Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC
Holistic anxiety, attachment, and trauma therapist in Los Angeles.
trauma therapy los angeles
Is Your Body Holding Onto Trauma?
Trauma isn’t just something you “get over.” It’s sneaky. It lodges itself into your body, shows up in your sleep, your stress levels, and even in the way your stomach feels after a tough day. The reality is that these symptoms may actually be signs trauma is stored in the body
If you’ve been walking around LA feeling tense, disconnected, or just not yourself, your body might be holding onto trauma more than you realize.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to live this way forever. Somatic therapy is like a reset button for your nervous system. It helps you release all the stress and tension your body has been hoarding, even when you didn’t know it was there.
signs trauma is stored in the body
Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles Can Help
If you feel like your body might be holding onto trauma,, then somatic therapy in Los Angeles can help you feel safe, connected, and finally at ease in your own skin. If this hits close to home and you’re ready to stop carrying the weight of unresolved trauma, let’s talk. I’m here to guide you through a therapy experience that gets to the root of what’s been keeping you stuck.
Ready to release the trauma your body’s been holding onto? Somatic therapy in LA can help you reconnect, heal, and feel like yourself again. Let’s work together to free your mind and body from the weight of the past.
Book a free consultation today and start your healing journey with Cheryl Groskopf, LMFT, LPCC.
1. You’re Constantly on Edge (Fight or Flight Mode)
Does your body always feel like it’s ready for a fight—or like you’re waiting for the next bad thing to happen? That’s your nervous system stuck in fight or flight mode. Even when there’s no real threat, trauma can keep your body on high alert, making you feel jumpy, irritable, or just exhausted all the time.
How Somatic Therapy Helps Calm Your Nervous System
Somatic therapy works directly with your body to reset your nervous system. It teaches you grounding techniques and breathwork that signal to your brain that it’s finally safe to relax. Over time, this helps you step out of survival mode and feel more balanced and calm.
Quick Tip:
Try grounding yourself by pressing your feet firmly into the floor and focusing on the sensation. Combine this with a simple breathing exercise: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, and exhale for 6.
Work with a trauma therapist in la
2. Feeling Physically Tense All the Time
That tightness in your shoulders, neck, or jaw? It’s not just from sitting at your desk too long—it’s your body holding onto stress and trauma. Muscle tension often builds up as a protective response, but over time, it can lead to chronic pain and stiffness that doesn’t seem to go away.
Release Physical Tension with Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy helps you tune into your body’s signals and learn where you’re holding stress. Through practices like body scans and gentle movements, somatic therapy teaches you how to release the tension your body’s been holding onto. It’s about reconnecting with your body and giving it permission to relax.
How to Start Releasing Trauma From Your Body
Start a daily body scan: Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and mentally check in with each part of your body. Notice any areas of tightness and focus on softening those areas with your breath.
3. You Can’t Sleep Well
Restless nights? Waking up in the middle of the night with your heart racing? Or maybe you can’t fall asleep no matter how exhausted you feel. Trouble sleeping is one of the most common ways your body signals it’s holding onto trauma. When your nervous system is stuck in survival mode, your body literally can’t relax enough to fully rest.
Why Trauma Messes With Your Sleep
When you’re carrying unresolved trauma, your nervous system stays hyper-alert—even during sleep. This is why trauma survivors often experience insomnia, restless sleep, or vivid nightmares. Your body is stuck in “protect mode,” making it impossible to fully let go and recharge.
Pro Tip: Start a Nightly Wind-Down Routine
To calm your nervous system before bed, try a simple relaxation exercise: Dim the lights, focus on deep breathing, and do long exhales to release tension. Even just 10 minutes can help signal to your brain that it’s safe to rest.
If trauma is disrupting your sleep and leaving you drained, let’s work together to find relief. Somatic therapy offers a way to calm your nervous system and finally get the rest you need. Click here to book a free 15-minute phone consultation.
Regulate Your Nervous System with Somatic Therapy
4. Feeling Disconnected from Yourself
Ever feel like you’re walking through life on autopilot? Maybe you feel like you’re floating outside your body, disconnected from your emotions or even your sense of self. This disconnection is your body’s way of protecting you from pain, but it can leave you feeling numb, foggy, and detached from who you really are.
