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Writer's pictureElizabeth Priest

How Trauma Makes Us Sick: How to Release Trauma Trapped in the Body


How to release trauma trapped in the body

Have you ever felt like your body is carrying a weight that goes beyond physical heaviness? Trauma is often associated with emotional pain, but its impact reaches far deeper than our feelings. When unresolved, trauma doesn't just linger in your mind—it embeds itself in your body. If you've been experiencing fatigue, feeling overwhelmed, or find yourself stuck in old emotional patterns, it might be time to consider whether your body is storing trauma.


In the world of functional nutrition and medicine, we frequently encounter individuals grappling with gut issues, hormonal imbalances, or persistent pain that seems to resist all healing attempts. You might be eating clean, prioritizing sleep, and doing "all the right things," yet nothing seems to change. The missing piece of the puzzle could be unresolved trauma stored in your body, affecting you at a cellular level. It's crucial to understand that trauma isn't just emotional; it's physiological too.


So, you might be wondering: how is trauma stored in the body? And more importantly, how can you begin to release trauma trapped in the body? These questions are at the heart of understanding your body's response to past experiences and finding a path to healing.


Storing trauma in the body is a complex process that involves your nervous system, muscles, and even your cells. When you experience something traumatic, your body goes into survival mode, and if not properly processed, this trauma can become trapped. Learning how to release trauma trapped in the body is a journey of self-discovery and healing that can profoundly impact your overall well-being.


Understanding how trauma is stored in the body is the first step towards healing. It's not just about addressing symptoms; it's about recognizing the intricate connection between your past experiences and your current physical and emotional state. By digging into how trauma is stored in your body and learning techniques to release it, you can begin to unlock a new level of health and vitality.


What is Trauma? Beyond Emotional Pain

Trauma is any experience that overwhelms your ability to cope, leaving an imprint on both your mind and body. Think of trauma like an unexpected thunderstorm during a picnic. While we often associate trauma with emotionally charged events—like losing a loved one or going through a difficult breakup—it's important to understand that trauma can take many forms.


How to release trauma trapped in the body

Examples of Trauma that Could be Stored in Your Body

You might experience physical trauma from a car accident or a sports injury.

Environmental trauma could affect you if you live through a natural disaster or are exposed to toxins.


Even ancestral trauma, passed down through generations, can impact you. For instance, if you're a child of war survivors, you might experience anxiety without understanding its root cause.


Imagine growing up in a household where financial stress was constant. As a child, you may have internalized that stress, even if you weren't directly involved in managing money. Years later, as an adult, you might find yourself experiencing inexplicable anxiety when dealing with finances. This is an example of how trauma from your environment can manifest later in life.


People Process Trauma Differently

It's crucial to understand that trauma isn't always about what happened to you, but how your body responds to what happened.


For example, two people might experience the same car accident, but their bodies and minds may process it differently based on their past experiences and coping mechanisms.


This response is deeply wired into your nervous system. When we experience trauma, our brain often goes into "fight, flight, or freeze" mode, much like a gazelle spotting a lion on the savannah. This triggers a cascade of stress hormones, preparing our body to react. In modern life, this might look like freezing up during a work presentation or having a panic attack in a crowded space.


If we can't process that trauma fully—maybe because we're too overwhelmed or don't have the right support—our body holds onto it, causing real physiological changes.

A good way to look at it is it's like leaving the emergency brake on in your car…everything still works, but there's unnecessary strain on the system. This stored trauma can manifest in various ways, from chronic pain to digestive issues, showcasing how deeply our emotional experiences can impact our physical health.


How to release trauma trapped in the body

Symptoms of Stored Trauma in the Body

The symptoms of stored trauma can manifest in many ways, some that might surprise you. People often live with the consequences of trauma without ever realizing it’s the root cause of their health symptoms.


Here are a few signs that your body may be storing trauma:

  • Chronic pain (especially in the neck, shoulders, back, and hips)

  • Digestive issues (such as IBS, bloating, or chronic gut problems)

  • Anxiety, panic attacks, or depression

  • Fatigue or adrenal burnout

  • Autoimmune conditions

  • Hormonal imbalances, irregular cycles, or fertility issues

  • Difficulty sleeping or recurring nightmares

  • Emotional numbness or feeling “stuck”

  • Persistent feeling of overwhelm or being easily triggered


Can Trauma Really Be 'Stored' in the Body?

Yes. When not processed, trauma can be stored in the body. This is not just a metaphorical idea…it's backed by science. When your body is under stress, it releases chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline, which prepare you for survival. But when trauma is ongoing or unresolved, your nervous system remains stuck in this state of hypervigilance. Over time, this wears down your body and impacts your health.


Your brain, muscles, and even your cells hold memories of trauma. These memories can cause chronic stress, which triggers inflammation, compromises your immune system, and disrupts everything from your gut health to your sleep patterns.


How Trauma is Stored in the Body: The Science Behind It

Trauma is stored in the body through a process involving the nervous system, muscles, and even the cells. When we experience something traumatic, our brain (specifically, the amygdala) sends out an alert, signaling that danger is present. This message activates the autonomic nervous system, which controls your fight-or-flight response.


If this response isn’t fully resolved—if you didn’t have the chance to release the energy of that experience—your body stores that stress for future "use." Muscles tighten, your fascia (the connective tissue throughout your body) locks up, and your cells even remember the event, altering how they function.


Over time, this stored tension and stress affect your overall health. In fact, research shows that trauma can change the way our genes are expressed, which is why we sometimes see trauma passed down through generations. This cellular impact is significant, contributing to chronic inflammation, hormonal disruption, and even digestive issues like leaky gut.


How to release trauma trapped in the body

How Trauma Impacts You on a Cellular Level

Let’s dive deeper into the science: trauma can literally change the way your cells function. Chronic stress from unresolved trauma can keep your body in a heightened state of fight-or-flight as stated above. This constant stress impacts your hormones, particularly cortisol, which regulates inflammation.


High cortisol levels can wreak havoc on your gut health. The gut-brain axis, the communication system between your gut and brain, is heavily influenced by stress. Unresolved trauma can lead to gut dysbiosis (an imbalance of gut bacteria), causing bloating, constipation, or chronic digestive issues like IBS. You may notice that when you feel triggered or anxious, your gut flares up, which is not a coincidence—it's trauma manifesting physically.


Plus, trauma impacts your immune system and hormones. It can lead to HPA-axis dysfunction, thyroid issues, or sex hormone imbalances, affecting everything from your energy levels to your menstrual cycle and fertility.


How to release trauma trapped in the body

How to Release Trauma Trapped in the Body

If you're wondering how to release trauma trapped in the body, it starts with tuning in and practicing specific techniques. Sometimes the body holds memories long after the mind has forgotten. There are several effective practices to help release stored trauma, each working in unique ways to promote healing and restoration.


Breathwork and meditation are powerful tools for calming the nervous system and creating a safe space for stored trauma to be released. Techniques like box breathing, body scan meditation, and loving-kindness meditation can help you reconnect with your body and process difficult emotions. These practices encourage mindfulness and self-awareness, allowing you to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment.


Bodywork therapies offer physical approaches to unlocking areas where trauma is stored in the body. Massage therapy focuses on releasing tension in muscles and fascia, while acupuncture targets specific points to balance energy and promote healing. Craniosacral therapy involves gentle manipulation of the bones in the skull, spine, and pelvis to release tension, and somatic experiencing is a body-focused approach that helps release physical tension related to trauma.


Expressive therapies provide creative outlets for processing and releasing emotional trauma. Art therapy allows you to express emotions visually through drawing, painting, or sculpting. Journaling offers a way to write freely about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts. Music therapy, whether listening to or creating music, can help process emotions and reduce stress. Dance and movement therapy use physical expression to release tension and work through difficult emotions.


In addition to these approaches, therapy is a crucial component in moving through and processing stored trauma.


  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you identify and change negative thought patterns related to trauma.

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized therapy that helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories.

  • Psychodynamic therapy explores how past experiences, including trauma, influence current behavior and relationships.

  • Group therapy can provide a supportive environment to share experiences and learn from others who have faced similar challenges.


Remember, healing from trauma is a personal journey, and what works for one person may not work for another. It's important to explore different techniques and find what resonates with you. Always work with qualified professionals when addressing trauma, especially if you have a history of complex trauma or PTSD. With patience, persistence, and the right support, it is possible to release stored trauma and move towards a place of healing and growth.


How to Heal Unresolved Trauma

Healing unresolved trauma requires a holistic approach. It’s not enough to just talk about the trauma or only focus on physical symptoms.


In functional medicine, we look at the mind, body, and soul as interconnected. Here’s how you can start the healing process:

  1. Somatic Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on the connection between the mind and body. Techniques like breathwork, yoga, and even shaking can help release trauma stored in your muscles and fascia.

  2. Nutrition and Gut Healing: Your gut health plays a critical role in emotional regulation. Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods, probiotics, and healing nutrients (like omega-3 fatty acids) supports your body in healing from trauma.

  3. Nervous System Regulation: Practices like meditation, breathwork, or vagus nerve stimulation help calm your nervous system and bring your body out of fight-or-flight mode.

  4. Functional Medicine Testing: Identifying underlying imbalances—whether in your gut, hormones, or nutrient levels—allows us to create a personalized plan to address how trauma is affecting your health on a cellular level.

  5. Release Stored Trauma with Movement: Incorporate movement into your daily routine. Physical activities like walking, yoga, or even dancing can help release stored trauma trapped in the body.


Functional Medicine Approach to Healing Trauma

In functional medicine, we understand that healing trauma isn’t just about addressing symptoms. We look at everything that could be impacting your health—mind, body, and soul. We examine your nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset, while also considering stored trauma and stress. Your body, mind, and spirit are interconnected, and it’s only by addressing all aspects of your health that true healing can occur.


When we approach healing from this holistic perspective, we can uncover the root causes of your symptoms and restore balance to your life. Whether it's gut health, hormones, or unresolved trauma, the functional medicine approach helps you achieve lasting wellness.


If you're ready to address how trauma affects your body and embark on a journey of healing, now is the time to take action. Book a call with Eli Priest, Functional Nutrition Practitioner, to create a personalized plan for your wellness. Click here to schedule your free consultation and take the first step towards a healthier, more balanced you.

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