Unresolved trauma can lead to emotional breakdowns and even harm to oneself or others. Healing from historical trauma starts with intentional routines.
Daily body movement, breathwork, and emotional release practices like dancing, shaking, or tapping help manage stress. Don’t ignore your mental health—your body carries what your mind tries to forget.
Recently, a deeply tragic story shook many: a mother took the lives of her children before ending her own. It’s heartbreaking to imagine that the very person those children trusted for love, protection, and care could carry out such an act.
While we may never know the full story, this woman was likely overwhelmed, perhaps by stress, perhaps by unresolved trauma from her past.
What is certain is that we, as a society, are witnessing too many incidents where individuals break under emotional strain and hurt those they love, or themselves.
Another recent example is that of a journalist who served time for a domestic altercation that led to his wife’s death.
Upon his release, the public reaction was intense, with many wondering how tragedies of that scale could take place.
Often, those involved regret their actions. But by then, the damage is irreversible.
The Invisible Weight of Trauma
Life is inherently challenging.
Between financial pressure, relationship struggles, work stress, and societal demands, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
For many, these day-to-day stressors pile on top of old wounds, especially trauma from childhood or other formative years.
When these old emotional injuries are triggered, the response can be outsized and dangerous.
Unhealed trauma doesn’t just “go away.”
It lingers in the nervous system, buried in the subconscious, and can manifest later as emotional volatility, chronic anxiety, depression, or even physical illness.
Unless intentionally addressed, it can drive people to the edge.
Why Movement Matters
Animals instinctively shake themselves after experiencing fear or shock as it’s their natural way of releasing stress.
Humans, on the other hand, often suppress their emotions and stay physically still, even when overwhelmed.
This can be harmful.
One powerful yet simple way to maintain emotional balance is by intentionally moving your body throughout the day.
Not just ordinary movements like walking or climbing stairs—though those are helpful—but dynamic, varied movements designed to release built-up emotional energy.
Start with just 2 to 3 minutes of:
- Stretching
- Shaking or vibrating your body
- Patting or massaging yourself
- Dancing freely to music
Make it as routine as brushing your teeth or taking a shower.
You wouldn’t go 10 days without eating or cleaning yourself, and don’t go 10 days without releasing emotional tension from your body.
Daily Triggers Are Real
Every day situations can awaken buried emotional wounds:
- An argument with a partner
- Pressure at work
- Parenting stress
- Financial strain
- Being stuck in traffic or overwhelmed in a crowd
Without a release valve, these daily triggers accumulate and can lead to explosive or harmful reactions.
That’s why emotional hygiene must be practiced daily, just like physical hygiene.
Practical Tools to Try
Many accessible body-based healing techniques help regulate emotions and release trauma:
- Qigong is a gentle movement practice combining breath, posture, and meditation
- EFT tapping – Emotional Freedom Technique, which combines tapping on acupressure points with affirmations
- Yoga promotes emotional balance through breath and body awareness
- Free-form dancing allows unstructured movement to express emotions
Combining these with deep breathing helps calm your nervous system and promotes emotional resilience.
Understanding Trauma and the Body
If you’ve ever experienced trauma, especially in childhood, those memories are not just in your mind. They are stored in your body.
When triggered, your nervous system reacts as though the original trauma is happening again.
This is why something seemingly small, like a tone of voice or a missed phone call, can trigger an intense emotional response.
To better understand this, consider reading “The Body Keeps the Score” by Bessel van der Kolk. It’s a profound exploration of how trauma lives in the body and how healing is possible.
The Cost of Neglecting Your Mental Health
Chronic stress and unresolved trauma can result in both emotional and physical symptoms:
- Headaches and migraines
- Muscle tension, especially around the neck and shoulders
- Sleep disturbances (insomnia)
- Digestive problems
- Chest pain or tightness
- High blood pressure or blood sugar
- Risk of stroke or heart attack during emotionally charged moments
We’ve all heard of people who suffer a heart attack or stroke after being triggered emotionally. These are not random events—they are signals that the body is overloaded with stress and unresolved emotion.
Do this and You Will Thank Me Later
Make it a priority to move your body daily, breathe deeply, and process your emotions.
Don’t allow negative energy to stagnate in your system; it could manifest in destructive ways or even shorten your life.
Healing from historical trauma is not just about therapy or medication; it’s about daily, conscious practices that help you stay grounded, resilient, and present.
You have the power to heal. Begin with your body.
