When we talk about trauma, we often think of painful memories, emotional triggers, or anxiety — all things that live in the mind. But neuroscience now tells us something profoundly important:
Trauma is not just stored in the mind — it’s held in the body.
According to trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, “the body keeps the score.” That means unresolved trauma lives on in our nervous system, our muscle memory, and even in our posture and breath.
This is why traditional talk therapy, while essential, often needs to be paired with body-based practices — because healing doesn’t happen through words alone. It happens through sensation, movement, rhythm, and safety.
🧠 Why Movement Heals, According to Neuroscience
Our nervous system is designed to move. When we experience threat or trauma, our survival system takes over — fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. But when those responses aren’t completed (because we had to “keep going,” numb out, or stay small), the body stores that unfinished energy.
Here’s how movement helps:
- Movement completes survival responses that got stuck in the body. Shaking, stretching, swaying, or dancing can help release trapped adrenaline and cortisol.
- Rhythmic motion (like walking or swaying) soothes the brainstem and activates the vagus nerve — calming the stress response and enhancing emotional regulation.
- Bilateral movement (like walking or swimming) engages both brain hemispheres, supporting trauma integration — similar to how EMDR works.
- Slow, mindful movement (like trauma-sensitive yoga or somatic practices) builds interoception — your ability to feel your body safely from the inside out, which is essential for trust, grounding, and healing.
🧘♀️ It’s Not About Exercise — It’s About Safety
For many trauma survivors, the body didn’t feel like a safe place. It might have been ignored, shamed, violated, or pushed too hard. Reconnecting to the body after trauma isn’t about fitness or performance — it’s about choice, presence, and gentle self-connection.
A trauma-informed approach to movement means:
- You go at your own pace.
- You listen to what feels good and what doesn’t.
- You build trust with your body over time.
- You honour your limits, your sensations, and your needs.
📓 Introducing: A Weekly Trauma-Informed Movement Guide + Somatic Healing Journal
To support your healing journey, I’ve created a gentle, neuroscience-informed guide that includes:
🌸 Daily movement suggestions — from mindful walking and grounding stretches to gentle shaking and nature-based movement.
🌿 Somatic prompts to help you check in with your body before and after moving.
🌀 Weekly journal reflections — to track your nervous system, emotional shifts, and new insights from the body.
🎧 Optional music suggestions, breathing cues, and grounding mantras for nervous system support.
This is ideal for:
- Those recovering from trauma, burnout, or emotional overwhelm
- Therapists, coaches, or healing professionals who want to bring somatic work into their own lives or sessions
- Anyone craving a more embodied, grounded relationship with themselves
💖 Healing is a Rhythm, Not a Race
Remember: you don’t need to push, force, or prove anything. You can move gently. You can heal softly. You can build a new relationship with your body — one step, sway, or breath at a time.
Would you like the weekly guide or journal? Comment “YES” or send a DM and I’ll send it to you 💌
Let your body become a safe place to live again.
#SomaticHealing #TraumaRecovery #Embodiment #NervousSystemHealing #NeuroscienceOfTrauma #TraumaSensitiveYoga #MindBodyConnection #HealingJourney #VagusNerveSupport
