Have you ever been triggered by a sound, a smell, or a sudden movement—and felt your body respond before your mind could catch up?
That’s not a coincidence.
It’s how trauma lives in the body.
Many people think of trauma as a memory or a mental health condition. But trauma isn’t just a story we carry—it’s a
nervous system response that impacts your brain, your body, your relationships, and your sense of safety in the world.
In this post, we’ll explore how trauma affects the body, why you might feel stuck in patterns of anxiety or numbness, and how trauma-informed therapy can help you gently restore balance.
What Happens to the Body During Trauma?
When you experience a traumatic event—whether it’s abuse, a car accident, sudden loss, or prolonged emotional stress—your nervous system shifts into
survival mode. This includes:
- Fight (aggression, hypervigilance)
- Flight (restlessness, panic, escape behaviors)
- Freeze (numbness, disconnection, dissociation)
- Fawn (people-pleasing to avoid danger)
If the trauma is not fully processed, these survival responses can become
stuck, leaving your body in a state of chronic alertness or shutdown—even long after the danger has passed.
Signs That Trauma Is Stored in the Body
Trauma responses may not always show up as flashbacks or nightmares. More often, they appear as chronic symptoms like:
- Muscle tension or unexplained pain
- Digestive issues (IBS, nausea, appetite changes)
- Sleep disturbances
- Racing heart or shallow breathing
- Difficulty relaxing, feeling “on edge”
- Feeling disconnected from your body or emotions
- Trouble concentrating or remembering things
- Emotional numbness or intense emotional swings
If you’ve ever thought,
“I don’t know why I feel this way—it just happens,” trauma stored in the body may be the reason.
The Science Behind Somatic Trauma Responses
Renowned trauma researchers like
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (author of
The Body Keeps the Score) and
Dr. Stephen Porges (creator of the Polyvagal Theory) have shown that trauma is not just a psychological issue—it’s a physiological one.
Here’s how:
- Trauma affects the
amygdala, making you hyper-sensitive to threats
- It reduces function in the
prefrontal cortex, impacting reasoning and impulse control
- It dysregulates the
autonomic nervous system, which controls your body’s stress response
- Your body becomes conditioned to respond to
perceived danger as if it’s real
This means that healing trauma requires more than just talking—it also involves learning to regulate and re-inhabit your body safely.
Why Traditional Talk Therapy Alone May Not Be Enough
While talk therapy is essential, trauma recovery often requires an approach that addresses the
whole person—mind, body, and nervous system.
That’s why trauma-informed therapy with Jessica Wolfe, LCSW may incorporate:
- Mindfulness and grounding exercises
- Body-awareness practices
- Breathwork to calm the nervous system
- Psychoeducation on trauma and the body
- Emotion-focused work to gently release stored responses
These tools help you
retrain your nervous system, reclaim a sense of internal safety, and reduce physical symptoms of trauma.
Therapy Is a Safe Place to Reconnect with Your Body
If you’ve learned to disconnect from your body to survive—whether through numbing, avoidance, or disassociation—therapy provides a space to slowly rebuild trust.
Jessica Wolfe creates a calm, supportive therapeutic environment where:
- You’re never pushed beyond your comfort level
- Your experiences are validated—not minimized
- Your body’s responses are treated with respect, not judgment
- Healing happens gently, one layer at a time
You don’t need to “relive” trauma to heal it.
But you
do need to listen to what your body has been holding.
Healing Is Possible—And It Begins with Awareness
When you begin to understand how trauma has shaped your body’s responses, you gain more control over how you feel and react.
You might start to notice:
- Less chronic tension and pain
- Improved sleep and digestion
- Greater emotional range (not just numbness)
- Stronger boundaries and self-compassion
- Increased ability to feel safe in your own skin
This is the work of trauma recovery: moving from surviving to
living fully.
Work with a Therapist Who Understands Trauma and the Body
If trauma has left you feeling disconnected, dysregulated, or stuck in cycles of anxiety and stress, help is available.
Jessica Wolfe, LCSW specializes in trauma-informed therapy that honors the connection between your mind and body. Her integrative approach helps clients process trauma gently, without re-traumatization, and build lasting resilience.
Contact Jessica Today
Phone: (414) 433‑3877
Email: info@jessicawolfelcsw.com
Request an Appointment
Serving Shorewood, WI and online clients across Wisconsin, California, and Colorado
