How the Body Holds Trauma (and How It Can Heal)

By Jessica Trainor, Registered Trauma Therapist | Serving Ottawa, Toronto, and across Ontario & Quebec Virtually

💭 “Why does my body react like this when I’m not in danger anymore?”

If you’ve ever felt your heart race, your stomach tighten, or your body freeze for “no reason,” you’re not imagining it — and you’re not broken. For many survivors of childhood trauma or sexual abuse, the body remembers what the mind has tried to forget.

Even long after the painful experiences have ended, your body may still carry the tension, fear, and hypervigilance that once helped you survive. This is what trauma experts mean when they say, “the body keeps the score.”

🧠 What It Means When the Body “Holds” Trauma

Trauma isn’t just an emotional experience — it’s also biological. When you lived through something overwhelming as a child, your brain and body had to adapt quickly to stay safe.

Your nervous system — your body’s internal alarm system — learned to respond to danger by:

• Freezing or going numb

• Staying hyper-alert, always scanning for threat

• Tensing your muscles or holding your breath without realizing

• Shutting down emotions to avoid feeling pain

These protective patterns can become long-term habits in your body, even decades later. That’s why you might feel anxious, disconnected, or on edge in situations that seem “safe” today.

In therapy, this isn’t seen as weakness. It’s seen as evidence of survival — your body did exactly what it needed to do to protect you.

🌿 Signs Your Body May Still Be Holding Trauma

Everyone’s experience is unique, but some common signs include:

• Chronic muscle tension or unexplained pain

• Digestive issues or a “tight” stomach

• Difficulty relaxing or feeling present

• Emotional numbness or sudden emotional floods

• Feeling detached from your body or surroundings

• Trouble sleeping or nightmares

• Feeling unsafe, even when nothing is wrong

If these feel familiar, know that you’re not alone. Many people in Ottawa, Toronto, and across Ontario reach out for trauma therapy when they notice these patterns affecting their daily lives, relationships, or sense of peace.

💛 How the Body Can Begin to Heal

Healing trauma isn’t about “thinking” your way out of it — it’s about helping your body feel safe again.That’s why body-based therapy approaches can be so powerful.

Some methods used in trauma therapy in Ontario and Quebec include:

1. Somatic Therapy (Body Awareness Work)

Helps you reconnect with your body through gentle awareness, breath, and movement — teaching your nervous system that it’s safe to relax again.

2. EMDR Therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

A structured approach that helps reprocess traumatic memories so they no longer trigger the same body-based stress response.

3. Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques

Simple practices to calm your system when you feel overwhelmed — like noticing your feet on the ground or taking slow, deep breaths.

4. Inner Child Work

Gently reconnecting with the younger parts of yourself who still carry fear or shame, helping them feel protected and seen.

With consistency, compassion, and professional support, your body can learn a new language — one of safety, connection, and calm.

🌼 You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

If you’re noticing that your body still carries the effects of childhood sexual abuse or trauma, healing is possible — and it’s never too late to begin.

Working with a trauma-informed therapist in Ottawa or Toronto can help you gently reconnect with your body and find a new sense of peace.

Whether you’re located in Ontario, Quebec, or nearby regions, therapy can support you in feeling safe in your body again.

🕊️ Ready to Begin Healing?

If this resonates with you, I’d be honoured to walk alongside you.Together, we can help your body release what it’s been holding — at a pace that feels right for you.

👉 Book a free consultation for trauma therapy in Ottawa or Toronto or learn more about online trauma therapy in Ontario and Quebec.