The Physical Experience of Working Through Shame and Trauma in Therapy

woman's body

Our brains store the memories of our experiences, but so do our bodies. Processing the many layers of trauma that remained stuck in my mind and body has been a uniquely physical experience, different from anyone else’s. While there is no right or wrong way to experience emotions or process shame and trauma, if you desire deeper healing, it is important to experience the physical qualities of your emotions. They are unique to you. Continue reading “The Physical Experience of Working Through Shame and Trauma in Therapy”

Somatic Therapy Integrates My Emotion into Memories

In a session this week, my therapist asked me to go back to a horrible memory, one of abuse. I voiced it in a previous session and hoped I was done with it. Why can’t speaking traumatic memories be enough? In talk therapy, I would have been done and moved on. Voicing it the first time was unbearable and sent me spiraling into several weeks of depression. I have learned that speaking memories is never enough for me. I remain detached from memories; I have not integrated my emotion into them. Although I didn’t need to verbalize the details of this memory, still I had to be in it, to hurt for what it was…and recognize what parts of it caused me pain. Continue reading “Somatic Therapy Integrates My Emotion into Memories”