How Trauma Affects the Body – and Why Healing Mind and Body Together Matters
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 28
- 11 min read
Written by Ylwa Woxmark, Equine-guided Recovery Coach
Ylwa Woxmark is a certified and accredited coach and the founder of The Horse Sanctuary in Sweden, where horses with mental and physical traumas are healed. After the healing process, the horses assist her in helping people with the same challenges. She is also the author of the Horsiquette book, published in 2023, together with her husband, Mats.
Have you ever noticed how emotional pain can show up in your body? Maybe it’s tension in your neck, unexplained fatigue, or persistent aches and pains that no doctor can quite explain. Trauma leaves a mark not only on the mind but also on the body, and understanding this connection is one of the keys to true healing.
What is trauma, and how does it affect the body?
Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms our ability to cope. When trauma occurs, our nervous system goes into survival mode, triggering a cascade of physical responses like increased heart rate, muscle tension, and heightened alertness.
Many of us carry survival strategies developed in childhood, often unconsciously, to manage overwhelming situations. For example, I learned early on that if I took responsibility for others’ feelings and adjusted myself to keep the peace, I could feel safer and hopefully avoid conflict. This became a kind of programming: “If I only hold this together, I will have peace.”
As I grew into adulthood, this programming didn’t simply vanish; it transformed. What once was a survival strategy became a “call” or “gift,” seen as empathy, leadership, or being the dependable one. But underneath, the old fear remained: “I am not good enough.”
This kept my nervous system in a constant state of readiness, both vigilant and exhausted. My self-worth became tied to my achievements and ability to manage others’ emotions.
Beneath it all was also a deep, unconscious sorrow over never being truly saved or held as a child.
How my childhood coping made me vulnerable to manipulation
This deep-seated coping strategy, taking responsibility for others’ emotions and constantly adjusting, made me especially vulnerable to a psychopath’s methods later in life. The unconscious belief that “if I keep everything together, I will be safe and hopefully loved” created a blind spot. Psychopaths are often skilled at exploiting such vulnerabilities by manipulating empathy, trust, and a strong sense of responsibility in others.
I found myself trapped in toxic dynamics where I tried harder to keep peace and control, only to be met with emotional abuse and manipulation. This painful experience highlighted how unresolved trauma and survival programming can undermine our boundaries and self-protection, making healing even more urgent and necessary.
A psychopath may use ghosting, suddenly cutting off all contact without explanation, as a deliberate psychological tactic to destabilize you. This guy did. When someone you trusted or cared for disappears without warning, your brain searches for reasons. You might obsess over what went wrong, question your worth, and replay every interaction to find clues.
Because there’s no closure, your nervous system stays on high alert, trapped in a loop of confusion, hope, and self-doubt. This is exactly what the psychopath wants, for you to feel off balance, emotionally dependent, and unsure of your own reality.
In combination with other manipulative behaviors like love bombing, gaslighting, and intermittent reinforcement, ghosting becomes a powerful way to make you question your sanity. You’re left wondering if you’re the problem, when in fact, it’s a form of emotional control and abuse. And as time goes by, you start to truly believe that you are the cause of everything that goes wrong in the relationship.
How trauma gets stuck in the body, and what that means
Trauma isn’t just a memory stored in the mind. It’s something the body remembers deeply, often without our conscious awareness. When we experience trauma, the nervous system reacts by preparing us to fight, flee, or freeze. If the threat doesn’t fully resolve, the body can become “stuck” in this heightened state of arousal.
Physiologically, trauma can cause muscles to tense involuntarily, restrict breathing, and disrupt natural bodily rhythms. The body holds onto these patterns as a way to protect us, but over time, they create chronic tension, pain, or dysfunction. This is why trauma can manifest as physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive issues, back pain, or even immune problems.
The brain and body communicate continuously through the nervous system. Trauma rewires these connections so that the body reacts as if danger is still present, long after the event has passed. Without conscious intervention or healing, this “stuck” trauma can shape our posture, movements, and even how we relate emotionally to ourselves and others.
The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped part of the brain that plays a key role in processing emotions, especially those related to pain and pleasure. When you experience something emotionally significant — whether frightening, painful, or rewarding, the amygdala quickly registers the emotional intensity of the event. It then communicates with the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center, which stores these experiences as short-term or long-term memories. The hippocampus helps organize and consolidate these memories so they can be recalled later. This process enables the brain to remember important emotional events, shaping how you respond to similar situations in the future. In the context of healing, understanding this connection becomes essential. Releasing trauma means helping the body complete what was never finished, whether it’s moving through a frozen fight-or-flight response or allowing grief and emotions to be fully felt and expressed. Healing requires gentle, compassionate awareness of these bodily sensations and creating safe spaces where the nervous system can relax and reset.
