Reclaiming Your Body’s Wisdom After Trauma

When “Listen to Your Body” Feels Impossible

After trauma, your body can feel like a stranger — or worse, an enemy. You might live entirely in your head, analyzing every feeling to stay in control. Or maybe you dissociate so often you don’t even notice hunger, fatigue, or anxiety until you crash.

That’s not weakness — it’s survival. When your body once held too much pain, disconnecting was the safest choice.

But healing asks you to come home again.

Why Trauma Disconnects You from Your Body

Your body records everything — sensations, emotions, memories. When trauma floods your system, the nervous system tries to protect you by dulling those signals. That’s why survivors often say, “I feel nothing,” or “I can’t tell what I need.”

It’s not that your body stopped speaking. It’s that you stopped feeling safe enough to listen.

Learning to Trust Your Body Again

Start gently. Don’t force awareness — invite it.

• Name what’s neutral. Notice textures, temperature, weight. This re-teaches your brain that sensations aren’t always dangerous.

• Ask your body small questions. “Do I need rest or movement?” Then, actually respond.

• Reframe numbness. Numb isn’t broken — it’s protective. Appreciate it as a message that you’re not ready to feel more yet.

• Practice grounding before introspection. Regulation first, reflection second. Always.

The goal isn’t constant awareness — it’s consistent compassion.

When to Seek Support

If reconnecting with your body brings up panic, flashbacks, or shame, that’s not failure — it’s feedback. Trauma work should happen at your nervous system’s pace. Trauma-informed therapists, especially those trained in EMDR, somatic work, or IFS, can guide this process safely.

A Gentle Reframe

Your body didn’t fail you — it carried you. It kept you alive through things that should never have happened. Now it’s asking for partnership, not punishment.

If you’re ready to start that partnership, my upcoming book Permission to Heal walks you through rebuilding self-trust — starting with the body.

Follow @authentichealingfm for tools, reflections, and daily permission to move toward healing on your terms.