pain, migraines, or digestive issues
These aren’t just random symptoms. They’re messages from your body that something is still unresolved — something that needs time, attention, and care.
💠 How EMDR Helps You Reprocess and Release
EMDR is a powerful tool that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they’re no longer stored as current danger. What makes EMDR different is that it includes the body — through awareness of sensation, imagery, emotion, and belief.
In an EMDR session, you may notice:
Where in your body you feel a memory or emotion
How that sensation shifts as you reprocess the experience
A gradual lightness or release, like the trauma is finally losing its grip
Clients often say: “I finally feel like the memory is in the past — not something I’m reliving every day.”
🌀 How Somatic Therapy Heals from the Inside Out
Somatic Therapy teaches you how to listen to your body, track subtle shifts, and gently unwind old holding patterns.
We might explore:
Where you feel tightness, numbness, or activation
How your breath changes in certain situations
What your body is doing to try and keep you safe — and how to offer it something new
Rather than just talk about the trauma, somatic work helps you feel through it, in a way that’s safe, slow, and deeply empowering.
💞 You’re Not Broken — Your Body Is Wise
Your body isn’t the problem — it’s part of the healing. It learned how to keep you safe. And with support, it can learn how to feel safe again.
If you’re tired of feeling like your past is running your life, or your body feels like it’s holding onto something you can’t quite name — therapy that includes both EMDR and somatic work can offer you a new path forward.
💬 Ready to Begin?
If this resonates with you, I invite you to schedule a free consultation. Together, we can explore whether EMDR, somatic therapy, or a personalized intensive could support your healing journey.