
Unlock the Power of Your Body’s Wisdom to Heal Trauma
Unlock the Power of Your Body’s Wisdom to Heal Trauma?
But how, you may ask.
Sometimes, it’s a huge mystery why we feel and act the way we do. Our emotions and behaviors can seem disconnected from the logic of our daily lives, and trying to understand them with our cognitive minds is like trying to solve a puzzle with half the pieces missing.
It never ceases to amaze me how our bodies, however, hold memories of every experience we’ve ever been through! These somatic memories are stored in ways we can’t possibly fully comprehend, but they manifest in our lives in the most surprising and profound ways.
It’s a reminder that our behaviors and feelings are never isolated.
They’re part of a larger story, often written in the mysterious language of the body.
Working with the source of these experiences through somatic healing, rather than just analyzing them at a cognitive level, can lead to transformative emotional healing.
Here are a few examples from my practice that show how deep our somatic memory is:
1. The man who always felt depressed in October:
Every year, without fail, this man felt a deep wave of depression wash over him in October, regardless of where he lived or what was happening in his life.
It wasn’t until we began exploring this pattern through a body-centered approach that we discovered the root: when he was six, his family moved houses in October. For him, this move meant the end of a cherished chapter of his childhood, which was filled with joy, security, and familiarity.
His body had been holding onto the grief of that loss for decades, mourning the happy life he once knew. By processing this trauma through somatic therapy, he found a way to digest it in a safe and empowering way.
2. The mother triggered by her daughter’s first period:
Another client experienced a big crisis when her daughter got her first period. She was overcome with emotions she couldn’t explain, feeling anxious and sad for no apparent reason. It was a happy moment, after all, but she couldn’t feel the joy for her daughter.
As we worked together, she realized that her body was remembering her own isolation and despair when she was twelve and got her first period. Her mother had been struggling with mental illness at the time, and there was no one to celebrate or support her through this important milestone.
By connecting with and releasing the pain stored in her body, she discovered how the body-mind connection can transform unresolved trauma. This allowed her to show up for her daughter in the way she wished someone had for her.
3. The psychologist’s fear of sudden tragedy:
A skilled and compassionate doctor found herself dreading that one of her clients might become suicidal. The fear of sudden tragedy overwhelmed her, even though she was well trained to handle such situations.
As we explored this fear, memories of a car accident from her childhood began to surface. It was that same feeling of despair, numbness, and helplessness. She was six years old when the accident happened. Though her family miraculously survived, the event shattered her sense of safety and changed her family’s life forever.
Working with her body’s wisdom through somatic healing, she released the lingering fear and realized that her emotions stemmed from unresolved trauma rather than a reflection of her professional capabilities.
4. The woman who felt alone in everything:
One client had carried a lifelong belief that she was entirely on her own, responsible for everything and herself because no one else would be there to help her.
As we explored this belief somatically, fragmented memories began to emerge. She recalled stories shared by her parents and subtle bodily sensations tied to her infancy. When she was still just a tiny baby, her mother suffered from severe postpartum depression and couldn’t care for her.
While, of course, she had no conscious memory of this time, her nervous system remembered the experience. By addressing this somatic trauma through holistic healing techniques, she began to rewrite the story she was telling herself, allowing herself to trust and rely on others.
The importance of holistic healing
These stories point to a profound truth: our emotions, behaviors, and bodily sensations are interconnected in such complex ways that can’t be understood with a simple analysis.
Trying to understand our feelings and actions with our cognitive mind alone is like trying to describe a symphony by looking at a single note on the sheet music. The full story lies in the harmony between the notes, just as the full story of our lives is held within the interplay of our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations. This is how you can unlock the power of your body’s wisdom to heal trauma.
Our bodies remember in the most peculiar and extraordinary ways, and how these memories manifest still amazes me beyond words. By learning to trust the body’s wisdom and working with the roots of our experiences through trauma healing, we can uncover profound insights and emotional freedom.
Read More: Healing from the body up with somatic approach
If you’ve ever felt stuck in patterns you can’t explain, consider looking beyond the surface.
Trust your body. It holds the key to mysteries your mind might never solve on its own. Healing begins when we listen. With curiosity, compassion, and courage.