Stored Trauma
Our minds have the ability to project us into the past or the future, but our bodies often don’t know the difference between projection and reality. This is why a painful memory from the past can bring up hurt in the present moment.
Let me give you an example. My father recently passed away after bravely fighting a terminal illness. Sometimes, images of his deterioration flash in my mind.
They create a painful, stabbing sensation in my chest, as if the images were happening in real-time.
This is my body (Soma) reliving the trauma of seeing my beloved father suffer. These images are from a past that doesn’t exist in the ‘now’, yet my body feels the pain as if it’s happening right here, right now. Trauma lives within us because it’s waiting to be felt and released.
Ramifications
Unprocessed, suppressed, or ignored trauma can surface in unexpected ways and often end up influencing our lives. This might look like a big reaction to a seemingly small trigger, difficulty experiencing joy and ease, a persistent sense of anxiety, sudden bursts of intense anger, and much more.
The Practice
The good news is that we can start training our bodies to feel and release trauma in small, safe doses. "Small" and "safe" are the two key words essential to this process.
The goal isn’t to seek a cathartic release, which can sometimes add to trauma if unmanaged. Instead, the goal is to increase the body’s capacity to experience emotions in the moment, so that when big feelings from past trauma arise, we’ve built enough awareness to process them safely.
A simple way I start in my somatic coaching is by working with clients to recall something mildly annoying or hurtful. If pain could be measured on a scale of 1 to 10, this would be a 2 or 3. As these memories become vivid, most people’s brains jump into action—coming up with stories, reasons, or arguments. This is a protective mechanism where the brain rescues us from truly feeling and staying in our bodies. I often call this being "out of the body and into the mind."
The job of a somatic coach is to guide the client back to their body and help them track the sensations that arise. Sitting with feelings and observing them without judgment, labels, or an outcome is the foundation of somatic awareness.
With practice, people slowly re-train themselves to sit with what arises. As this happens, the body’s capacity to process emotions increases—much like building a muscle. The more you work the muscle correctly, the greater your ability to carry more emotional load.
The Challenge
The most difficult aspect of this practice for most people is allowing their brain to switch off. We live in a culture that rewards constant productivity, overwork, and stimulation.
These values often become a crutch or distraction, preventing us from fully experiencing life. When I ask people to let their brains rest, I often encounter palpable resistance.
I understand this resistance because I still work through my own biases in sessions with my somatic coach. This resistance is normal. It’s important to remember that the practice of listening to the body (Soma) doesn’t undermine the brain. Instead, it elevates the body and emotions to their rightful position of equality with the intellect.
Where to Go Next
If you resonate with what I've shared, start with just 5 minutes of silence daily. My suggestion is to not attach any outcome to these 5 minutes. For some, staying still can be challenging because trauma may stir up. If that’s the case, try incorporating gentle movement that anchor you in the present, like rubbing your palms softly
It’s okay to get help
I am a trained integrated trauma practitioner, and more importantly, I’ve been on a journey of reacquainting myself with my inner self for the past 8 years—exploring feelings, concepts, and somatic models. I offer free discovery sessions to discuss how a somatic coaching practice can help you.
I was fortunate to find a coach who used somatic-informed practices back when it was less widely known. My motivation is to share these tools with others so those stuck in a cycle of pain can find their way through, just as I did and continue to do today.
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