Trauma is often understood as a psychological wound, addressed through dialogue and insight in traditional talk therapy. Yet, for many, symptoms like chronic pain, anxiety, or digestive issues suggest trauma resides not only in the mind but also in the body. As awareness grows, somatic therapies – approaches that target the body’s role in storing and releasing trauma – are emerging as vital tools for healing.

“Trauma doesn’t just affect our thoughts – it deeply impacts our physical bodies in ways many people don’t realise,” says Jackie Re, a certified clinical trauma professional at Alina Lodge, a US-based treatment centre. “People who’ve experienced trauma are often surprised to learn that their unexplained physical symptoms may be connected to past experiences their conscious mind isn’t actively recalling.”

Trauma as a physical experience

When trauma occurs, the body’s autonomic nervous system triggers a fight-or-flight response to protect against danger. Normally, the system resets after the threat passes. However, trauma can overwhelm this process, leaving the experience unprocessed. “When something traumatic happens, our nervous system can become overwhelmed, and the experience may not get properly processed,” Re explains. “Instead of being integrated as a normal memory, it gets stored in a different way – in our bodies and nervous systems.”

This stored trauma manifests physically, embedded in muscle tension, hormonal imbalances, or even cellular memory. Survivors may experience sudden symptoms – tight muscles, stomach pain, headaches, or a racing heart – triggered by subtle cues like sounds or smells. “These triggers can be subtle,” Re notes. “Certain sounds, smells, or situations that the nervous system associates with danger can provoke a physical reaction, even if the conscious mind doesn’t make the connection.”

Why talk therapy may not suffice

Traditional therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) rely on verbalising thoughts and emotions. For some, particularly those with developmental or attachment trauma, this can be ineffective or even re-traumatising. “The brain essentially ‘files’ traumatic experiences away from our normal memory networks,” says Re. “These memories become frozen in time – disconnected from logical thought and stored primarily as physical sensations, emotions, and fragmented images rather than coherent narratives.”

Verbalising such experiences can intensify symptoms, dysregulating the nervous system and sending survivors into fight-or-flight or shutdown modes. “Asking someone to repeatedly talk through traumatic events can sometimes trigger the same physiological responses they experienced during the original trauma,” Re says. “This does not create the safety needed for healing.”

Somatic therapies offer a new path

Somatic therapies, meaning “of the body”, focus on releasing trauma through physical sensations. Somatic Experiencing (SE), developed by Dr Peter Levine, is a leading approach. “Somatic Experiencing takes a different approach by focusing directly on bodily sensations,” Re explains. “This method helps people notice and release trauma held physically in their bodies.” Through techniques like body scanning, clients build safety, notice sensations, and release stored tension, gradually restoring equilibrium.

Another approach, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), uses bilateral stimulation, typically eye movements, to reprocess traumatic memories. “EMDR therapy targets these limitations with bilateral stimulation while the person briefly focuses on traumatic memories,” Re says. “This process seems to mimic what happens during REM sleep; it helps the brain reprocess these memories and integrate them into normal memory networks.” This reduces the emotional charge of traumatic memories, fostering a sense of calm.

Scientific support and physical signs

Research underscores that trauma alters brain regions like the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex, disrupting threat detection, memory formation, and emotional regulation. Somatic therapies calm the nervous system and promote neuroplasticity, enabling the brain to rewire itself. They help survivors expand their “window of tolerance” for sensations and emotions, processing trauma safely.

Trauma may manifest physically in several ways

• Digestive issues, such as chronic constipation, IBS, or nausea during stress
• Muscle tension, particularly in the neck, jaw, shoulders, or lower back
• Autoimmune flares, with some studies linking unresolved trauma to chronic inflammation
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia, nightmares, or restless sleep
• Panic attacks or dissociation, feeling numb or “out of body”

“Common physical manifestations are chronic tension in the neck and shoulders, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, and unexplained pain,” Re says. “Many individuals spend years seeking medical explanations before realising the connection to past trauma.”

A holistic approach to healing

Healing trauma often requires integrating somatic therapies with other practices, such as yoga, breathwork, or expressive arts like dance. This holistic approach acknowledges the body, mind, and spirit. For survivors feeling betrayed by their bodies – particularly after physical or sexual trauma – somatic work fosters reconnection and empowerment. “When we help people reconnect with their bodies, they often begin to feel empowered for the first time in years,” Re says. “They learn that their body isn’t the enemy – it’s been trying to protect them all along.”