It Isn’t Just In Your Head—It’s In Your Nervous System
There’s a truth that many trauma survivors carry quietly inside them: A deep longing to be rescued.
Not in a helpless, passive way— But in a way that says: “Please, someone see my pain. Please, someone hold the part of me that never felt safe.”
If you grew up in an environment where the people who were supposed to protect and care for you were the very ones who caused harm—or failed to protect you—you likely developed a survival strategy of hyper-independence.
You learned not to rely on anyone.
You became your own anchor, your own provider, your own protector.
And while that strength is beautiful, it can also become a barrier - Your body, your nervous system, holds onto every moment you had to push through alone. Even if your mind has moved on, your body remembers.
That unresolved trauma can show up in ways you don’t always expect:
Feeling like no one can truly be trusted
Struggling with deep fatigue or burnout
Difficulty forming or maintaining healthy relationships
Constant anxiety, sadness, or emotional numbness
Trouble sleeping, focusing, or making decisions
Feeling emotionally “stuck” even when life looks fine on the outside
At the root of this is a nervous system that never got to feel safe. A younger version of you still lives inside your body, waiting— Not for someone to fix everything, but to finally feel held.
This Isn’t Just In Your Head—It’s In Your Nervous System
Your nervous system adapted to survive.
But healing asks: Can we teach the body that it’s safe now?
That’s where somatic work comes in—not as a quick fix, but as a gentle invitation back into connection with yourself.
Somatic healing—the practice of working with your body, not just your thoughts—offers a gentle, powerful way to release stored trauma. Through breathwork, movement, touch, and intentional presence, somatic exercises can help you:
✨ Build a sense of safety from the inside out
✨ Reconnect with your body as a friend, not a threat
✨ Release chronic tension and emotional residue from past experiences
✨ Soften the walls of hyper-independence so you can receive love and support
✨ Cultivate self-trust, self-compassion, and nervous system regulation
In as little as 30 days, consistent somatic work can begin to shift your internal landscape.
Below are some simple somatic practices you can begin exploring today.
These are small, body-led ways to reclaim your sense of safety—one moment at a time.
🌬️ The Sighing Breath
When you feel tension building or emotions stuck, try this:
Inhale through your nose
Exhale with an audible sigh out your mouth
Repeat 3–5 times
Let your shoulders drop with each exhale. Let your body know: We’re allowed to let go now.
🤲 Supportive Touch
Sometimes what the body needs most is the feeling of being held. You can offer that to yourself.
Place one hand on your heart, one on your belly.
Feel the warmth and pressure of your own hands.
Breathe slowly and say (out loud or silently): I’m here. You’re safe. I’ve got you.
🌀 Spinal Rocking or Gentle Shaking
Movement helps discharge stress and brings your nervous system back into balance.
Sit or lie down and gently rock your spine side to side or forward and back.
Or stand and lightly bounce your knees, letting your arms hang and shake.
Try this for 1–2 minutes while breathing steadily.
This can help move trapped energy out of the body and reconnect you with your physical self.
🧍♀️ Wall Support Grounding
If you feel overwhelmed or spacey, try this:
Stand with your back against a wall
Bend your knees slightly and let the wall support your weight
Press your feet into the floor and feel the solidity beneath you
Breathe deeply and slowly
This simple posture reminds your body: We are grounded. We are held.
💗 The Reminder That You Are Not Alone
This healing is not linear.
Sometimes you’ll feel strong and other times raw. That’s okay.
The longing to be rescued doesn’t make you weak.
It makes you human.
And the more you meet yourself with love, the less you’ll need someone to swoop in and ‘save’ you—because your inner system will finally feel safe enough to rest.
Healing is possible.
Not through force, but through gentleness.
Through breath.
Through presence.
Through remembering that you are not broken—you are becoming whole again.
You’re allowed to take your time.
You’re allowed to feel it all.
And you’re allowed to start small.
If this resonates, I see you. I’ve been there. Keep going, gentle soul.
The safety you seek is already unfolding within you.
Written by Violet Hartman
Violet is a trauma-informed practitioner and Certified Emotional Release Coach who offers intuitive and holistic services at Collective Dimensions. Guided by compassion and intuition, Violet’s work focuses on helping others find healing, clarity, and alignment through heart-centered, natural practices.