What Is Trauma and How the Body Remembers
- nolongersilentlife
- 4 hours ago
- 2 min read
For years, I thought trauma meant a single event — something dramatic enough to earn the name.
But over time, I learned: trauma is not just what happened.
It’s what happened inside us as a result.
“Trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.”— Gabor Maté, The Myth of Normal
When something overwhelms our capacity to cope, the body steps in to protect.
Heart racing. Breath shallow. Muscles braced.
These are not flaws; they’re intelligent responses designed to keep us alive.
Sometimes the danger ends, but the body doesn’t know that yet.
It keeps scanning, guarding, tightening — doing its best to prevent more hurt.
This is why healing after trauma takes time.
The body has to learn, slowly, that it’s safe to exhale again.
How the Body Remembers Trauma
Understanding how the body remembers trauma helps explain why certain memories live more in sensation than in words.
A scent, a sound, a certain tone of voice can open a flood of feeling without any clear memory attached.
This isn’t “overreacting” — it’s remembering.
Our nervous system has four main protection patterns: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.
Each one is the body’s way of trying to keep us safe.
Over time, those patterns can become habits — the body’s autopilot.
Healing after trauma invites new experiences of safety so the body can update its story.
Grounding, breathwork, and compassionate movement can help the nervous system learn what calm feels like.
Meeting Yourself with Understanding
It’s easy to judge what you feel — to wish you could “just move on.”
But healing isn’t about pushing through;
it’s about listening to what the body is saying now.
You might notice tension, racing thoughts, or the need to withdraw.
Each is a message, not a mistake.
When you meet those sensations with curiosity rather than criticism,
your body begins to trust you again.
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“Our bodies tell the truth even when our minds can’t bear to. Healing begins the moment we listen.” — Resmaa Menakem, My Grandmother’s Hands
