The Body Keeps the Score: Understanding How Stress Lives in Your Body and How to Release It
Stress. We often think of it as a mental or emotional experience—worrying about deadlines, fretting over relationships, or feeling anxious about the unknown. But the truth is, stress doesn’t just live in your mind; it imprints itself into your very body. This isn’t just poetic language; it’s science. Our bodies carry the echoes of every difficult experience we’ve endured, storing them in ways that can shape our health, our emotions, and even the way we perceive the world.
When you experience stress, your body shifts into survival mode. Your heart races, your breathing quickens, and your muscles tense. This is your autonomic nervous system kicking in, preparing you to fight, flee, or freeze. While this response is helpful in short bursts—think avoiding a car crash or responding to danger—it becomes harmful when it’s prolonged. Chronic stress keeps your body locked in this heightened state, and over time, this constant strain can lead to more than just emotional fatigue. It can manifest as chronic pain, tension, digestive issues, autoimmune conditions, or even suppressed immune function.
The groundbreaking work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, illuminates this connection. He explains that trauma and chronic stress aren’t just “bad memories” locked in your brain; they’re experiences stored in the tissues of your body. Your shoulders that hunch, the knot in your stomach, the tightness in your jaw—these are all signs of your body holding onto what it hasn’t yet been able to release. And when we suppress or ignore these sensations, they don’t simply disappear; they build up and manifest as physical symptoms.
Releasing this stored stress isn’t about “getting over it” or suppressing emotions further. It’s about reconnecting with your body and gently allowing it to tell its story. The body, after all, speaks a language of its own—one we’ve often forgotten how to understand. A simple start can be as straightforward as paying attention to physical sensations. When you feel anxious, do you notice your chest tightening? Does anger make your hands clench into fists? Does sadness weigh heavy in your shoulders? These cues aren’t just symptoms; they’re signals.
The process of release begins with awareness. Practices like body scans or somatic mindfulness exercises can help you tune in to where stress is held. Imagine gently scanning your body from head to toe, noticing where you feel tension, discomfort, or even numbness. The key isn’t to judge these sensations but to acknowledge them. It’s like opening a window in a stuffy room, letting fresh air flow in.
Breathwork is another transformative tool. Slow, deep breathing sends signals to your nervous system that it’s safe to relax. It’s not just a relaxation technique—it’s a reset button for your autonomic nervous system. By extending your exhale, you activate the parasympathetic branch of your nervous system, which helps your body shift from fight-or-flight into rest-and-repair. Over time, this practice retrains your nervous system, giving it a greater capacity for resilience.
Movement is also a profound way to release stored tension. Gentle practices like yoga, tai chi, or even a walk in nature can unlock areas of tightness and help you reconnect with your body. Trauma can trap us in patterns of rigidity—both physically and emotionally—and movement allows us to break free. It doesn’t have to be dramatic or intense; even simple stretches or mindful swaying can help you begin to let go.
Expression is another essential element of release. Emotions like anger, sadness, or fear are often suppressed, either because they feel too overwhelming or because we’ve been conditioned to believe they’re inappropriate. Yet, expressing these emotions in safe, healthy ways can be profoundly healing. This might look like journaling, painting, or even simply crying. These aren’t signs of weakness; they’re signs of release.
Trauma and chronic stress often create patterns of disconnection—from our bodies, our emotions, and even from others. Rebuilding connection is a crucial step in healing. Safe, supportive relationships can help us feel seen, heard, and valued, which in turn helps our nervous system feel safe. This is why therapies like Compassionate Inquiry, developed by Dr. Gabor Maté, are so powerful. They create a space for exploring the roots of our patterns with curiosity and compassion, allowing us to shift the stories we’ve been carrying.
The implications of stored stress and trauma go beyond mental health. Chronic stress and unresolved trauma contribute to systemic inflammation, which is now understood to play a key role in conditions like autoimmune diseases and even cancer. This is where the field of psychoneuroimmunology sheds light on how our thoughts, emotions, and physical health are intertwined. It’s not just about “thinking positive”; it’s about creating an environment within your body that fosters healing and resilience.
This journey isn’t just about feeling better in the moment; it’s about creating a foundation for lifelong health. When you address the stress that’s stored in your body, you’re not only improving your own quality of life—you’re breaking patterns that can ripple through generations. The ways we respond to stress and emotion are often learned behaviors, passed down through family lines. By healing ourselves, we create a legacy of resilience and connection for those who come after us.
If this resonates with you, consider exploring these practices further. Whether through somatic exercises, breathwork, or psychotherapy, the journey of healing is deeply personal and profoundly transformative. And if you feel ready to take that step, I’m here to support you. Together, we can work through the layers of stress and trauma to help you reconnect with your body, find balance, and reclaim your vitality.
Healing isn’t just about fixing what’s broken; it’s about rediscovering the wholeness that’s always been within you. But this kind of deep healing doesn’t happen in isolation—it thrives in the right environment, guided by the right tools and support.
If you’re ready to go deeper, my psychotherapy services offer a compassionate, evidence-based approach to help you explore the roots of your patterns, work through unresolved stress or trauma, and create meaningful change. Together, we’ll uncover the connections between your mind, body, and emotions, and equip you with the skills to navigate life with greater ease and resilience. This work is deeply personal and profoundly transformational, helping you find clarity, connection, and peace.
For a more immersive experience, I invite you to join my Nervous System Mastery online workshop. This 3-hour event is designed to help you understand and regulate your autonomic nervous system—the control center of your emotional and physical well-being. Through guided breathwork, meditation, and practical exercises, you’ll learn how to shift out of survival mode, calm your stress response, and cultivate a state of balance and safety within your body. By attending this workshop, you’ll gain practical tools and a deeper understanding of how to foster lasting resilience, enhance your relationships, and improve your overall quality of life.
Whether through one-on-one psychotherapy or the Nervous System Mastery workshop, the tools and insights you gain will ripple through every part of your life. This is an opportunity to not only heal but to thrive—to rewrite your story and create a future filled with presence, connection, and vitality.
Take the first step today by reaching out to book a psychotherapy session or reserving your spot in the workshop. Together, we can create a roadmap for healing that’s tailored to your unique journey.