The idea that trauma is stored within the body should go without saying—yet for many, it’s a surprising revelation. Despite the fact that we experience everything through our bodies, modern culture has conditioned us to prioritize the mind while largely ignoring the body’s profound capacity to store and process experiences. This lack of awareness is more common than you might think. In fact, it is estimated that up to 10% of the population experiences alexithymia—a condition in which individuals are unable to feel or identify their own emotions. Those affected live in a state of disembodiment, cut off from the signals their bodies are constantly sending.
This disconnection is not just psychological—it’s deeply physical. Trauma doesn’t only reside in the mind; it is stored throughout the body—in the spinal cord, peripheral nerves, vagus nerve, enteric nervous system, muscles, and fascia. These are the hidden reservoirs where pain, fear, and unprocessed memories live long after the conscious mind has moved on. Understanding where trauma is stored is crucial to unraveling the grip it has on your life. Until these hidden layers are addressed, true healing remains just out of reach.
In this article, we will explore the lesser-known storage centers for trauma beyond the brain, illuminating the profound ways it is embedded within the body and offering insights into how true healing can begin.
Spinal Cord & Peripheral Nerves
Trauma is not just locked in the brain; it runs through the entire nervous system, most notably in the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The spinal cord serves as the primary communication highway between the brain and the body, transmitting signals that dictate movement, sensation, and reflexive responses. When trauma occurs, these pathways are often disrupted, causing reflexive responses like flinching, bracing, or muscle tightening to be embedded in the body’s memory. These responses are not merely psychological—they are physical imprints that linger long after the initial event.
Peripheral nerves extend to every muscle and tissue in the body, creating an intricate network where trauma responses can be locked in. If someone experienced violence or abuse, for example, the body might develop a flinch response that triggers whenever there’s a perceived threat—even if it’s not real. Chronic tension in the neck, shoulders, and other parts of the body is commonly held for years after a traumatic experience—often without conscious awareness.
To truly heal, it’s not enough to simply process memories through talk therapy. The body itself needs to thoroughly process these reflexive responses, which is why practices like somatic experiencing, deep tissue bodywork, and other trauma-informed therapies are so effective in unwinding trauma from the nervous system.
Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve, often referred to as the body’s superhighway of connection, plays a crucial role in regulating everything from heart rate and digestion to emotional processing and social engagement. It has two primary branches, each serving a distinct purpose.
The ventral vagal complex (VVC) activates when we feel safe and connected. It’s what allows us to engage with others, communicate effectively, and pick up on subtle cues of safety and trust. When the VVC is active, we feel calm, grounded, and open to social interaction—a state that supports cooperation, understanding, and authentic connection. You're more likely to notice this state when you’re sitting comfortably with a close friend, fully engaged in conversation, feeling at ease and present in your body.
On the other hand, when we perceive danger or feel overwhelmed, the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) kicks in. This branch triggers a state of immobilization or shutdown, where the body instinctively retreats to protect itself. It can manifest as a freeze response—where we feel physically and emotionally numb—or a collapse, leaving us overwhelmed and unable to respond effectively. For example, someone who has experienced repeated trauma might find themselves dissociating during moments of stress, feeling disconnected from their body or surroundings as if they’re watching themselves from a distance.
When trauma is experienced, it often disrupts the vagus nerve’s ability to regulate these states. Many people find themselves stuck in fight, flight, or freeze modes for years after the original event, even when they consciously know they are safe. Trauma can leave the vagus nerve in a hyperactive state, preventing the body from returning to a baseline of calmness and security. This is why many individuals struggle with chronic anxiety or sudden shutdowns long after the threat has passed—their nervous system has become habituated to protective responses that were once vital for survival but have long outlived their purpose.
Enteric Nervous System
Often called the second brain, the enteric nervous system is a vast network of neurons lining the gastrointestinal tract. It communicates directly with the brain through the vagus nerve and processes emotions independently. This is why we experience gut feelings—literal physical sensations tied to emotional states.
