How Trauma is Not Just in Your Head or Mind

Category: Inspired Mind Sunday, 15 October 2023 Written by Evelyn Lim

What I found out about trauma is this: Trauma isn’t something that is just in your head or mind. It’s not just a past memory.

In fact, it is stored in the habitual reflexive state of your nervous system. It is in your heart, head, your stomach, arms, legs. All the sensory information that got coded. They manifest in an overreactive response to stress today: racing heart, shallow breathing, nausea, indigestion, trembling hands, blurred vision, etc.

For trauma recovery, it helps to remember not just your head or mind, every part of your body was there in the past.

Why Knowing That Trauma is Also Stored in the Body Matters

If we believe that trauma to be just a past memory, we would try to resolve our issues in the mind or head…or even through the feelings that arise as we recall what took place. This being the case, we would seek the help of a counsellor, coach or practitioner – those who are trained in talk therapy to help us process our thoughts and feelings. Certainly, talking about our issues rather than bottling our emotions can help us feel better. 

However, with the realisation that trauma could also be stored in the body, it would help if we take the extra step of addressing the sensory information that got coded; so that our nervous system no longer automatically reacts in the same habitual way. Hence, it makes perfect sense to address past trauma using practices that are somatic or movement based. Practices such as yoga or dance therapy,  are known to help the body release excess tension and for the body to feel more at ease.

However, while movement-based practices are great, they may not directly address what is going on psychologically especially where there has been past trauma. Which is why after having explored different forms of healing and therapy modalities myself, I’d like to recommend my discovery for using this as a core solution: EFT tapping. 

The Case for EFT Tapping and for Addressing Past Trauma 

EFT tapping is a therapeutic modality that helps the body’s energy system to be restored. It involves using the finger tips to tap on specific meridian points on the face and body for emotional release and processing of thoughts and beliefs. It may not be a miracle cure but EFT tapping innately combines many elements: somatic, mindfulness, TCM meridian system, neuroscience and western psychology. As it is evidence-based, it has been found that EFT tapping can help when the body keeps the score. 

From being a skeptic, I am now very passionate in sharing how EFT tapping can benefit someone. It’s a wonderful self-help technique that also offers opportunities for deep transformation to take place.

The memory of the past trauma may remain but the emotional and sensory charge can be nullified from applying transformational EFT tapping.

Ultimately, mind-body-spirit wellness is better attained with doing EFT tapping and also adding somatic or movement exercises such as yoga or dance.  

By freeing yourself from the chains of the past at mind-body-spirt levels, you are better able to be in the present and to truly move forward.  

Love and abundance always, 
Evelyn Lim

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