Our Bodies Hold Trauma - The Connection of Mind & Body
2016-09-05 03:51:41 Danielle Fitch
Recently I am seeing several clients coming in with complaints of stomach issues and headaches, but have been unable to figure out why; they have gone through tests, doctors visits and countless online researching to try and figure out what is happening. Many of these clients have come here on advice from their doctors who suggested that it may be emotional or psychological and not from a medical issue. While on the one hand this may be good news to hear that there is nothing “medically” going on, it can often be disheartening and confusing as to why the very real pain they are experiencing in their bodies could be emotional.
In exploring with each of these clients I began to notice a pattern, unexpressed or unresolved hurt or anger and even trauma from their past that they have never fully processed. For many of these clients, this was their first time ever talking about some of these issues, after time of processing through unresolved grief and hurt. The more healing they experienced in the room, the more their physical symptoms began to fade away. With the emotional healing and time, came a release in their body of the tension they have been holding onto.
Doctor Peter Levine, Ph.D. once said “Traumatic symptoms are not caused by the event itself. They arise when residual energy from the experiences is not discharged from the body. This energy remains trapped in the nervous system where it can wreak havoc on our bodies and mind”.
Our bodies will often tell us when our emotional health is out of whack, if you have ever been stressed out or anxious, you may have experienced a sudden migraine or stomach pain; long terms affects can result in the development of ulcers or high blood pressure. When we “internalize or hold on” to things our body will begin to try and get your attention to let you know that something isn’t right. The pain you are experiencing is real, but we often will go to great lengths to take medical steps in order to alleviate our pain, but ignore the mental or emotional root.
Self-Care is not just a good idea, it is a necessity; our mental and emotional health does not simply impact our thoughts and feelings, it impacts our physical well- being as well. Our mind/body/spirit are all connected, and when one of those is out of sync, very often the others will be affected as well.
It is important to be aware of things impacting our emotional well-being, and even if it seems “minor”, these small things can often pile up inside us. Things like moving, transition of life stages, job change or job loss, school stress, peer pressure, conflict in relationships, past hurt and trauma we have never dealt with, etc… The list could be endless, from the smallest to the biggest, having things like therapy, or good friends to share life with and process what you are dealing with is ultimately not just good for your heart and soul, but also your mind and body!
Couples, Children and Teens, Women, Men, Mental Health, Anxiety, Depression, Therapy