Coming Back to the Body After Trauma: A Gentle Return to Wholeness
In the wake of trauma, many people feel profoundly disconnected from their bodies. They may struggle with chronic tension, fatigue, or a numbness that makes it hard to be present or to feel safe. For others, physical symptoms like insomnia, gut issues, or panic seem to arise without warning or clear cause. But these aren’t signs that something is wrong with you. They’re signs that your body has been working hard to protect you.
At Stillpoint Therapy Collective and Be Well Berlin, we support clients in reconnecting with themselves—gently, respectfully, and at their own pace. Whether through somatic therapy, primary care, or trauma-informed psychiatric support, our goal is to help people feel safe in their own skin again.
Trauma, whether a single event or long-term exposure, can shake your sense of safety and self. It may shift the way you breathe, move, relate to others, or interpret your body’s signals.
“The ripple effects of trauma extend far beyond the mind,” says Ellen Ottman, LMFT, founder of Stillpoint Therapy Collective. “Trauma touches everything - how we see ourselves, how we show up in relationships, and how safe we feel in our own skin. Coming back to the body isn’t about quick fixes, it’s about slowly building trust with yourself again.”
Many of our clients across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other parts of California describe feeling:
These responses are often adaptive responses to stress and overwhelm, survival strategies that may simply be stuck in “on.”
Why Trauma Disconnects Us From the Body
Trauma, whether a single event or long-term exposure, can shake your sense of safety and self. It may shift the way you breathe, move, relate to others, or interpret your body’s signals.
“The ripple effects of trauma extend far beyond the mind,” says Ellen Ottman, LMFT, founder of Stillpoint Therapy Collective. “Trauma touches everything - how we see ourselves, how we show up in relationships, and how safe we feel in our own skin. Coming back to the body isn’t about quick fixes, it’s about slowly building trust with yourself again.”
Many of our clients across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and other parts of California describe feeling:
- Numb or dissociated, like they’re watching life happen rather than living it
- Chronically tense, especially in the jaw, shoulders, or stomach
- Caught in loops of panic or shutdown, without clear triggers
- Fatigued or in pain, with symptoms that don’t always show up on labs or scans
These responses are often adaptive responses to stress and overwhelm, survival strategies that may simply be stuck in “on.”
How the Body Carries Trauma
From a medical and somatic lens, trauma symptoms can appear as:
- Digestive issues (IBS, nausea)
- Sleep disturbances
- Chronic pain or muscle tightness
- Irregular breathing patterns
- Heightened startle reflex or anxiety
- Low energy or emotional numbing
Understanding these body-based signals with compassion is the first step toward healing.
Small Practices, Big Shifts: reconnecting with the Body
Healing after trauma is rarely a single breakthrough moment. Instead, it often unfolds in quiet, powerful ways—through presence, curiosity, and self-compassion.
Breath and Body Awareness
- Body scans help you gently notice physical sensation without judgment. Start with areas that feel safe.
- Grounding practices, like focusing on your feet or a familiar texture, can anchor you to the present.
- Breathwork regulates the nervous system and builds internal safety. Just a few minutes a day can help.
“You don’t have to do it all at once. You don’t have to feel everything right away,” says Ellen.
“The body carries so much wisdom. When we listen with curiosity and compassion, we create space for healing.”
Somatic + Medical Support for Trauma Recovery
We believe in integrative care, where both therapy and medical support honor the full picture of trauma recovery.
Stillpoint Therapy Collective
Relational. Somatic. Queer-Affirming. Founded by Ellen Ottman, LMFT, Stillpoint is a somatic and psychodynamic therapy practice offering virtual therapy throughout California.
Specialties include:
- Therapy for trauma, PTSD, CPTSD, and sexual trauma
- Gender & Sexuality Affirming Therapy
- Somatic Therapy, integrating the mind-body connection
- Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy and psychedelic integration
- Therapy for depression & anxiety
stillpoint-therapy.com
sptherapycollective@gmail.com
Be Well Berlin
Primary Care + Psychiatry-Informed Mental Health in California & Alaska
Be Well Berlin is a queer-owned, affirming practice based in West Hollywood, offering inclusive telehealth for LGBTQ+ individuals across California and Alaska, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and the Mat-Su Valley. Led by Isaac Berlin, FNP-C, the practice provides culturally competent, trauma-informed care for adults seeking integrated support for physical and mental health.
Specialties include:
sptherapycollective@gmail.com
Be Well Berlin
Primary Care + Psychiatry-Informed Mental Health in California & Alaska
Be Well Berlin is a queer-owned, affirming practice based in West Hollywood, offering inclusive telehealth for LGBTQ+ individuals across California and Alaska, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and the Mat-Su Valley. Led by Isaac Berlin, FNP-C, the practice provides culturally competent, trauma-informed care for adults seeking integrated support for physical and mental health.
Specialties include:
- Gender-affirming hormone therapy (estrogen, testosterone, nonbinary regimens)
- PrEP and DoxyPEP for HIV/STI prevention
- Men’s hormonal health and ED treatment
- Anxiety, trauma, depression, PTSD, and insomnia
- Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment
- Integrated psychotherapy + psychiatric medication management
- LGBTQIA+, kink, and counterculture mental health in Los Angeles
Isaac brings a primary care psychiatry lens to every visit—blending physical health, trauma-sensitive prescribing, and mind-body awareness into a single, affirming approach. bewellberlin.com
You Deserve Support That Honors Your Whole Self
If you’re navigating trauma, anxiety, or physical symptoms that don’t make sense on paper, you're not alone. Your body is speaking—and there are compassionate providers who can help you listen.
Whether you're seeking therapy, medical care, or both, we’re here to walk with you.
One step, one breath, one gentle reconnection at a time.
You Deserve Support That Honors Your Whole Self
If you’re navigating trauma, anxiety, or physical symptoms that don’t make sense on paper, you're not alone. Your body is speaking—and there are compassionate providers who can help you listen.
Whether you're seeking therapy, medical care, or both, we’re here to walk with you.
One step, one breath, one gentle reconnection at a time.