The Body Keeps the Score: Understanding Somatic Symptoms of Trauma

When Memories Live in the Body

Many people experiencing the aftereffects of trauma find themselves battling physical symptoms that seem disconnected from their past experiences. Chronic pain, unexplained digestive issues, persistent tension, or a feeling of disconnection from your body might actually be your system's way of expressing what words cannot.

Unlike conscious memories that we can recall and describe, traumatic experiences often get stored in more primitive parts of our brain and nervous system. These "implicit" or "procedural" memories don't show up as coherent narratives but as physical sensations, emotional states, and reactive patterns. This is what trauma experts mean when they say "the body keeps the score" – your physical system literally holds onto experiences that the mind hasn't fully processed.

Common Somatic Symptoms of Trauma

If you've experienced trauma, you might recognize some of these physical manifestations:

Nervous System Dysregulation

• Hypervigilance and startle responses

• Chronic activation (feeling "on edge" or unable to relax)

• Freeze responses (feeling "stuck" or unable to move)

• Persistent fatigue that doesn't improve with rest

• Sleep disturbances despite exhaustion

Muscular Patterns

• Chronic tension in specific areas (especially neck, shoulders, jaw, and pelvic floor)

• Bracing patterns (unconsciously protecting vulnerable areas)

• Postural collapse (shoulders rounded, chest caved)

• Restricted breathing (shallow, chest-only breathing)

Sensory Processing

• Hypersensitivity to sounds, lights, touch, or smells

• Numbing or disconnection from bodily sensations

• Difficulty identifying physical needs (hunger, thirst, need for rest)

• Feeling disconnected from your body or "not quite in your skin"

Autonomic Nervous System Responses

• Digestive issues (IBS, nausea, constipation, diarrhea)

• Chronic immune system activation or suppression

• Temperature regulation problems

• Heart palpitations or chest tightness

• Chronic pain without clear physical cause

Many trauma survivors describe feeling "betrayed" by their bodies or frustrated by physical symptoms that don't respond to traditional medical treatments. Understanding that these experiences are actually your body's attempt to protect you can be the first step toward healing.

The Science: How Trauma Changes Your Nervous System

Trauma fundamentally affects how your nervous system functions. To understand why, it helps to know a bit about your autonomic nervous system, which has three primary states:

1. Ventral Vagal (Social Engagement): This is your "safe and social" state – when you feel connected, calm, and engaged. Your heart rate is regulated, your digestion works well, and you can think clearly.

2. Sympathetic Activation (Fight/Flight): This mobilizing state prepares you for action when facing a threat. Your heart rate increases, digestion slows, and blood flows to your limbs. You might feel anxious, angry, or panicky.

3. Dorsal Vagal (Freeze/Shutdown): When fighting or fleeing isn't possible, your system can shift into this conservation state. Energy consumption drops, heart rate and blood pressure may decrease, and you might feel numb, foggy, heavy, or disconnected.

Trauma occurs when these natural defensive responses are overwhelmed or unable to complete. Instead of returning to a regulated ventral vagal state after danger passes, your nervous system might get stuck in patterns of sympathetic activation or dorsal vagal shutdown. This "stuck" response becomes your body's new baseline, creating ongoing physical symptoms.

The Body-Mind Connection in Trauma Healing

Understanding that trauma symptoms have a physiological basis changes how we approach healing. Instead of seeing physical symptoms as separate from emotional or psychological experiences, somatic approaches to trauma work directly with the body-mind connection.

Some principles of somatic trauma healing include:

1. Safety First: Creating safety in the nervous system is a prerequisite for processing trauma.

2. Pendulation: Gently moving between activation and regulation helps the nervous system learn that it can return to safety.

3. Titration: Processing trauma in small, manageable doses prevents overwhelm and retraumatization.

4. Resourcing: Building capacity through positive, regulatory experiences creates the foundation for trauma resolution.

5. Completion: Allowing defensive responses that were interrupted during traumatic events to complete through movement and awareness.

Five Grounding Techniques to Regulate Your Nervous System

While comprehensive trauma healing often benefits from professional support, these simple practices can help you begin to reconnect with your body and regulate your nervous system:

1. Orienting to the Present

When feeling activated or disconnected, consciously orient yourself to your current environment:

• Look around the room and notice what you see

• Name objects, colors, or shapes aloud

• Notice where the exits are and that you can move freely

• Remind yourself of the date and your current location

This practice helps your nervous system recognize that you are safe in the present moment, not trapped in past danger.

2. Conscious Breathing

Your breath is a powerful tool for nervous system regulation:

• Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly

• Take slow breaths, focusing on extending your exhale (try a count of 4 in, 6 out)

• Feel the movement of your breath in your body

• Notice the natural pause at the end of each exhale

Extended exhales activate your parasympathetic nervous system, helping shift from fight/flight into a calmer state.

3. Grounding Through the Feet

This practice can help when feeling disconnected or "floating":

• Stand or sit with your feet flat on the floor

• Notice all the sensations where your feet meet the ground

• Press your feet down slightly, feeling the support beneath you

• Imagine roots growing from your feet into the earth

• Feel the stability and connection with the ground

Bringing awareness to the feet helps counteract the upward-moving energy of anxiety and supports feeling contained in your body.

4. Self-Contact

Gentle, mindful self-touch can provide regulation when feeling distressed:

• Cross your arms and place your hands on opposite shoulders

• Gently squeeze and release your arms or shoulders

• Try placing one hand on your heart and one on your belly

• Apply gentle pressure to the top of your head

• Massage your own hands, noticing the sensations

These forms of self-contact remind your nervous system that connection and comfort are available.

5. Movement Practices

Simple movement can help release stuck energy and reconnect with your body:

• Gently shake out your hands, arms, legs

• Roll your shoulders forward and backward

• Make slow circles with your wrists and ankles

• Try gentle twisting movements from side to side

• Take a short walk, noticing the rhythm of your steps

Movement can help discharge activation energy and interrupt freeze responses.

When to Seek Professional Support

While self-regulation practices can be helpful tools for managing trauma symptoms, many people benefit from professional support when:

• Physical symptoms significantly impact daily functioning

• Self-regulation strategies provide only temporary relief

• You find yourself caught in overwhelming emotional states

• Trauma responses are affecting your relationships

• You feel stuck in your healing journey

Somatic-based approaches to trauma healing, such as Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR, and the Comprehensive Resource Model, specifically address how trauma is held in the body and work to restore regulation to the nervous system.

The Path Forward: Befriending Your Body

Many trauma survivors have a complicated relationship with their bodies, viewing physical symptoms as enemies rather than messages. A key aspect of healing involves shifting from fighting against your body to working with it. Your physical responses—even the uncomfortable ones—represent your system's attempts to protect you.

Healing happens when we can acknowledge these protective responses with compassion while gently introducing new possibilities for safety and regulation. With support and practice, your body can become an ally in your healing rather than a source of suffering.

At Alchemy Collective, our trauma specialists integrate somatic approaches to help clients reconnect with their bodies and resolve trauma held in the nervous system. If you're experiencing physical symptoms that might be connected to past trauma, contact us to learn more about how our therapists can support your healing journey.

References:

• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma.

• Levine, P. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness.

• Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation.

• Dana, D. (2018). The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation.