There was a time, not too long ago, when my trauma would keep me awake, twisting and turning in the stillness of the early morning hours. The anxiety would settle deep in my chest, racing thoughts clouding my mind, and no matter how hard I tried, sleep felt like a distant memory. It wasn’t until I found somatics, the practice of connecting with the body’s sensations and letting them guide my healing, that things began to change.
In those sleepless moments, I would get up. I wouldn’t try to fix it or push through the discomfort. Instead, I would listen—really listen—to my body. Sometimes it asked for music, other times for tears, and sometimes it was a gentle shaking, rocking, or moving that brought a sense of release. I didn’t judge it. I didn’t try to force it into something “acceptable.” I just let my body express whatever it needed. Slowly, over time, the anxiety lessened. I found that I didn’t need the medications I once relied on to calm my mind.
Disclaimer: This is not to say you should go off your medication. If you're on prescribed anxiety or other medications, always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes. This is simply my personal experience of how somatic practices helped me heal.
Today, my anxiety is far more manageable—on average, it’s around a 2.5 on a scale of 1-10, a dramatic improvement from the 7-9 range it used to be. I’m not free from every anxious moment, but the relief is real. The journey of healing through somatics—of re-establishing a connection to my body, emotions, and self—has been transformative.
Society has often told us to “compose ourselves” when we’re in pain, to “hurt quietly.” But why? Why are we taught to suppress our emotions, hide our grief, or bottle up our struggles? It’s an unspoken rule that tells us to manage our emotions behind closed doors, as if there is shame in expressing pain. But when we look at the histories of our ancestors, they were far more open with their emotions. They celebrated and grieved out loud. They wailed in mourning, beat drums in celebration, and shared their joy and sorrow with the world. Perhaps they knew something we’ve forgotten—that the act of expressing our emotions is essential to our healing.
I believe our ancestors were connected to something profound—something we’ve since lost: ourselves. They understood that emotions need to be felt and expressed, not hidden away. Our bodies are not just vessels; they are alive with feelings, energy, and the wisdom of our experiences. When we ignore what our bodies are telling us, we become disconnected from that wisdom. But when we reconnect with our bodies, as I did through somatic practices, we begin to heal in ways that go beyond the mind.
Somatic Healing isn’t just a tool; it’s a way to reclaim your right to feel and express. It’s about moving through trauma, not by suppressing it, but by listening to the messages our bodies carry. It’s about embracing both the pain and the joy and understanding that both are integral to the human experience.
So, if you’re struggling with your own trauma or anxiety, I encourage you to give your body the permission to feel what it needs to feel. Don’t judge the tears, the shaking, the quiet sobs, or the wild dance moves in your living room. Allow your body to speak. After all, healing is a song—a song of both celebration and grief. And perhaps, in doing so, we’ll find the connection to ourselves and our healing that we've been searching for.
Remember: Healing takes time, and it’s not always linear. Be kind to yourself as you move through this journey. If you need guidance, support, or someone to walk alongside you, remember that therapy, mindfulness practices, and somatic experiences can help guide you through. You are not alone.
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