When trauma disrupts this gut-brain communication, it often leads to chronic digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, and potentially other autoimmune responses. For many, stress or reminders of past trauma can trigger nausea, stomach pain, or digestive upset, even if the conscious mind is unaware of the connection. Someone who has endured prolonged stress or emotional abuse, for example, might find themselves feeling sudden nausea or losing their appetite during moments of confrontation or emotional intensity. Chronic IBS symptoms, flare-ups of ulcerative colitis, or even autoimmune reactions often resurface when old emotional wounds are triggered, illustrating how deeply trauma embeds itself in the body’s second brain.
Healing the enteric nervous system requires more than just calming the mind; it involves gut-healing protocols, mindful eating, and nervous system regulation. Addressing trauma holistically means not only soothing mental anguish but also restoring balance to the body’s internal landscape, allowing the gut to release its grip on stored tension and trauma.
Muscle Memory & Fascia
Trauma isn’t just held in the mind or nervous system; it’s deeply embedded in the body’s muscle memory and fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue that wraps around every muscle, bone, and organ, storing tension and trauma long after the initial event has passed. When trauma occurs, the body instinctively responds with contraction and bracing, internalizing pain, fear, or terror deep into its tissues.
Over time, these physical responses become habitual, leading to rigid, defensive postures and, in many cases, chronic pain. It’s why someone who has endured long-term stress or physical abuse might experience persistent tightness in their neck and shoulders, clenching in their jaw, or constriction in their chest that makes it difficult to breathe fully. Muscles around the eyes may remain tense, the diaphragm can stay contracted, and the hips and lower back often hold on to layers of tension—reflecting a body still bracing against perceived threats long after the danger has passed.
These areas of held tension are not random; they are physical imprints of past experiences, locked into the body’s tissue and nervous system. Even subtle emotional triggers can cause the body to tighten reflexively, reinforcing the cycle of contraction.
Healing from trauma isn’t just about processing memories; it’s about liberating the body from the patterns of contraction that keep it locked in the past. To release trauma from muscle memory and fascia, therapeutic interventions such as deep tissue bodywork and somatic experiencing are crucial. These practices help unlock deeply held tension, allowing the body to release its defensive armor and restore a sense of openness and ease.
Where Trauma Lives in the Body
Trauma doesn’t follow a predictable map; it settles into the places where we habitually tighten, brace, and armor ourselves. It’s the physiological expression of our emotional wounding, imprinted in the tissues and fascia that instinctively contract during moments of fear or pain. These physical reactions often become habitual, manifesting as chronic tension or rigid postures that linger for years after the initial event.
But it goes even deeper than that. Trauma is not only stored where we contract or shield ourselves—it is also embedded in the very cells and tissues of our bodies, creating reservoirs of stagnant emotion. Unprocessed grief, fear, anger, and despair can accumulate in specific organs or muscle groups, weighing down the body like sediment settling at the bottom of a still lake. This emotional residue can disrupt organ function, strain connective tissue, and even alter the way energy moves through the body.
For example, unresolved grief and sadness may settle into the chest and lungs, affecting breath capacity and creating a sensation of heaviness and constriction. Others may also experience these feelings in their throat or abdomen. Grief and sadness are often reflected in the eyes, sometimes appearing as heaviness or a distant gaze. While some experience anxiety as tightness or a fluttering sensation in the stomach, I feel it during times of uncertainty as a grating sense of unease emanating from deep within my chest.
Long-held anger or resentment may take root in the liver, influencing not only digestion but also emotional regulation. Anger also tends to manifest as tightness or pressure in the head and chest, and sometimes in the mouth and stomach. It’s not uncommon for people to experience churning in the gut, heaviness in the chest, dizziness, headaches, or a racing heart. Anger often expresses itself as muscle tension—especially in the jaw, shoulders, and fists, where the body instinctively braces against perceived threats or unresolved conflict.
Shame frequently settles as a knot in the stomach, tightness in the chest, or a sense of disconnection from the body. It also shows up through nonverbal cues—lowered head, slumped posture, or avoiding eye contact.
Upset is not a single, pure emotion; it’s a tangled mix—anger, sadness, frustration, anxiety—that often floods the body all at once. When we’re deeply upset, these emotions can be felt simultaneously across multiple areas: the chest, gut, head, and throat, often leaving us feeling overwhelmed.