How Trauma Creates a Mind-Body Disconnec
Trauma pulls you out of the present moment as a survival mechanism. This “numbing out” helps protect you from overwhelming emotions, but over time, it can create a rift between your mind and body. Instead of feeling grounded and whole, you may feel distant, like you’re just going through the motions of life.
Tip: Practice Mindful Grounding
Reconnect with yourself by practicing mindful grounding. Try this: Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor, take a deep breath, and focus on how your body feels supported by the seat. Notice the textures around you, the sounds, and even the temperature of the air. This simple exercise can help bring you back to the present moment.
| Want to understand how trauma impacts your sense of self? Learn more about Trauma Therapy in Los Angeles.
5. Your Emotions Feel Overwhelming or Numb
It’s like your emotions are either flooding you all at once, or you’re completely shut down and can’t feel anything at all. Trauma messes with how your body processes emotions, leaving you swinging between overwhelm and emotional numbness. Both responses are your body’s way of protecting you—but they make life feel unmanageable.
Why Trauma Hijacks Your Emotional Responses
When trauma is unresolved, your nervous system gets stuck between two extremes: hyperarousal (feeling everything intensely) and hypoarousal (feeling nothing at all). These states are survival modes, designed to protect you, but they block your ability to process emotions in a healthy, balanced way.
How to Reconnect With Your Body & Emotions Safely
Start small. When you notice an intense emotion (or feel numb), try naming it. Use simple language like, “I’m feeling angry,” or “I’m feeling disconnected.” This helps your brain process the experience without overwhelming your system. Want to go a step further? Start tracking your emotions in a journal.
Heal Trauma In the Body with Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles
6. Unexplained Chronic Pain That Won’t Go Away
Does your back, neck, or jaw ache no matter what you try? Or maybe you have lingering pain that doctors can’t explain. Trauma often shows up as chronic pain in the body, especially when unprocessed emotions are involved. Your body is holding onto stress, and it’s letting you know loud and clear.
The Connection Between Trauma and Chronic Pain
When emotions aren’t processed, they can manifest as physical symptoms like pain or stiffness. This isn’t “all in your head”—it’s your body’s way of communicating that something deeper needs attention. Chronic pain caused by trauma isn’t just physical—it’s emotional, too.
Start by Listening to Your Body
Instead of ignoring the pain, tune into it. Ask yourself: What might my body be holding onto right now? Even a few moments of mindfulness can help you begin to release stored tension and emotion.
7. Digestive Issues or That "Weird" Feeling In Your Gut
Ever feel like your stomach twists into knots when you’re stressed—or like you can’t eat when you’re overwhelmed? That’s not just in your head—it’s the gut-brain connection at work. Your gut and brain are constantly chatting through the vagus nerve, which plays a massive role in regulating your nervous system. When trauma disrupts this communication, your gut often takes the hit.
Here’s how it works: When your body is stuck in survival mode, it redirects energy away from non-essential functions like digestion. Instead, it prioritizes “fight or flight” responses to keep you safe. Over time, this chronic state of hyper-alertness can leave your digestion out of sync, resulting in symptoms like:
- Persistent bloating, even when you’ve eaten something simple.
- Nausea or a sudden loss of appetite during stressful moments.
- Irregular bowel movements, like IBS symptoms that come and go unpredictably.
Example:
Let’s say you’ve just had a tough day at work. You might notice your stomach feels tight, or you lose interest in food even though you’re hungry. That’s your nervous system sending “danger” signals through the vagus nerve, keeping your gut on high alert instead of letting it function normally.
The Science of Why Trauma Hits Your Gut:
Trauma doesn’t just affect your mind—it creates physical changes in how your nervous system and gut interact. Research has shown that unresolved trauma can reduce vagal tone (how well your vagus nerve functions), keeping your gut in a stressed-out state. It’s why trauma survivors often feel like their stomach is “off,” no matter what they eat or how much they rest.
How Trauma Impacts the Gut-Brain Connection
Body-focused therapy works with your nervous system to calm these stress responses. Through body-focused practices like breathwork and grounding, it helps regulate your vagus nerve and bring your gut out of survival mode. This not only reduces physical symptoms like bloating or nausea but also helps you feel more at ease emotionally.
