Part 2 from the series: Trauma in the body

The Body Remembers

Many people believe trauma lives only in the mind — a painful memory, an image that won’t fade.
But in truth, trauma is a physical event.
It happens in the nervous system, in the breath, in the muscles, in the heart.

When something overwhelms us — too much, too soon, too fast — the body stores the shock.
It holds it, sometimes for years, sometimes for decades.

These stored experiences often show up as physical symptoms that medicine can’t fully explain:

• chronic tension in the neck, shoulders, or back,
• tightness in the chest,
• stomach pain or digestive issues,
• headaches or migraines,
• restlessness, insomnia, or exhaustion.

It can feel as if the body keeps reacting to something that’s no longer there —
and in a way, it does.
It reacts to old danger signals that were never safely completed.

The Nervous System in Survival Mode

When trauma is stored in the body, the nervous system often remains in overdrive or shutdown.
The autonomic nervous system — which helps us sense safety or danger — loses its natural rhythm.

People with trauma often move between two survival states:

• Overactivation (Fight/Flight) – racing heart, hypervigilance, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia.
• Underactivation (Freeze/Shutdown) – numbness, fatigue, emptiness, lack of motivation.

These states are not weakness — they are protective responses that once kept you safe.
Your body is still trying to protect you, even when the danger is long gone.

When the Body Speaks

Trauma can speak through many forms.
Through muscles that refuse to relax.
Through a chest that feels too tight to breathe.
Through a stomach that knots at the slightest sense of fear.

Chronic conditions like:

• irritable bowel syndrome,
• fibromyalgia,
• chronic fatigue,
• autoimmune diseases,
  may be connected to a prolonged state of stress in the body.

That doesn’t mean trauma is the only cause —
but it may be a hidden piece of the puzzle that disrupts the body’s balance.

What the Body Needs

Healing begins when we slowly reconnect with the body — gently, patiently, one moment at a time.
It’s not about forcing memories to surface,
but about letting the body know that it is safe now.

Breathwork, gentle movement, somatic therapy, mindfulness, or yoga
can help you listen again to your body’s quiet wisdom.

Healing doesn’t happen only in the mind.
It begins in the body —
when we learn to trust its language once more.

Gently guide your body toward healing.
The “Heal Your Body” e-book series supports you with simple exercises for calmness, relaxation, and self-connection.

Would you like to learn how to relax your body with simple and quick exercises?