What Is My Body Telling Me? – How Trauma Hides in the Body and How You Can Be Set Free
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 17
- 5 min read
Written by Eileen Borski, Therapist
Eileen Borski is a therapist who specializes in providing brain-based care to individuals to address roadblocks in career, academics, sports, creativity and relationships. Her approach includes techniques that influence brain patterns using EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) and neurofeedback.
Your body holds more wisdom than you think. Unprocessed trauma doesn’t just live in your mind; it imprints itself into your muscles, nervous system, and overall well-being. This article explores how trauma hides in the body and offers powerful insights on how to release it and reclaim your sense of safety and freedom.
The mind-body connection isn't just metaphorical
If you've ever experienced unexplained migraines, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, or autoimmune flares and been told, "It's nothing." You're not alone. Medical tests may come back clear, yet your body feels anything but fine. For many people, the source of these lingering health issues isn't only physical, it's neurological and emotional. Trauma, particularly unresolved trauma, can profoundly impact the nervous system and lead to a cascade of chronic health conditions.
Trauma doesn't just reside in memories; it becomes embedded in the body. Thanks to the groundbreaking work of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and others, we now understand that the body keeps the score. When trauma is stored in the nervous system, it can disrupt the regulation of various bodily systems, including the immune function.
Your autonomic nervous system, which regulates digestion, heart rate, and immune responses, becomes dysregulated when overwhelmed by trauma. The vagus nerve, a key part of this system, connects your brain to major organs, and it plays a crucial role in stress response and recovery. Chronic fight-or-flight activation prevents proper rest, repair, and digestion. Over time, this can result in real physical ailments.
Why traditional talk therapy isn't always enough
Talk therapy can be a powerful tool for insight and emotional support, but it doesn't always reach the deeper, unconscious memories stored in the body and lower brain structures. Trauma can become "stuck" in the limbic system and brainstem, parts of the brain that operate outside of verbal thought.
Even when clients understand their past intellectually, their bodies may still react with anxiety, panic, or shut down in daily life. This response in the body is due to trauma responses being deeply embedded in the brain's neural circuitry. For many people with chronic pain, fatigue, or autoimmune symptoms, cognitive strategies alone don't calm the nervous system or change long-held patterns of physiological dysregulation.
What is needed is a therapeutic approach that speaks the language of both the body and the brain.
How EMDR helps the brain reprocess trauma and calm the nervous system
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a well-researched, evidence-based therapy developed initially for PTSD. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories and reduce the emotional and physiological charge associated with them.
During EMDR sessions, clients revisit distressing memories in a safe and controlled way. The goal is to shift how these memories are stored in the brain so they no longer trigger a fight-or-flight response. By reprocessing unresolved trauma, EMDR allows the brain to create new neural pathways that support healing and resilience.
Research has shown EMDR to be effective not only for PTSD but also for chronic pain, somatic symptoms, anxiety, depression, and complex trauma (Shapiro, 2018). In the context of chronic illness, EMDR helps by reducing the cumulative burden of chronic stress on the body, the allostatic load.
How IASIS microcurrent neurofeedback can 'reboot' a dysregulated brain
IASIS Microcurrent Neurofeedback (MCN) is a gentle, non-invasive, and drug-free treatment that helps reset the brain's electrical patterns. Unlike traditional neurofeedback, which requires active participation, this type of neurofeedback therapy works passively by delivering microcurrents to the head that mimic the brain's natural communication patterns.
These subtle signals help the brain "reboot" and return to a more balanced state. Many clients notice improvements in sleep, energy, mood, focus, and physical symptoms after just a few sessions. IASIS is particularly beneficial for those with traumatic brain injuries, PTSD, anxiety, chronic fatigue, and inflammatory conditions.
Neurofeedback therapy supports healing by enhancing neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change and adapt. When the brain becomes more flexible and regulated, the entire nervous system benefits. Clients often report a reduction in physical symptoms, less brain fog, and a greater sense of calm and clarity.
Real-life impact: Healing is possible
Consider a fictionalized client: "Mark," a 42-year-old man with a history of childhood trauma and a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Despite years of medications, physical therapy, and specialist visits, his pain persisted. He also suffered from brain fog, digestive problems, and insomnia.
After beginning EMDR and IASIS MCN, Mark experienced a profound shift. Through EMDR, he was able to process deeply held memories that had been fueling his nervous system's chronic activation. He reported that after his IASIS sessions, he felt his brain regulate more efficiently, resulting in improved sleep, reduced pain, and better digestion.
Over time, Mark began to feel more like himself again. His energy improved, and he returned to work part-time, beginning to enjoy activities he had long abandoned. His experience illustrates what many clients discover: when the brain heals, the body often follows.
Is this approach right for you?
You might benefit from brain-based therapy if you:
Experience unexplained chronic pain or fatigue
Have digestive issues like IBS that haven't improved with medical treatment
Suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, or depression
Live with autoimmune symptoms or inflammatory conditions
Struggle with insomnia, migraines, or brain fog
Feel stuck in cycles of emotional or physical overwhelm
Even if your trauma isn't recent or your symptoms seem purely physical, your nervous system could be signaling unresolved stress. EMDR and neurofeedback therapy offer ways to address the root cause without the side effects of medications or invasive procedures.
Final thoughts: Your brain remembers, but it can also recover
Healing from trauma isn't just about managing symptoms; it's about helping the brain and body return to a state of balance. At Authentic Brain Solutions, we utilize advanced, science-backed therapies to help individuals regain their sense of self. EMDR and IASIS Microcurrent Neurofeedback are powerful tools that enable your brain to function more effectively, with clients reporting improved daily functioning.
If you're ready to explore how trauma may be affecting your physical health and what you can do about it, we invite you to reach out.
Visit Authentic Brain Solutions to learn more about Eileen Borski, LPC, and her transformative approach to mental health and brain wellness. She can help you discover your unique path forward. Reach out today. Hope and help are closer than you think.
Eileen Borski’s Interview with Brainz Magazine, Check it out
Read more from Eileen Borski
Eileen Borski, Therapist
Eileen Borski is a highly specialized mental health provider focused on modern, evidence-based interventions to improve brain function. Neuro-counseling techniques focus on resetting overstimulated areas of the brain and promoting metabolic clearance in the brain. She is the owner and founder of Authentic Brain Solutions, providing licensed professional mental health care in person in Montgomery, Texas, and virtually in Texas, Florida, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
References:
Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Third Edition: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures. Guilford Press.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
American Psychological Association. (2022). Understanding the impact of trauma on health.
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). (2023). Research on EMDR Therapy.
National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM). (2021). How Trauma Affects the Nervous System.