Calm Your Gut with Gentle Breathing
Try this simple vagus nerve activation exercise: Place one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Take a slow, deep breath, letting your stomach expand as you inhale. Hold for 4 seconds, then exhale fully while letting your stomach relax. Repeat for a few minutes to signal safety to your gut and brain.
Trauma Informed Care in Los Angeles
8. You Feel Like You’re Always on the Run
Does it feel like you’re constantly staying busy—avoiding stillness because it’s just too uncomfortable? Maybe you’re physically on the move, or maybe you’re mentally running, distracting yourself with work, social media, or anything that keeps you from slowing down. Trauma has a way of keeping your body and mind in overdrive, even when there’s nothing to run from.
Why Trauma Makes You Avoid Stillness
When you’ve experienced trauma, your body associates stillness with vulnerability. Keeping busy or distracted becomes a way to avoid uncomfortable emotions or memories that might surface if you slow down. This constant “running” is your nervous system’s attempt to protect you, but it comes at a cost—burnout, anxiety, and disconnection from yourself and others.
Start Small with Intentional Rest
Stillness can feel scary, but you don’t have to dive in headfirst. Try this: Spend just 2-3 minutes sitting quietly with your feet flat on the ground, focusing on your breath. Notice any resistance that comes up, but let yourself stay in the moment. Building comfort with stillness takes time, but it’s worth it. Still struggling? That’s ok. Start with incorporating rest into your routine. If you have a Sunday routine, for example, be sure to schedule in some time to rest.
9. Struggling with Intimacy and Trust
Does it feel like letting people get close is just too risky? Maybe your body tenses up at the thought of being vulnerable, or you find yourself putting up walls in relationships—even when you crave connection. Trauma often leaves its mark on intimacy and trust, making it hard to feel safe with others.
Why Trauma Impacts Your Relationships
Trauma doesn’t just live in the past—it shapes how you attach to others in the present. Your experiences might have influenced your attachment style, making it difficult to trust, open up, or feel secure in relationships. If you’ve faced rejection, betrayal, or inconsistency in the past, your body may instinctively guard against intimacy as a form of self-protection. While these attachment patterns are your body’s way of keeping you safe, they can also leave you feeling disconnected and alone.
How to Start Building Safe Relationships
Start by focusing on feeling safe in your own body. Practice grounding exercises like placing your hand over your heart and taking deep breaths. As you build trust within yourself, you’ll notice it becomes easier to create safety in your relationships. Working with a therapist trained in attachment therapy can help you heal these relational wounds and break free from the patterns that keep you stuck.
| Learn more about Attachment Therapy in Los Angeles and how it can help you rebuild trust in yourself and others.
somatic therapy to reduce trauma that is stored in the body
10. You React Strongly to Small Triggers
Small things that remind you of your trauma can set off a huge emotional reaction. These reactions aren’t always logical, but they’re your body’s way of protecting you.
Recognizing and Releasing Trauma Triggers
Somatic therapy helps you recognize your triggers and the physical reactions that come with them. By working through these reactions in therapy, you can begin to change how your body responds to stressors.
Reduce Trauma Triggers with Somatic Therapy in Los Angeles
Signs trauma is stored in the body: Heal with Somatic Therapy
Healing Your Body with Somatic Trauma Therapy in Los Angeles
Trauma leaves traces in your body—in the tension you carry, the restlessness in your mind, and the emotions that feel like too much (or not enough). From sleep issues to chronic pain to struggles with intimacy, your body might be holding onto more than you realize. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to carry it alone.
Somatic therapy and trauma therapy are designed to help you reconnect with your body, release stored stress, and finally feel safe and at ease. Whether it’s calming your nervous system, navigating attachment wounds, or addressing the physical toll of trauma, healing is possible—and you’re not stuck.
Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?
If you’re ready to stop feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or stuck, let’s work together. As a therapist specializing in trauma in Los Angeles, I’m here to guide you through a process of deep healing that truly lasts. Whether you’re in Echo Park, the Westside, or anywhere in between, I’m here to help you release trauma and reconnect with your body.
Contact me today to set up a consultation, and let’s take the first step toward feeling like yourself again.
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