How to Release Trauma From the Body

Why Does Trauma Get Trapped in the Body?

When a person encounters a threat, the body responds by moving into fight or flight mode, where many different stress hormones are released. If the threat is too intense or prolonged, or if the person experiences shame surrounding the threat, their nervous system can become overwhelmed. This causes the person to get stuck in fight or flight mode, and trauma can get trapped in their body.^{1, 2}

Where Is Trauma Stored in the Body?

Trauma can be stored in various areas of the body. Physical tension, especially in the muscles and tissues, often results from the body’s response to stress during a traumatic event. Additionally, the heart, lungs, and digestive system, which are associated with the stress response, may be affected. Finally, memory of traumatic events can be stored in the brain, influencing emotional and behavioral responses.

Trauma may show up in the body as:

• Back pain
• Sleep disturbances
• Gastrointestinal issues
• Cardiovascular issues
• Neurological disorders
• Musculoskeletal issues
• Respiratory distress
• Dermatological disorders³

How Does Trauma Affect the Brain?

Research has shown that trauma affects the brain in various ways. Some of the ways the brain is impacted include the way a person processes information and their ability to recall things and to focus. Additionally, trauma can make it more difficult to self-regulate. The brain will also release stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol when experiencing a threat.^{4, 5, 6, 7}

What Are the Benefits of Releasing Trauma From the Body?

Releasing trauma from the body has many different benefits. It is a way to address the physical symptoms of chronic tension and pain, as well as improve sleep. It reduces emotional reactivity and can also foster post-traumatic growth. Overall, this culminates in a renewed appreciation of life and one’s relationships.⁸

10 Ways to Release Trauma From the Body

Releasing trauma and expressing stored emotions can be done in many ways, all of which focus on finding a way to connect mind and body. Mind-body practices like yoga and meditation promote bodily awareness and relaxation. Therapies such as EMDR target traumatic memories that are stuck. This is no one-size-fits-all approach, and it is important to find a tailored approach for each individual.

Here are ten ways to release trauma from the body:

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

It is human nature to avoid feeling difficult emotions. Unfortunately, avoidance doesn’t make the emotions go away, it just pushes them away for a while. Acknowledging and expressing your feelings is a way to release trauma from the body. All of your feelings are valid and deserve to be acknowledged, even the ones you don’t like. Challenge yourself to be curious about your feelings and explore healthy ways to express yourself.

2. Practice Yoga

Experiencing trauma can cause us to feel that we have lost control of our bodies and or physical responses, and practicing yoga regularly can help you connect with your body and reclaim that control.¹⁰ Research indicates that some of the benefits of yoga include self-regulation, increased self-esteem, connection, self-compassion, open-mindedness, positive emotions, and mindfulness.⁹

There are many different types of yoga, and if you are new to yoga, it is important to know what type of yoga class you are looking for. Some of the common types of yoga classes are:

• Yin yoga: Yin yoga has roots in the ancient Taoist tradition in China. In this type of yoga practice, the postures are held for 4-8 minutes. The purpose of yin is to increase body awareness, experience sensation, and decrease anxiety and stress.
• Restorative Yoga: This is a slow and grounding practice.  The goal of restorative yoga is to restore and heal the body.  You may move through 3-5 postures during a restorative practice, holding poses for 15-20 minutes.
• Vinyasa yoga: This is a modern yoga practice syncing breath to movement with postures sequenced to move in a flow from one to the next. ^{11, 10}

3. Shadow Work Exercises

Psychoanalyst Carl Jung developed the shadow self. Jung believed that there was a part of the psyche called the “shadow,” which is the unconscious, repressed aspects of an individual’s personality. Shadow work promotes turning inward and looking at the part of yourself that you may be uncomfortable with. This type of work can be challenging, so if you’re dealing with a trauma-related disorder such as PTSD, it is best to seek the support of a clinician trained in shadow work to help move through this process.¹¹

4. Practice Stillness

Oftentimes, our bodies are so tense, and we don’t even notice because we are so busy looking for the next thing to focus on. When we practice stillness, it allows us to connect the mind and body and slow down for a moment, which can help release trauma from the body.¹² Practicing stillness can be done by sitting in silence for a few minutes each day and just being.

5. Meditation

Meditation is a powerful tool that can be used to help heal from trauma. Meditation is about being in the present moment, noticing thoughts that come up, and allowing them to float past. Research has shown that meditation can support and improve the quality of life for people living with PTSD, anxiety, stress, depression, and pain.¹³

Here are a few types of meditation to try:¹⁴

• Mindfulness meditation: Mindfulness meditation is about bringing attention to the present moment and acceptance of feelings and sensations without judgment
• Focused meditation: Focused meditation involves concentrating on something such as breathing, counting mala beads, or gazing at a candle
• Mantra meditation – In mantra meditation, you choose a word, phrase, or prayer to recite. First, you repeat the mantra verbally, then whisper, then mentally, then spontaneously listen.
• Progressive muscle relaxation: Progressive muscle relaxation involves tightening and relaxing one muscle group at a time through the body
• Loving-kindness meditation – Loving-kindness meditation is about opening the mind and heart to send and receive love.

6. Self Care

If you are suffering from PTSD or living with symptoms related to traumatic stress, self-care is extremely important. Practicing self-care can help to reduce disruptive symptoms and relax the mind and body. Self-care can consist of small acts such as diaphragmatic breathing, eating mindfully, avoiding alcohol/drugs, setting boundaries, and getting enough rest. All of these acts can help you regulate your body and nervous system.

