The Body Keeps Score: How to Release Stored Trauma

Have you ever felt a lump in your throat when you were too upset to speak?

A pit in your stomach before a difficult conversation?

Or tension in your shoulders after a stressful day?

These aren’t just random sensations—your body is talking to you!

The Body Remembers What the Mind Tries to Forget

Science now confirms what many ancient healing traditions have long understood: trauma, stress, and unprocessed emotions don’t just live in our minds—they get stored in our bodies.

When we experience something overwhelming or painful, our nervous system kicks into survival mode, and if we don’t have the space to fully process what happened, that energy can linger, creating tension, discomfort, or even long-term health issues.

Even if we don’t consciously remember certain experiences, our bodies do. This is why we might feel pain, tightness, or emotional overwhelm without an obvious reason—it’s often something unprocessed, stored deep in the body’s memory.

Take a Moment: Where Are You Holding Tension?

Before we dive into the specific areas where emotions get stored, take a moment to check in with yourself.

Close your eyes (if you’re comfortable) and take a slow, deep breath.
Gently scan your body from head to toe.
Notice if any areas feel tight, heavy, or stuck. No need to change anything—just observe.
Where do you feel it the most?

Now, as you read through the list below, see if any of these areas resonate with what you just felt in your own body.

Where Trauma Gets Stored in the Body

• Neck & Shoulders – carrying responsibility, feeling burdened

• Jaw – unspoken words, suppressed anger or frustration

• Chest & Lungs – grief, heartbreak, deep sadness

• Stomach & Gut – anxiety, fear, loss of control

• Hips – unprocessed emotions, especially related to safety, creativity, and relationships

• Lower Back – financial stress, lack of support

• Hands & Arms – fear of reaching out, hesitation in receiving help

Do any of these resonate with what you noticed in your own body?

The Link to Energy Blocks & the Nervous System

When emotions remain unprocessed, they can create energy blocks in the body, leading to physical tension, chronic pain, and/or a dysregulated nervous system.

You might notice signs like:

✔ Feeling 'on edge' all the time (a sign that your body is stuck in fight-or-flight mode)

✔ Digestive issues, unexplained aches, or chronic pain

✔ Trouble relaxing, even when everything seems 'fine'

But the good news? Your body also knows how to release!

Ways to Release Stored Stress & Emotion

✔ Breathwork – deep, intentional breathing tells your nervous system it’s safe to let go. Try a simple inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, and exhale for 8 (the key is to have a longer exhalation than inhalation)

✔ Movement – stretching, yoga, shaking, or dancing moves energy through your body to prevent stagnation

✔ Sound & Vibration – humming, chanting, or listening to certain frequencies can help shift stored tension

✔ Touch & Pressure – self-massage, acupressure, or even hugging yourself can help activate the body’s calming response

✔ Expression – journaling, speaking, or even sighing deeply helps emotions move instead of getting stuck

A Simple Practice to Try Now

Take a deep breath.
Scan your body again—where do you feel tightness or heaviness?
Place your hand on that area and imagine sending it warmth, breath, and kindness.
Ask yourself: What am I holding here?
Exhale and visualize that tension softening, even just a little.