Do you ever feel a chronic, unexplainable tension in your shoulders? A persistent feeling of being disconnected from your own body, like you’re watching it from a distance? Or a constant, low-level sense that you need to brace for impact, even when nothing is wrong?These feelings are not just “in your head.” They are often the echoes of past overwhelming experiences, living on in your body’s physiology. This is often what people mean when they say trauma gets “stuck.”In this blog, we’ll gently explore how this happens and introduce one very safe, foundational somatic exercise to help you begin the journey of reconnecting.
Why 'Stuck' Isn't Just a Metaphor
To understand how trauma gets stuck, we need to look at our nervous system. When faced with a real or perceived threat, your body mobilizes an incredible amount of survival energy to prepare you to fight or flee.But sometimes, we can’t do either. Sometimes, the only survival option is to freeze—to become still and numb to endure the overwhelming experience.When this survival sequence isn’t completed, all that mobilized energy doesn’t just disappear. It can remain "frozen" or "stuck" in the nervous system. This isn't a personal failing; it's a brilliant biological process of survival. The result, however, can be the chronic tension, numbness, and feelings of being unsafe that you experience long after the event is over.
A Gentle Somatic Exercise to Reconnect Safely: 'Pendulation'
The goal of somatic (body-based) work is not to force yourself to feel overwhelming emotions. The first and most important step is to build a sense of safety and resourcefulness in your body right now.We can do this with a foundational practice called Pendulation. This involves gently shifting your attention between a place of discomfort and a place of safety or neutrality.
- Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit. Take a moment to feel your feet on the floor and your body supported by the chair.
- Find a Neutral Place. Scan your body and find one part that feels neutral, calm, or even slightly pleasant. It could be your left hand, your right earlobe, or the tip of your nose. Let your full attention rest there for 15-20 seconds. Really notice the sensations, the temperature, the texture of the air on your skin.
- Briefly Touch on Discomfort. Now, gently bring your awareness to a place in your body that holds a small amount of tension or discomfort. Notice it for just a second or two, no longer.
- Swing Back to Neutral. Immediately and intentionally guide your attention back to your neutral, safe spot from step 2. Rest your full attention here again. Feel the calm. Stay here for at least 30 seconds.
- Repeat Gently. You can repeat this gentle swing back and forth a few times, always making sure you spend much more time in the neutral/safe spot. The goal is to teach your nervous system that it can touch upon discomfort and successfully return to a state of calm.
This single, gentle practice is a foundational skill in somatic healing. But to safely navigate the full landscape of sensations and release stored survival energy, you need a structured container to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
That's why the Somatic Therapy Worksheets were created. These worksheets provide a safe and structured framework for this delicate work. They guide you through essential concepts like Titration (working in small, manageable bits), building internal and external Resources, and tracking your bodily sensations in a way that builds safety, not fear. They are a container to help you heal at your own pace.
Ready to Gently Reclaim Your Body?
Imagine feeling safe, grounded, and truly at home in your own skin. Imagine releasing chronic tension and reconnecting with a sense of vitality and wholeness. This is the promise of somatic healing.If you’re ready to move beyond just understanding your past and want to start healing its impact on your body, the Somatic Therapy Worksheets can provide the gentle guidance you need.
Explore the Somatic Worksheets HERE.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this going to make me relive my trauma?
A: Absolutely not. The entire principle of a safe, somatic approach is to avoid re-traumatization. The focus is on building safety and resources first and only touching on discomfort in very small, manageable doses, which prevents the nervous system from becoming overwhelmed.
Q: What if I don't feel anything in my body, or just feel numb?
A: That is completely normal and a very common protective response of the nervous system. The worksheets are designed to help you gently and slowly reawaken sensation over time, without force. Numbness is a sign of your body's intelligence, and we work with it respectfully.
Q: How is this different from mindfulness or meditation?
A: While they share similarities, a key difference is the active focus on tracking nervous system states and processing stored energy. Instead of simply observing sensations, somatic work often involves specific techniques to help "complete" the physiological cycles that got stuck.
Q: Is this a replacement for therapy?
A: No. These worksheets are a powerful educational and self-guided tool, and an excellent complement to professional therapy. However, they are not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified, trauma-informed therapist.
A gentle note: This post explores the topic of trauma in a safe and educational way. Please be mindful of your own needs and read only if you feel resourced and comfortable doing so.