Small Ways to Reconnect With Your Body

When Your Body Hasn’t Felt Like a Safe Place

For many survivors of childhood sexual trauma, the body can feel like unfamiliar territory — or even unsafe. You might feel disconnected from sensations, emotions, or even basic needs. This disconnection isn’t a flaw or a failure — it’s a survival response. Your body learned to protect you when it wasn’t safe.

Healing, then, isn’t about “forcing” yourself to feel everything again — it’s about gently rebuilding trust with your body, one moment at a time.

Here are a few small, compassionate ways to begin reconnecting with your body every day.

1. Start With Noticing, Not Fixing

Try beginning your day by simply noticing what’s present.

• How does your body feel as you wake up?

• Are there sensations of warmth, heaviness, or numbness?

• Can you notice your breath without changing it?

Awareness itself is a powerful form of reconnection. It helps you build curiosity instead of criticism toward your body.

2. Offer Your Body Small Acts of Care

Sometimes, “body connection” doesn’t mean deep meditation or yoga. It can be as simple as:

• Drinking a glass of water slowly, feeling it move through you.

• Stretching your arms overhead and noticing your muscles wake up.

• Wrapping yourself in a blanket and recognizing the feeling of safety.

These moments signal to your nervous system: I’m here, and I’m safe right now.

3. Use Gentle Touch and Grounding

If touch feels accessible, place a hand on your heart, your chest, or wherever feels comfortable. You might say silently, This is my body. It’s mine now.

You can also ground through sensory connection — noticing textures beneath your fingers, the weight of your feet on the floor, or the rhythm of your breathing.

Grounding helps your body and mind come back into the same moment.

4. Move in Ways That Feel Right for You

Movement doesn’t have to mean exercise. It can mean gentle swaying, walking slowly, or dancing in your kitchen.There’s no “right” way — only what feels supportive and safe in this moment. Movement invites life back into spaces that trauma once froze.

5. Practice Compassion Over Perfection

You don’t have to feel fully “in your body” all the time. Some days, connection may feel easy; other days, impossible. That’s okay. Healing isn’t linear — it’s a process of returning to yourself again and again, with patience.

When you notice frustration or judgment, remind yourself: Disconnection was once protection. Reconnection is healing.

You Deserve to Feel Safe in Your Own Skin

Reconnecting with your body after trauma is not about “getting over” what happened — it’s about reclaiming what is yours. Your body isn’t the enemy. It’s been your ally all along, waiting patiently for your return.

If you’d like guidance on rebuilding that connection in a safe, supported way, trauma therapy can help.

At Wellness Grows Here, I work with survivors of childhood sexual trauma across Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal, helping you gently reconnect with your body, your emotions, and your sense of self.

Ready to take the next step? Book a free consultation or learn more about trauma therapy in your area.