Healing is showing, not telling
Trauma isn’t just a memory or a story we tell ourselves—it’s something our body holds onto and relives through sensations, reflexive behaviors, emotions, and even thought patterns.
The Body Remembers What the Mind Tries to Forget
When trauma is unprocessed, the nervous system stays stuck in a survival response—whether that’s fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. This means:
Reactions may feel automatic (e.g., flinching at a loud noise, shutting down in conflict).
Sensations like tension, nausea, or numbness may appear for no clear reason.
Behaviors such as avoidance, perfectionism, or people-pleasing may be driven by an unconscious need for safety.
Feelings of fear, shame, or helplessness may persist even when there’s no current danger.
Thoughts often reflect the nervous system’s state (e.g., “I’m not safe,” “I can’t handle this,” “Something bad will happen”).
Why We Can’t Think Our Way Out of Trauma
When we become activated, the prefrontal cortex (our rational, language-based brain) goes offline, while the limbic system (emotional brain) and brainstem (survival brain) take over. That’s why:
Logical reassurance doesn’t work (“I know I’m safe, but I don’t feel safe”).
Talking about it might increase activation if the body isn’t regulated first.
We can’t just “decide” to let it go—we must physically experience safety.
Healing Through Somatic Experiences
Since trauma is stored in the body, healing happens by showing the nervous system it is safe, not just telling it. This means:
Tracking sensations—Noticing what’s happening in the body without judgment.
Completing survival responses—Releasing stored energy (through movement, breath, or tremors).
Regulating through co-regulation—Connecting with safe people, pets, or even nature.
Grounding in the present—Using touch, movement, or sensation to remind the body it's here and now, not back in the traumatic past.
Building capacity slowly—Expanding the nervous system’s ability to stay present without overwhelm.
Instead of forcing words, we listen to the body, follow its cues, and offer it new experiences of safety. Over time, this rewires the nervous system, allowing true healing rather than just cognitive understanding.
Does this resonate with your experience of working with somatic healing?
