What Your Body Might Be Saying When Words Fall Short

When something feels off but you can’t quite explain it, your body might already be telling the story your words haven’t yet caught up to. For many of us—especially those who’ve experienced trauma, stress, or chronic emotional overwhelm—the body holds onto experiences long after the mind has moved on.

You might feel this as tension in your shoulders when you’re anxious, a heavy chest when you’re sad, or a clenched jaw when you’re trying to stay composed. These physical sensations aren’t random—they’re meaningful. In fact, they’re part of your body’s brilliant survival system.

The Body Remembers

Trauma and chronic stress don’t just impact thoughts; they can live in the nervous system, muscles, and even posture. This is why some people find themselves triggered without fully understanding why. The body recognizes a cue of danger before the brain has time to rationalize it.

Even positive experiences can be “felt” deeply—relaxation in the jaw after hearing kind words, warmth in the chest during connection, or a sense of grounding when your feet are planted and safe.

Why This Matters in Therapy

By paying attention to bodily sensations—what therapists call “interoception”—you begin building a bridge between body and mind. This connection is essential in trauma recovery, emotional regulation, and building self-trust.

Therapies like EMDR, somatic experiencing, and parts work often invite clients to tune into what the body is experiencing. Sometimes, healing starts not with talking about what happened, but by noticing what’s happening right now—tightness, stillness, breath, movement.

Simple Practices to Begin Noticing

• Do a quick body scan once a day. Where do you feel tension? Where feels relaxed?

• Gently place a hand on your heart or stomach and take 3 slow breaths. What changes?

• When you feel a strong emotion, ask yourself: Where do I feel this in my body?

Your body isn’t working against you—it’s trying to speak for you. And in therapy, you don’t have to find the perfect words. Sometimes, we start with a sigh, a tear, or the way your feet won’t stop moving. That’s more than enough.

Want to explore this deeper in your healing journey?

Therapy is a space where your whole self—body and mind—is welcome. Let’s start there, together.