It is a powerful truth that we, as human beings, have a body-mind wisdom that is the key to our healing.

When we acknowledge our innate sense of self-awareness, we can thrive instead of suffer. Many times, we deny our thoughts, feelings, and stressful life circumstances because society teaches us from a very young age not to listen to ourselves and to push through instead. Feelings are messages that are experienced and held in the body. When we try to deny our feelings, and the messages they are communicating, or when we attempt to bypass them, we are only making our situation worse in the long run.

Have you heard the message “suck it up” or “man up”? Have you ever been asked the question at work or school, “Are you really feeling that badly? Can’t you just make it through the day?” Have you ever had a stomachache, only to realize later that you were feeling anxiety? This is real, this is a message asking you to pause and tend to your anxiety in order to release it and thrive, not to “suck it up” or try to bypass it.

The good news is that if we befriend our bodies, we allow for the body-mind wisdom that each of us has innately to help us heal and thrive. Talk therapy, in combination with EFT (Tapping) or EMDR, helps to work through, release, and re-pattern the distressing life event, feelings, or stored trauma that our bodies are so expertly trying to help us with. Your body is a gift ready and willing to hold more peace for you.

Jennifer Schaal, LCMHC, NCC