How trauma showed up in my body, and what changed everything
I lived for about five years with three herniated discs and significant weight gain, chronically in pain, and never able to sleep. At first, I believed it was purely physical, the result of a few falls from horses. But over time, I began to understand that my body was carrying the weight of a lifetime spent in survival mode.
As a child, I learned to cope by taking responsibility for others’ emotions, constantly adjusting, striving to be good enough, and holding everything together in hopes of earning love, safety, and peace. This deeply ingrained programming, though later disguised in adulthood as empathy, leadership, and care, kept my nervous system in a constant state of hypervigilance.
When I later became entangled in an emotionally abusive relationship with a manipulative and cold psychopath, that same programming kept me trapped, trying to manage his reactions, decode his silence, and make myself more lovable, more perfect, more worthy. My body stayed in high-alert mode for years, holding tension, fear, and unresolved grief. I never felt safe enough to let go.
Ironically, it was only when I finally began to feel safe, after meeting my husband and soulmate and building the sanctuary for the horses, that my body began to unravel. The survival energy I had carried for decades no longer needed to be held. That’s when the herniated discs appeared. It was as if my body said, “Now it’s safe to break down.” What I thought was simply physical damage turned out to be the accumulated toll of emotional wounds long ignored.
A particularly harsh moment came when a doctor told me, “You’re too fat for surgery.” The words hit me like a slap, dismissive, shaming, and deeply frustrating. But instead of breaking me, they lit a fire inside. Despite the pain and immobility, I started crawling, 70 meters at a time, just to get my body moving again.
Slowly, day by day, I began to reclaim my body. After a year, I was walking 10,000 steps a day. Surgery was no longer needed, and the weight I had gained gradually came off. But what truly healed me wasn’t just the physical exercise; it was learning to listen to my body, to nurture it with compassion, and to recognize that trauma had shaped it in ways no pill or procedure could ever fix.
What horses taught me about the body-mind connection in trauma
Working with traumatized horses in the Horse Sanctuary deepened my understanding even more. Many arrived with visible physical ailments, limping, tension, stiffness, that often didn't respond fully to veterinary treatment. Over time, I began to notice a pattern: when we gently helped the horses process their emotional scars, their bodies started to shift. Relaxation returned. Movement softened. Symptoms lessened. It became clear, just as in humans, that emotional trauma was stored in their bodies, and healing required a deeper, more holistic approach.
One story I carry closest to my heart is that of a mare. She was taken from her mother far too early, before the bond had time to complete its natural cycle. The separation left invisible wounds that no scan could capture — a deep sadness in her heart, a guardedness in her body. When she came to the sanctuary, something changed. She bonded with an older mare who took on the role of her adoptive mother. Under this new attachment, she began to heal. Her nervous system softened, and her body followed her heart’s quiet return to safety.
But then her adoptive mother died, and the grief that followed was overwhelming. Not long after, she developed cancer in one of her eyes. It progressed so quickly that the veterinarian and I had serious conversations about removing it. It seemed like her system, once again overwhelmed by loss, had nowhere left to carry the pain but her body. And then something remarkable happened.
A young horse arrived at the sanctuary, and she unexpectedly and wholeheartedly adopted him. She stepped into the role of caregiver, protector, mother, and emotional guide. As she poured her love into this new connection, something shifted. Over time, the cancer in her eye began to recede. Eventually, it disappeared completely.
No surgery. No aggressive treatment. Just connection, purpose, and the return of emotional equilibrium. Emotional equilibrium refers to a balanced and stable emotional state where you can feel and process emotions without being overwhelmed by them. It doesn’t mean being happy all the time or never feeling sad, angry, or afraid. Rather, it means having the inner capacity to experience your emotions fully, regulate them with awareness, and return to a grounded, calm state after emotional challenges.
When you have emotional equilibrium:
You can feel intense emotions without losing control.
You’re able to pause before reacting and choose how to respond.
You bounce back more easily from stress or setbacks.
You feel more centered, even in uncertain or triggering situations.
Your body and nervous system stay more relaxed and regulated.
Emotional equilibrium is especially important in trauma healing. It restores emotional balance and allows you to shift out of survival patterns and into a state where healing, connection, and safety are possible.
The mare taught me something I now carry into all my work with both horses and humans: the body follows the soul. When emotional wounds are acknowledged, tended to, and transformed, the body often finds its way back to balance, sometimes in ways we never thought possible.
The work I have done, both in my own healing and in helping horses and humans heal, has also taught me that trauma isn’t just psychological, it’s somatic. Healing happens best when we address both mind and body, create safety and connection, and listen to the stories the body tells.
