What Your Body Might Be Telling You About Unresolved Trauma

Introduction: When the Body Speaks What Words Cannot

Sometimes your body speaks before your mind has the language to explain what’s wrong.
You might notice:

  • Tightness in your chest when someone raises their voice.

  • A knot in your stomach before conflict.

  • Constant fatigue, even when you’re “fine.”

These sensations aren’t random. They may be your body’s way of signaling unresolved trauma — experiences that were too overwhelming to process fully at the time and have since become stored in the nervous system.

While many people associate trauma with major life events, it can also stem from subtle, repeated moments of fear, neglect, or loss. Over time, these unprocessed experiences can create patterns of chronic stress and disconnection that live in the body long after the event itself has passed.

The good news? The same body that holds trauma also holds the capacity for healing.
Through trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatments like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), you can learn to listen to what your body is trying to tell you — and finally help it find relief.

The Science: Why Trauma Lives in the Body

When something frightening or overwhelming happens, your brain’s first priority is survival. The amygdala signals danger, flooding the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for logic and time orientation — temporarily shuts down so you can react quickly.

In an ideal world, once the danger passes, your body resets: your heart rate slows, your muscles relax, and your mind integrates the memory as “something that happened.”

But when the event is too intense or prolonged — or when support and safety are lacking afterward — the nervous system can’t fully complete its stress cycle. Those unprocessed sensations, emotions, and body memories remain stuck, looping unconsciously beneath awareness.

That’s why trauma isn’t just “in your head.” It’s stored in:

  • Muscle tension

  • Breathing patterns

  • Posture

  • Sleep cycles

  • Digestive and immune responses

Your body remembers what your mind tries to forget.

Common Physical Signs of Unresolved Trauma

Each person’s body communicates differently, but certain patterns often signal that old wounds are asking for attention.

1. Chronic Muscle Tension or Pain

Shoulders, neck, and jaw are common storage areas for stress. Ongoing tightness without medical cause may reflect a body that never fully felt safe to relax.

2. Digestive Discomfort

The gut and brain are deeply connected through the vagus nerve. Trauma can alter digestion, leading to bloating, nausea, or IBS-like symptoms.

3. Headaches or Migraines

When the nervous system stays activated, blood flow and muscle tension can trigger recurrent headaches.

4. Sleep Disturbances

Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or frequent nightmares may be signs of hypervigilance — your body standing guard even when you’re in bed.

5. Fatigue or Brain Fog

Constant alertness exhausts the nervous system. Over time, this can manifest as low energy, mental fog, or burnout.

6. Rapid Heartbeat or Shortness of Breath

Even mild stress may cause intense physiological reactions because the body still associates certain cues with danger.

7. Numbness or Disconnection

If your body feels “far away” or sensations feel muted, this can indicate a freeze or dissociative response — a protective mechanism from trauma.

If you’ve ruled out medical causes but still notice these patterns, it may be worth exploring how emotional experiences contribute to your physical state.

Emotional and Behavioral Clues That the Body Holds Trauma

Sometimes the clues aren’t physical at first. They show up in patterns of emotion, thought, and behavior that seem hard to change.

You may notice:

  • Excessive anxiety or startle responses.

  • Difficulty relaxing or enjoying stillness.

  • Overworking or people-pleasing to stay safe.

  • Feeling detached from joy or relationships.

  • Emotional flooding — strong reactions that seem out of proportion.

  • Avoidance of certain places, topics, or people.

These patterns are not signs of weakness. They’re evidence of a nervous system doing its best to keep you safe — even if that safety now comes at the cost of peace.

How the Body Tries to Communicate

When trauma hasn’t been fully processed, the body sends subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) messages:

  • Tension says, “I’m bracing for something.”

  • Fatigue says, “I’m carrying too much.”

  • Pain says, “Something here needs attention.”

  • Numbness says, “It’s not safe to feel yet.”

Learning to listen to these signals with curiosity instead of judgment is the foundation of healing. Your body isn’t betraying you — it’s inviting you back into relationship with yourself.

