Traumatic experience does not stay only in memory — it reorganizes the nervous system, alters stress hormone rhythms, reshapes posture and breath, and can be held in the body long after the events have passed. Somatic approaches to trauma — including sensorimotor therapy, EMDR, yoga, and body-based mindfulness — work directly with this physical residue rather than only the narrative. Healing trauma often requires attending to the body alongside, or even before, the story.
Each step builds on the last.