The body that remembers everything

Specialist CBT therapy for anxiety, OCD, depression and more in West London

Sometimes people describe a body that seems to react before they have found words for what is happening. They may notice tension, disrupted sleep, a racing heart, numbness, a startle response or an urge to withdraw. These experiences can be distressing. They can also have many possible explanations. A blog cannot decide that a bodily response is caused by trauma or explain an individual’s history. New, severe, changing or worrying physical symptoms should be discussed with an appropriate medical professional. Chest symptoms, breathlessness, fainting, pain, weakness, neurological changes or medication effects should not automatically be attributed to stress, anxiety or trauma. Medical assessment and psychological support can both be important. For some people, a difficult event or a period of threat may be relevant to the way they feel now. For others, current health, work, relationships, sleep, grief or another experience may be more central. Trauma aware assessment makes room for uncertainty, consent, safety and choice. It does not require someone to disclose a story before they feel ready. CBT may be considered after assessment where appropriate. It is not a self directed instruction to revisit memories, expose oneself to distressing material, force relaxation or push through physical symptoms. If behavioural or trauma focused work is clinically indicated, it is planned collaboratively with a qualified clinician, at an agreed pace and with attention to medical advice, stability and personal circumstances. The aim is not to promise that a body will stop reacting or that recovery follows a fixed path. It may be to build a more workable understanding of patterns, support choice and reduce the impact distress has on daily life. Progress can be uneven, and taking a pause can be part of safe care. It can be helpful to notice when sensations are stronger, what feels steadying and what makes daily life narrower. These are details for an assessment, not instructions to monitor the body constantly. A clinician can help decide whether a response is suitable and how to keep the work within a person’s window of safety, choice and stability over time, with care and patience. If distress comes with crisis, thoughts of self harm or an inability to keep safe, urgent appropriate help is needed. For related information, see <a href="/therapy/trauma/">trauma aware CBT support</a>, <a href="/guides/trauma ptsd cbt west london/">the trauma and PTSD clinical guide</a> and <a href="/guides/complex trauma cptsd cbt west london/">complex trauma support</a>. The Lyceum Clinic offers assessment led CBT online and in West London.