7. Journaling

Journaling or even using a voice memo journaling can be a way to express things that you weren’t able to express at the moment your body experienced the trauma. Research indicates that journaling can provide an emotional release, which can be beneficial in healing trauma.¹⁵

It is important to note that sometimes journaling can be activating and cause distress. It can be helpful to set a timer and journal for 5-10 minutes, check in with your body and how you’re feeling, and then proceed with more journaling or take a break if you’re feeling too much distress. Journaling with prompts can be a helpful way and structured way to process emotions.

8. Massage

According to research, massage therapy can provide relief from physical, emotional, and psychological stress. Massage therapy also helps to decrease levels of depression, anxiety, irritability, and other trauma-related symptoms.¹⁶ It decreases stress hormones and increases hormones associated with a positive mood. Massage also helps increase circulation, relax tense muscles, and relieve physical pain. ¹⁶

Remember to speak with your medical provider if you are new to massage and have any illnesses that could be problematic. When exploring massage as a tool for releasing trauma, a trauma-informed therapist would be a good place to start.

9. Breathwork

Breathwork is a branch of yoga and is essentially the deliberate control of breath. It is a great way to release trauma and regulate the nervous system. Research has shown that breathwork and breathing-based meditation can result in a decrease in PTSD symptoms. Breathwork can also help to release stress hormones from the body, increase mood, and improve focus.¹⁷

Three-part breath can be a great way to start practicing the use of breathing techniques to improve mood and focus. Here is how to do it:¹¹

• Inhale into the lower abdomen, pause without exhaling
• Inhale into the middle and upper abdomen and pause without exhaling
• Inhale into the chest and pause without exhaling
• Take a slow, deep exhalation, feeling the air move through the chest and abdomen
• Repeat 5-15 times

10. Exercise

A 2022 study indicated that physical exercise can be a beneficial and effective addition to PTSD treatment. When we experience trauma, it causes us to experience anxiety, depression, and a negative mood, and exercise can combat this by improving mood, self-esteem, and cognitive function.¹⁸ Exercise includes things such as 30-minute walks, taking an aerobics class, going for a swim, taking a hike, or lifting weights.

Therapies That Can Help You Release Trauma

While there are many things that we can do on our own to release and heal from trauma, oftentimes, working with a therapist or mental health professional can be crucial. Therapists and other mental health providers who specialize in trauma-related disorders typically have specialized training to help their clients heal.

Here are some therapies that can help release trauma from the body:

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is an effective treatment for trauma-related disorders.¹⁹ This modality hypothesizes that traumatic memories are stored improperly in the brain and thus cause somatic and psychological symptoms. An EMDR therapist will guide you in reprocessing these memories in order to help alleviate the disruptive symptoms the memories are causing.
• Trauma-informed yoga: Trauma-informed yoga is a specialized form of yoga that is led by a psychotherapist or yoga teacher who has been specifically trained in this type of practice. In a study done about the effectiveness of trauma-informed yoga, many participants reported feeling empowered, having more control over their bodies, and the ability to tolerate overwhelming emotions.²⁰
• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT): TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment designed for children and adolescents impacted by trauma, which includes their parents or caregivers in the process. It has been researched and proven to be an effective treatment for alleviating PTSD and trauma-related symptoms.^{21, 22}
• Emotional freedom technique (EFT): EFT is an evidenced-based therapy that combines cognitive and somatic elements. EFT incorporates elements of exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, and somatic stimulation of acupressure points on the body and face. In a study done on veterans with PTSD, EFT was proven to be an effective treatment.^{23, 24, 25}
• Somatic therapy: The goal of somatic therapy is to alleviate symptoms of chronic stress and post-traumatic stress. It offers a framework to help assess where a person is stuck in their fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response and provides clinical tools to help move through these states.²⁶
• Internal family systems (IFS): The goal of IFS is to help people heal their wounded parts by looking at our internal parts the same way we look at a family system. Through IFS, the hope is for people to achieve a deeper understanding of and acceptance of self and all inner parts.²⁷

What Happens When You Have a Trauma Release?

When you go through a trauma release, your body is letting go of built-up tension and stress associated with a traumatic experience. There are many signs your body is releasing trauma and it can show up in different ways—physically, emotionally, or cognitively. Physically, you might feel a release of tightness or pain. Emotionally, there could be a mixture of feelings like relief, sadness, or even joy. Cognitively, you might see things differently or have a clearer understanding of what happened.

How Long Does it Take to Recover From Trauma?

Everyone heals differently, and when you are doing work to release trauma, there will be ups and downs. You are engaging in activities or treatment that cause you to think about aspects of your life that you have been avoiding. When this happens, it is normal to feel a dip in your mood. However, the general trend should be a decrease in trauma-related symptoms.

When you are on your journey to healing from trauma, it is important to check in with yourself and notice how things are working for you. If you try something for a while and notice that you are not seeing any improvement, then move on to something else. It is hard to know how long it will take someone to recover, and healing is something that is ongoing. One way to measure change is to do a self-check-in each morning and evening.

Some examples of questions to ask yourself during a self-check-in are:

• How well am I sleeping?
• How does my body feel physically?
• How am I handling difficult situations?
• How has my overall mood been?
• Are the symptoms I had before still bothering me?
• What things are not going well right now?

When to Seek Professional Support

If you or a loved one is experiencing overwhelming symptoms related to a traumatic experience, it is important to seek support from a therapist who specializes in PTSD treatment.  Remember that trauma symptoms can manifest as a physical response. If you have gone to a medical professional for physical symptoms and are unable to find a cause, it could be helpful to explore if these symptoms are a result of ongoing traumatic stress. When looking for a therapist, it can be helpful to use an online therapist directory or online therapy platform. Ask potential therapists if they offer a free consultation so that you can get a chance to see if this person will be a good fit for your needs. Not all therapists are trained in trauma and PTSD. It is important to ask about post-graduate training your potential therapist has engaged in and what their level of experience is in regard to your needs.