Healing Past Trauma, Part One

The Body is Our Story-Teller

by Cailin O'Hara, MAcOM, LAc, Dipl OM

​“…our bodies are the agents by which we exist in the world. They are also the receptacles of memories that, often vanished from our conscious awareness, are still deeply etched within our being. When those memories are triggered, we experience suffering at a highly existential level that transcends consciousness.” 

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Anyone that experiences anxiety, flashbacks or panic will tell you that their feelings are not only in their minds but also in their bodies.

A rapid heart rate, sweats, shakes, sensations of numbness or feeling like you're not actually in​ your body are all examples of this. When we experience any kind of trauma, whether it be shock, grief, abuse or a physical event (like a car accident), this creates a shock to our physical system. This abrupt stop can create holding patterns and stagnation in the body. ​

In effect, we hold our experiences in our being. 

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"Trauma victims cannot recover until they become familiar with and befriend the sensations in their bodies."
​-Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD

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I would argue that Chinese medicine is a somatic approach to healing on all levels- mind, body and spirit. The wisdom of this medicine transcends the study and compartmentalization of symptoms alone. Chinese medicine is holistic in the truest sense. It follows the laws of nature and takes everything into account- physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

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My Approach:
"Body-Centered Medicine"

I refer the to the work that I do as “body-centered medicine,” which means that I engage and harmonize the body in order to heal the whole being. I consider the body to be our greatest story-teller. It holds our stories and experiences. It tells of the past in how it moves and functions. I can perceive small imbalances in areas of the body that speak to deeper root causes. It can be an ache in the back that is actually more connected to a person’s stress at work. It can be a sensation of numbness that a person experiences that is actually a remnant of past trauma. It can be as obvious as arthritis that has set in deep within an ankle that was broken decades ago.

​On every level, our body tells our story.

When you don’t honor the power and innate intelligence of the body, you’re missing the point in providing medicine.

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In the medicine I practice, it’s the smallest adjustments that can make the greatest impacts. A subtle shift in posture lights up the mind-body connection and sends a ripple effect across all systems. Through literally and physically coming into alignment, everything has the potential to shift for the better. And the body is incredibly intelligent! It wants to be harmonious and well. It works tirelessly to achieve that state 100% of the time. Our symptoms, in fact, are often signs that our bodies are trying their very best to heal whatever imbalance exists.

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The Present Moment:
​The Only Place You Can Heal

When you work with the body, you come into the present moment. And it is here in this very moment that all the power to change and heal exists. When you stay lost in mental stories about why something is happening or how it happened and neglect to dial into the here and now and how it’s manifesting, change is less likely to occur.

Connecting with the body in order to heal the whole person has proven in my practice to be a deeply transformative way of healing.

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If I’m working with someone and they tell me they have “anxiety,” I ask them what that means to them and where they feel it in their bodies. I ask them to describe where it sits within them, how it moves, if it has a color. This is a powerful way to connect to emotions and feelings. It helps the person feeling them to become more of an observer of their experience instead of getting overwhelmed by it. More so, it brings them into the present moment, quiets their racing mind, and provides essential clues about where their feelings are affecting their physiology and physical body. I then use this to inform my diagnosis and treatment. ​

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​Have you tried to work through your anxiety or past traumatic experiences only to feel more anxious, triggered or retraumatized?

I understand how that feels. I know how frustrating and overwhelming the process of healing can be when you can’t find your way through your pain or symptoms. But I have also learned one of the most effective and powerful ways to treat the spectrum of anxiety, panic, grief and PTSD.

Stay tuned for the next article in the series where I will offer a more in-depth look at my experience, my approach and how I can help you.

part two: my approach

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Other Articles You May Like...

>> How Acupuncture Treats Anxiety 

>> Navigating the Dark Times of Life

>> FAQ Acupuncture + Anxiety

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Interested in working with Cailin?
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