For those who have long numbed themselves to their emotions, feelings—if they register at all—are more likely to be experienced as tension, pressure, or heat. This often shows up in the face and forehead, tightness in the throat, or a general sense of agitation. Their range of facial expressions is often limited, with fewer or less pronounced smiles, frowns, or other visible signs of emotion.
Beyond the Brain: Holistic Understanding
Healing trauma is not just about processing memories or talking through past events—it’s about liberating the body from the imprints of those experiences. Trauma is pervasive; it is woven through your nervous system, your tissues, your gut, and your very structure. True healing requires addressing all of these components—not just the thoughts in your mind, but the places where your body holds on.
To truly release trauma, you must work not just with your mind, but with your body—the hidden storehouse of your deepest pain and your greatest potential for healing. Approaches like somatic experiencing, trauma-informed bodywork, Chi Gong, meditation, and vagus nerve regulation address trauma at its root—unwinding the physical, emotional, and neurological knots that keep you stuck.
Simple Practices to Reconnect with Your Body
Most of us go through life dissociated to varying degrees, disconnected from the deeper sensations and signals within our own bodies. Yet, much of the trauma, stress, and unprocessed emotions we carry are stored there—locked in muscles, tissues, and the nervous system. The following practices will help you bridge the gap between your body and mind, allowing you to access what’s been held beneath the surface.
Heart-Breathing
Place one hand over your chest and breathe gently through your nose. Feel the muscles throughout your chest cavity softening and becoming more relaxed. As you do so, welcome any emotions that arise.
Abdominal Awareness
Sit or lie down and place your hands on your lower abdomen. Breathe softly and deeply, fully immersing your awareness deep within the intestines. Be sure to breathe into any feelings or sensations that arise, following them as they go through their progression.
Grounding
Take time to get outside and walk, breathing softly and deeply while tuning into the range of feelings and bodily sensations that arise. You can also practice this while doing yoga or during everyday activities as you move through your day.
Softening the Tension in Your Throat and Chest
Humming, sighing, or toning with intention can help release constriction in the throat and chest. The gentle vibration stimulates the vagus nerve, making emotions more manageable and bringing about a sense of calm.
Breathing softly and deeply while bringing your full attention to any tension or tightness in these areas can also encourage their release. As always, allow yourself to feel the sensations or any emotions that arise completely.
Meditation for the Heart
One of the most challenging aspects of trauma bonding is the sadness, grief, hurt, longing, and other painful emotions that often arise. Whether it’s a breakup, a divorce, being ghosted, someone we’ve been seeing who isn’t getting back to us, or some other kind of relational drama, these experiences leave emotional imprints that need to be fully digested.
To facilitate this process, breathe softly and deeply while bringing your full awareness to any feelings or sensations within your chest. As you do, immerse your awareness in the depths of these emotions, following them as they go through their progression. If you’re in the midst of heartache, the emotions may initially intensify, but as you continue to breathe, they gradually soften and become more diffuse. If you’ve numbed yourself to your emotions, you may find that feelings slowly reemerge, growing stronger and more vivid over time.
Breathing softly and deeply while staying fully present with any feelings or sensations that arise allows you to transform your lived experiences and emotional responses into fuel for growth. With consistent practice, you’ll increase your capacity to love and be loved, healing the emotional wounds that have kept you bound to the past.
Practices and Interventions
Trauma and the emotions attached to it become deeply entrenched in our bodies and minds. Truly healing these deeply wounded parts of ourselves requires us to be making consistent use of the most effective practices and therapeutic interventions.
As I’ve been able to sit for longer periods of time in stillness, breathing from the depths of feelings and bodily sensations, I’ve found that it engages the innate healing intelligence residing within my own body and mind. For over three decades, I have been teaching this system of practice to everyone I work with. Other forms of practice, such as Chi Gong, can also be especially helpful in moving stagnant energy and freeing up trapped emotions.
The traumas and emotions we’ve internalized have a tenacious grip—they don’t let go easily. Many of the foods we consume act almost like glue or cement, holding these traumas and emotions in place, reinforcing the holding patterns many of us are locked into. I found that during water fasting, it became much easier for me to access the ‘baked-in' emotions stored throughout the body. This made it possible to work with them more effectively and begin the process of thoroughly digesting them.
