How Trauma Is Stored in the Body—and How Healing Happens
At Nurtari, we often hear clients say, “I understand what happened, but my body still feels on edge,” or “I know I’m safe now, but my nervous system hasn’t caught up.” These experiences are not a sign of resistance or failure—they reflect how trauma is stored not only in our minds, but in our bodies.
Understanding the body’s role in trauma can be deeply validating and empowering. It helps explain why talking alone isn’t always enough—and why body-based, integrative approaches can support lasting healing.
Trauma Lives in the Nervous System
Trauma occurs when an experience overwhelms our capacity to cope. In those moments, the nervous system shifts into survival mode—fight, flight, freeze, or collapse. When escape or completion of a protective response isn’t possible, the body may hold onto that unfinished survival energy.
Even long after the event has passed, the nervous system can remain stuck in a state of hyperarousal (anxiety, tension, vigilance) or hypoarousal (numbness, disconnection, shutdown). This is why trauma symptoms often show up as physical experiences, such as:
Chronic muscle tension or pain
Gastrointestinal distress
Fatigue or insomnia
Shallow breathing
Heart palpitations
Feeling "on edge" or emotionally numb
Trauma is not just a memory—it’s a lived, embodied experience.
Why the Body Remembers
The brain areas responsible for survival responses (like the brainstem and limbic system) operate faster than the thinking brain. During trauma, these systems take over to protect us. Later, even subtle reminders—sensations, sounds, relational dynamics, or internal cues—can activate the same bodily responses, often without conscious awareness.
This is why trauma can be triggered by things that don’t seem logically connected, and why people may say, “I don’t know why my body reacts this way.” The body remembers what the mind may not fully recall.
Healing Requires More Than Talking
Traditional talk therapy can be incredibly helpful, but trauma healing often requires working directly with the nervous system. Body-based approaches help the system gently move out of survival mode and back into regulation.
At Nurtari, we use integrative, trauma-informed modalities that support this process, including:
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
SE focuses on increasing awareness of bodily sensations in a gradual, titrated way. By tracking sensations and allowing the body to complete protective responses safely, the nervous system can release stored survival energy and return to balance.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they are no longer experienced as present-day threats. By integrating bilateral stimulation, EMDR supports adaptive processing while reducing the emotional and physical intensity stored in the body.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS recognizes that trauma often creates protective “parts” within us. By approaching these parts with curiosity and compassion, clients can reduce internal conflict and create safety both emotionally and somatically.
The Role of Safety and Relationship
Healing trauma is not about forcing release—it’s about building safety. The nervous system changes in the presence of attunement, consistency, and choice. A strong therapeutic relationship provides a corrective experience where the body learns, over time, that it is safe to soften, feel, and reconnect.
This process unfolds at your pace. Trauma healing is not linear, and honoring capacity and consent is essential.
Coming Home to the Body
When trauma is stored in the body, healing happens through the body. With the right support, the nervous system can learn that the threat has passed, sensations can become tolerable, and the body can return to its natural state of regulation and resilience.
At Nurtari, we believe healing is about more than symptom reduction—it’s about helping you come home to yourself. Through compassionate, integrative care, we support you in reconnecting with your body, your inner wisdom, and your capacity for safety, connection, and growth.
If you’re curious about body-based trauma therapy or wondering whether it might be right for you, we’re here to help.