12 ways to support healing by connecting mind and body
Healing trauma is a journey. Here are twelve practical ways to nurture both your mind and body in the process:
1. Practice mindful movement
Gentle yoga, stretching, or even mindful walking can help release the tension that the body holds onto. Being in the presence of a horse offers a unique kind of healing. Horses are incredibly sensitive and can sense emotions and tensions that often go unnoticed or unspoken. They respond not just to what is said, but to the subtle energy and feelings we carry. This deep attunement creates a safe space where we can become more aware of our own body’s signals and begin to release hidden stress and trauma.
2. Listen to your body’s signals
Tune into sensations like tightness, tension, or pain in your body. What might these sensations be trying to tell you about unresolved emotions or past experiences? Ask yourself questions such as: Where in my body am I feeling these emotions right now? What memories or feelings come up when I focus on this area? This mindful awareness can help you connect with emotions stored in the body, opening the door to deeper healing and release.
3. Create a safe environment
Creating a safe space, whether in your relationships or physical environment, is essential for healing. For me, this meant starting each day with a morning routine that included meditation alongside the horses. Their calm presence helped ground me, encouraging a sense of peace and safety that allowed my mind and body to relax and open up to healing. Building this consistent, nurturing practice created a foundation of trust and calm that I could carry with me throughout the day.
4. Breathe deeply
Breathing exercises help calm the nervous system and bring you fully into the present moment. Practicing heart coherence, synchronizing your breath and heartbeat to create a state of calm, alongside the horse herd, deepens this effect. Horses, sensitive to energy and emotion, naturally support this calm presence, making it easier to settle your mind and body into harmony and balance.
5. Seek connection with animals or nature
Animals, especially horses, mirror our emotional states and can support nonverbal healing. Lying down on the ground and listening to the sounds of nature is another way to rebuild your mental strength.
6. Allow yourself to feel
Give yourself permission to fully experience your emotions instead of suppressing them. For me, the healing process has been largely about learning to feel more deeply again.
7. Engage in bodywork or therapy
Massage, craniosacral therapy, and fascia treatment can help release stored trauma by targeting specific areas where tension is held in the body. For me, fascia treatment has been the most helpful. Fascia treatment refers to therapeutic techniques aimed at releasing tension, restrictions, or adhesions in the fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles, organs, and other structures in the body. Fascia can become tight or stuck due to injury, trauma, stress, or poor posture, which may cause pain, limited movement, or discomfort.
Fascia treatments include:
Myofascial release: A hands-on technique where gentle, sustained pressure is applied to the fascia to release tightness and improve mobility.
Fascial stretching: Specific stretches designed to lengthen and loosen fascia.
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM): Using tools to help break down fascial restrictions.
Rolfing: A form of deep tissue manipulation focusing on the fascia to improve posture and movement.
By targeting the fascia, these treatments can reduce pain, improve circulation, and support the body’s natural healing processes, especially when trauma or emotional stress has caused physical tension.
8. Set boundaries
Protect your energy by saying no when necessary and honoring your limits. Surround yourself with people who respect you in every way.
9. Cultivate self-compassion
Treat yourself with kindness, especially on difficult days.
10. Journal your experience
Journaling is a powerful tool for emotional processing and self-discovery. The process involves regularly writing down your thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment or censorship. This practice helps you become more aware of recurring patterns, triggers, and unresolved emotions. By putting your inner world into words, you create space to reflect, release pent-up feelings, and gain clarity. Over time, journaling can reveal insights about your behaviors and beliefs, support healing, and foster personal growth. It’s helpful to set aside a quiet time each day or week, write freely, and revisit your entries to notice progress and shifts in your mindset.
11. Acknowledge every step forward
No matter how small. You are exactly where you’re meant to be.
12. Be patient
Healing takes time. Allow your body and mind to integrate at their own pace, and never compare your journey to others’.
Start your healing journey today
Trauma doesn’t have to define your body or your life. By understanding how deeply mind and body are connected, and by nurturing both with patience and care, you can reclaim your health and your joy.
If you’re ready to explore this journey with support, consider reaching out for coaching, trauma-informed bodywork, or spending time with healing animals like horses, who teach us about presence, trust, and resilience.
Read more from Ylwa Woxmark
Ylwa Woxmark, Equine-guided Recovery Coach
Ylwa Woxmark, certified and accredited coach and equine-guided recovery coach, has healed from childhood traumas and abusive relationships. She is today dedicated to helping people change their perspective on traumas to be able to see their strengths and to find their life purpose. She is the founder of The Horse Sanctuary in Sweden, where former traumatized horses assist her in coaching people with the same challenges. Her mission: Allow yourself a second chance.
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