“Who Has My Back?” The Body’s Hidden Vocabulary
Over time, trauma can show up in places we think of as unrelated - until we really listen. Other cultures are often better than we are at tuning in to these relationships, but when we are truly listening the body will tell us a LOT. Here are just a few body-based metaphors that aren't just poetic - they’re physiologically real:
"Carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders":
Chronic shoulder and neck tension often comes from chronic guarding - trying to hold everything together, especially in times of emotional overload."Heartbreak":
The chest caves in, the sternum collapses slightly. It’s a holding pattern that, over time, can become structural. We subconsciously protect the heart when we’ve been emotionally wounded."Gut punch":
Betrayal can trigger nausea, abdominal tension, IBS-like symptoms, or appetite changes. The enteric nervous system - the “second brain” in your gut - has a direct line to your emotional state."No one has my back":
The upper and mid-back muscles often overwork when we feel unsupported - literally or metaphorically. The spine is a huge center for carrying you, and feeling this way over a long period can leave it vulnerable."Losing your voice":
The throat tightens. The jaw clenches. Mouth, lip and dental issues pop up. The vagus nerve, which travels through the throat, is often disrupted in trauma states - impacting both vocal expression and digestion."Can’t move forward":
Hips and knees can feel stiff or painful when fear or self-doubt lingers over time. The body physically resists stepping into unknowns when the nervous system perceives danger."Walking on eggshells":
Ankles and feet can hold tension related to instability or hypervigilance - ready to flee or brace at any moment."Splitting headache":
Emotional pressure, especially when repressed, often builds into chronic tension or migraine patterns.
And this is just the “container” of the body!
Our body’s organs hold emotion and trauma as well (more to come on this!).
What This Means for Healing
If you’ve ever felt isolated in your physical pain - like it didn’t “make sense” or doctors couldn’t find a clear cause - you’re not alone. What’s missing from most medical conversations is this critical piece:
The body remembers what the mind tries to forget.
That doesn’t mean healing is out of reach. In fact, it’s the opposite.
When we begin to treat the body as the wise informer that is with us to help get through life - not just a container for pain - we open up new possibilities for healing. Gentle movement, nervous system regulation, breathwork, and safe therapeutic touch can help the body unwind old patterns and begin to feel safe again.
This is the foundation of my work through Embodied Betrayal Healing. This is a space to reconnect with your body, tune in to the “why’s”, rewrite the narrative of fear, and slowly rebuild trust in yourself.
One breath at a time.
One movement at a time.
You don’t have to carry it all alone.