The Body Keeps the Score: How Trauma Lives in the Body and How to Gently Release It
Introduction: Your Body Remembers
Have you ever experienced a situation that seemed minor in the moment, but your body reacted with overwhelming fear, tension, or even numbness days—or years—later?
This is the power of stored trauma.
In his groundbreaking book The Body Keeps the Score, psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk explored what many of us intuitively know: trauma doesn’t just live in the mind—it lives in the body.
At Glow Somatics, we believe healing trauma starts by listening to the body’s wisdom. In this post, we’ll explore how trauma becomes stored in the nervous system, how to recognise the subtle signs, and how to gently begin the journey of release through somatic practices.
What Does It Mean That “The Body Keeps the Score”?
When we experience trauma—whether from childhood neglect, emotional abuse, a sudden accident, or chronic stress—our nervous system kicks into survival mode. Think: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
If the trauma isn’t fully processed (and most often it isn’t), the body holds onto it as a way to protect us. Muscles remain tense. Breathing becomes shallow. The digestive system might slow down. We become hypervigilant, exhausted, or disconnected from our bodies altogether.
This is how trauma becomes embodied.
Key Signs Trauma Is Stored in the Body:
Chronic tension or pain with no medical cause
Hyper-reactivity to minor stressors
Emotional numbness or dissociation
Difficulty feeling safe, even in safe environments
Anxiety, insomnia, or digestive issues
Holding your breath or shallow breathing
Feeling “out of your body” or not present
These aren’t random symptoms—they’re your body’s way of saying, “Something happened, and I’m still holding on.”
Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Always Enough
While cognitive therapies can be incredibly supportive, they often don’t address where trauma actually lives—in the body.
You can talk about the trauma for years, but unless your nervous system is also given the chance to feel safe again, the body will keep reacting as if the danger is still present.
That’s why somatic healing is essential for lasting transformation.
At Glow Somatics, we focus on reconnecting women to their inner radiance by integrating somatic awareness, movement, breath, and stillness. It’s about guiding your body back to safety—slowly, gently, and with great care.
What Is Somatic Healing?
The word somatic comes from the Greek word soma, meaning "the living body." Somatic healing is a body-oriented approach that helps us:
Tune into bodily sensations
Recognize patterns of tension or constriction
Move through trapped emotions
Restore a sense of inner safety and groundedness
Rather than rehashing past memories, somatic work brings you into the present—into the felt experience of your body—and teaches you to stay there with compassion.
How Trauma Is Stored in the Nervous System
Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) has two main branches:
Sympathetic (fight or flight) – Prepares us for danger
Parasympathetic (rest and digest) – Helps us relax and repair
Trauma keeps us stuck in the sympathetic state or shuts us down into freeze, a form of parasympathetic shutdown.
Over time, this dysregulation leads to emotional and physical health issues—anxiety, burnout, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, or autoimmune conditions.
The good news? With the right support, the body can relearn how to regulate. That’s where gentle somatic practices come in.
Gentle Ways to Release Trauma Stored in the Body
At Glow Somatics, we take a trauma-informed, heart-led approach to healing. Here are some foundational somatic practices you can begin today:
1. Orienting
Take a moment to look around the room slowly. Let your eyes land on something comforting or beautiful. This simple act tells your brain: “I’m safe now.”
2. Grounding
Feel your feet on the floor. Wiggle your toes. Press your hands into your thighs. Bring awareness to where your body meets the earth.
Grounding helps bring you back to the present moment—especially helpful if you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
3. Somatic Breathwork
Try this simple exercise:
Inhale gently through the nose for 4 counts
Hold for 2
Exhale slowly through the mouth for 6 counts
Repeat for 1–3 minutes. Long exhales calm the nervous system and signal safety.
4. Gentle Movement
Trauma often freezes us. Gentle, intuitive movement—like stretching, swaying, or somatic yoga—can help shift stuck energy. Let your body lead. There’s no right or wrong.
5. Vocal Toning
Sound is powerful. Humming, sighing, or softly chanting can activate the vagus nerve, which is key to nervous system regulation.
Try placing a hand on your heart and humming gently. Feel the vibration in your chest. This is your body beginning to trust again.
Somatic Healing Is a Journey, Not a Quick Fix
There is no one-size-fits-all solution for trauma recovery. Every body is different. Every story is sacred.
What matters most is safety, slowness, and self-trust. At Glow Somatics, we create containers where women can explore their healing without judgment, shame, or pressure to “get over it.”
Instead, we honour the process. We honour you.
Why This Work Matters—Now More Than Ever
We live in a world that often tells women to push through, keep smiling, and ignore the quiet whispers of their bodies.
But true healing doesn’t come from pushing—it comes from pausing.
From creating space to listen to your body.
From reclaiming your inner rhythm.
From slowly melting the armour you didn’t even know you were wearing.
Trauma-informed somatic work is not just about feeling better—it’s about coming home to yourself.
Ready to Reconnect with Your Body?
If you’re curious about how somatic healing could support your journey, we invite you to explore our upcoming offerings at Glow Somatics. Whether you're looking for private sessions, healing circles, or online resources—you are so welcome here.
Let your healing be soft. Let it be slow. Let it be sacred.
Because your body has held the score long enough. Now, it’s time to release.