Our minds and our bodies are not separate.
The maxim - 'I think therefore I am'?
Not true. You are not a lump just carrying your brain around.
Our bodies communicate to us all the time, and they can store our experiences in our ‘implicit memory’: in our muscles and tissues. Everything we've experienced can be stored there, often from when we were pre-verbal, sometimes even pre-birth.
What are the signs to look for that your body might be holding emotions...
jaw tension
stomach pain
pelvic floor pain
hunched shoulders
hip pain
tense or frozen diaphragm
back pain
chest tightness
forehead tension
breathing patterns
Common holding patterns in the body might indicate parts who are trying to catch our attention, tell their story through the body and who need witnessing.
It is not uncommon for individuals to suppress a range of emotions that can have a profound impact on their well-being. Among the most common emotions that tend to be suppressed and stored in the body are anger, fear, trauma, and attachment wounding.
Anger, when suppressed, can manifest itself in various physical symptoms such as headaches, muscle tension, and digestive issues - and full blown auto-immune disease.
Fear, if not addressed, can lead to chronic stress and anxiety, affecting both mental and physical health.
Trauma, whether from past experiences or recent events, can create a sense of disconnection within oneself and with others, hindering the healing process.
Attachment wounding, stemming from early relationships and experiences, can shape one's patterns of behavior and interactions with others, often leading to difficulties in forming healthy relationships.
Recognizing, acknowledging, and processing these suppressed emotions is crucial for emotional healing and overall well-being.
Somatic IFS work can help release some of these arrested responses, allowing for greater emotional freedom and inner peace (yes, I do believe that is a thing).
Sounds fancy, inner peace, but I also believe we can all experience more of that.
If you're interested in exploring this more, check out what IFS can help with here.
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