How EMDR Helps Release Stored Trauma

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based therapy designed specifically to help the brain and body reprocess distressing experiences that remain “stuck.”

Here’s how it works:

1. Reprocessing at the Source

In EMDR, you don’t need to relive every detail of a traumatic event. Instead, the therapist guides you to bring the memory or sensation to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation — such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds alternating left to right.

This process helps both hemispheres of the brain integrate the experience so it can be stored as a normal memory rather than an active threat.

2. Calming the Nervous System

As old memories reprocess, the physiological stress responses (racing heart, muscle tension, panic) begin to subside. The body learns that the danger is over.

3. Releasing Body-Held Emotion

Many clients report physical sensations during EMDR — warmth, tingling, or even spontaneous deep breaths. These are signs the body is releasing stored energy that was once trapped.

4. Replacing Limiting Beliefs

Trauma often leaves behind self-protective beliefs like “I’m unsafe” or “I’m powerless.” EMDR helps replace these with adaptive truths such as “I’m safe now” and “I have control over my body.”

5. Restoring Mind-Body Integration

Over time, clients feel more grounded, connected, and embodied. They can notice sensations without fear and respond to emotions rather than being overwhelmed by them.

How Individual Therapy Complements EMDR

While EMDR targets the stored memories driving distress, individual therapy supports the ongoing integration of these insights into daily life.

In traditional talk therapy, you can:

  • Explore relationship patterns rooted in trauma.

  • Build communication and emotional regulation skills.

  • Develop mindfulness and grounding strategies.

  • Identify triggers and practice self-compassion.

Together, EMDR and individual therapy offer both depth and stability — EMDR heals the wound, and talk therapy helps you live comfortably in your healed skin.

Practical Ways to Support Your Body Between Sessions

While professional support is key, daily self-care can reinforce your healing process.

1. Practice Grounding

Use your senses to anchor in the present moment: notice five things you see, four you touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.

2. Gentle Movement

Yoga, walking, or stretching help release stored tension. Focus on sensation rather than performance.

3. Regulate through Breath

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique: inhale for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight. This signals safety to your nervous system.

4. Journaling and Reflection

Write about where you feel tension or numbness in your body. Over time, patterns may emerge that reveal deeper emotions.

5. Self-Compassion

When pain or discomfort arises, remind yourself: “My body is trying to help me heal.” Approach yourself with the gentleness you needed then — and deserve now.

What Healing Feels Like

Healing from unresolved trauma doesn’t always feel linear. Sometimes, as the body starts to release old tension, you might experience temporary emotional sensitivity or fatigue. That’s normal.

Over time, you’ll begin to notice changes like:

  • Improved sleep and energy.

  • Calmer reactions to stress.

  • A sense of lightness or ease in your body.

  • Greater ability to stay present and connected.

  • Renewed trust in your intuition and physical cues.

These shifts signal that your nervous system is reorganizing — moving from survival toward safety and integration.

When to Seek Professional Support

If your symptoms interfere with daily life — such as panic attacks, chronic pain, flashbacks, or emotional numbing — working with a trauma-informed therapist can help you safely address what’s underneath.

You don’t have to navigate this process alone. Healing trauma requires guidance, containment, and compassion — the very things a supportive therapeutic relationship provides.

Taking the Next Step Toward Healing

Your body has been carrying your story, waiting patiently for you to listen. When you begin to understand its signals, you open the door to deep, lasting relief.

Through EMDR therapy and individual psychotherapy, you can help your body and mind reconnect, release old pain, and rediscover a sense of wholeness.

I offer EMDR therapy and trauma-informed counseling for clients in Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, Danville, Pleasant Hill, Concord, San Ramon, and Alamo, both in-person and online. Together, we’ll create a safe and supportive plan for your healing journey.

Ready to Begin?

Reach out today to schedule a consultation or learn how EMDR therapy can help you release the body’s burden of unresolved trauma — and finally feel at home within yourself again.

Leslie Hemedes