How Trauma Impacts Your Body—And How Somatic Experiencing® Can Help
Trauma as a Root Cause of Chronic Illness
Most people don’t think of trauma when they think of illness. But research has shown that unresolved trauma can create stress patterns in the body that contribute to chronic disease. If your nervous system is always in a state of fight, flight, or freeze, your body stays flooded with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this causes wear and tear on every system in the body.
This state of chronic stress can suppress the immune system, disrupt digestion, impair sleep, and increase inflammation—all of which are linked to a wide range of health conditions, including:
IBS, leaky gut, and other GI issues
Autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis
Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
Migraines and hormonal imbalances
Cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes
The Stress-Injury Loop in the Nervous System
When the nervous system doesn’t get a chance to reset after a traumatic event, it gets stuck in a feedback loop. You may feel constantly wired or totally shut down. Even when there is no current threat, your body is still responding as if danger is present.
This chronic dysregulation creates a cascade of issues in the body—especially inflammation, which is now recognized as a root cause of many physical and mental health conditions. The good news? When we help the nervous system complete the response, the body begins to regulate, repair, and heal.
How Somatic Experiencing Works
Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is a gentle, body-based approach to trauma healing that focuses on the nervous system. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, SE helps people complete the survival responses that were interrupted during trauma, so that the body can return to a state of safety and balance.
Instead of focusing solely on the story of what happened, SE guides you to tune into your present-moment sensations, track subtle shifts, and move slowly enough to let the body discharge stuck energy without becoming overwhelmed. This process often includes small movements, shifts in breath, or spontaneous releases like shaking, crying, or sighing—all signs that the nervous system is unwinding.
Sessions are paced to respect your body’s boundaries and capacity, so healing doesn’t retraumatize. It’s not about digging up pain; it’s about gently creating the conditions for your body to let go of it.
Reclaiming Vitality Through the Body
When trauma is processed somatically, it doesn’t just relieve symptoms—it restores vitality. Clients often report sleeping better, feeling more present, experiencing fewer flare-ups of chronic illness, and having more access to joy, pleasure, and connection.
Healing trauma through the body allows us to come back into relationship with ourselves. It helps us reclaim the parts of us that got frozen in time. With the support of a skilled practitioner, we can finally complete what was never completed, and come home to our bodies in a new way.
you’re not broken … and neither is your body …
If you’re ready to address the root cause of your symptoms—not just manage them—Somatic Experiencing can help. Reach out to schedule a consultation and begin your healing journey today.
Based in Pasadena, I’m Clara Mackinlay, a registered somatic trauma specialist (AMFT #149677) offering integrative therapy for high-achievers across California. My practice focuses on healing trauma’s physical effects—like chronic tension, fatigue, and disconnection—using somatic and trauma-informed approaches tailored to your needs.