It's critically important for all of us to understand that we cannot fully heal on our own, so we need to be making consistent use of the most effective therapeutic interventions. In many cases, the options available will depend on what is accessible in your area.
Acupuncture can help facilitate the healing of trauma by supporting the functioning of the nervous system, balancing hormones and neurotransmitters, and alleviating physical tension and distressing emotions such as anxiety, grief, and feelings of overwhelm.
Polyvagal Therapy, rooted in understanding how the vagus nerve regulates our physiological state in response to safety and threat, identifies three primary states: ventral vagal activation (safety and connection), sympathetic activation (fight or flight), and dorsal vagal activation (shutdown or freeze). Through body-based awareness, breathwork, and safe social engagement, it helps us recognize and shift these states, releasing trauma stored in the body and restoring a deeper sense of safety, connection, and emotional regulation.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapeutic approach designed to help individuals diffuse and process trauma by stimulating the brain's natural healing mechanisms. Through guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation, EMDR helps to dislodge and reprocess traumatic memories that have become “stuck” in the nervous system. This process allows the brain to reframe these experiences, reducing their emotional intensity and integrating them more adaptively. Over time, the emotional charge associated with the trauma diminishes, making it easier to move forward without being triggered by past events.
EMDR is particularly effective for processing recent or acute traumatic events, though its impact on long-standing, deeply embedded trauma can sometimes be limited. For some, EMDR can precipitate the release of powerful emotions that may feel overwhelming if the individual lacks the resources necessary to fully process them.
TouchPoints, small wearable devices that provide alternating bilateral stimulation, have been shown to produce similar effects to EMDR, offering a non-invasive option for calming the nervous system and reducing emotional reactivity. Click here to learn more about TouchPoints.
Craniosacral therapy helps facilitate the healing of trauma by calming the nervous system, shifting it from a state of hyperarousal to relaxation. Its gentle, non-invasive approach activates the parasympathetic nervous system, creating a sense of safety that allows the body to release stored tension.
Rolfing and other forms of deep tissue bodywork can help to dislodge deeply held trauma from the muscles and fascia, allowing the body to return to a more fluid and relaxed state.
The sessions I’ve done with gifted healers and the vision quest—a traditional Native American practice that involves going out to fast alone in the mountains for four days and nights without food or water—have by far been the most effective. During the vision quest, I could often feel an extraordinarily powerful presence working within me, transforming the trauma held within my body and the emotions attached to it into fuel for growth, while simultaneously building a new, much healthier foundation.
Commitment and Consistency
Over the years, I've tested out a lot of different practices and therapeutic interventions. I've noticed that a lot of people try a practice or modality once or maybe a few times, expecting immediate, life-changing results. When that doesn’t happen, they become frustrated, bored, or simply lose interest and stop. Others may stick with a particular practice for a while, experiencing some benefits, but find that it only addresses part of the issue—not the whole.
It’s important to understand that there is no single practice or modality that can fully facilitate the healing of deep-rooted trauma. True healing requires a combination of the most effective practices and therapeutic interventions, working together to address the body, mind, and emotions. I encourage you to explore different approaches and give each one a fair chance—being thorough and consistent enough to understand its true impact. It’s only through dedicated practice and the right blend of modalities that real, transformative healing can take place.
True healing requires commitment and consistency. It means showing up again and again, breathing into your emotional responses, any tension, or bodily sensations, feeling what is there, allowing the body’s innate healing intelligence to do its work, and continuing to make use of the most effective therapeutic interventions.
If you’ve been carrying the weight of trauma—whether it’s chronic tension in your body, lingering emotional pain, or a pervasive sense of disconnection—I invite you to explore a deeper path to healing. True transformation isn’t just about talking through your pain; it’s about fully digesting your lived experiences and releasing what’s been held within your body and mind.
Having trained with a traditional Native American doctor (medicine man), I work as a conduit, allowing an extraordinarily powerful presence to facilitate healing within the body and mind. Through this work, I help individuals like you transform and fully digest the experiences and emotions held deep within the body. If you’re ready to take the next step toward real healing, I encourage you to reach out and schedule an individual session with me today.
You can reach me directly at (332) 333-5155, or message me through my contact page to learn more.
©Copyright 2025 Ben Oofana. All Rights Reserved.
Leave A Comment