where Anxiety Lives in The body: What I Wish I Had KNown
I Wish someone would have told me
I share all of this because I wish I had known sooner.
I wish someone had told me that trauma and anxiety are deeply interwoven — creating strong, misunderstood emotions that are not signs of weakness, but signals of something deeper. Together, they are informational.
I wish someone had told me that the body remembers everything — and that each symptom is a story, waiting to be witnessed.
When I first began doing body scans during anxious moments, I noticed patterns.
My tension always showed up in the same places:
my hips, the right side of my abdomen, my chest, my jaw, and my neck.
The connection between what I carried physically and what I had not yet expressed emotionally was undeniable.
Now, when anxiety arises, I don’t ignore it.
I pause.
I listen.
I ask:
Where does this live in me right now?
What is it trying to say?
Is this moment the cause — or just the trigger?
And most importantly:
What does this part of my body need right now to feel safe, heard, and loved?
Today, I have tools to support myself — to care for the parts of me that still hold the wound.
And I would love to share them with you.
MY Body’s Messages: A Chakra-Based Reflection
Right Upper Quadrant Abdominal Pain – The Liver
Dis-ease: Persistent, undiagnosed pain.
Energetic Root: The liver and gallbladder hold anger. Mine surfaced after remembering being raped by my husband — a punishment for laughing at a joke “a woman shouldn’t laugh at.” Shame silenced me. Anger burned beneath. That’s when the pain began.
Trigger: When tightness returns, I ask: What anger or shame am I stifling?
Chakra: Third (Solar Plexus)
IBS – Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Dis-ease: Lower left quadrant pain and diarrhea.
Energetic Root: Stress-induced IBS, linked to hormones. A doctor suggested anti-anxiety meds, which helped. But no one asked: What was I holding in my gut while trying to survive as a single mom?
Trigger: When digestion shifts, I ask: Am I feeling unsafe about the future? Stressed about money? Shame around support?
Chakras: First (Root) and Third (Solar Plexus)
Neck & Cervical Spine
Dis-ease: Left shoulder pain, numbness in arm.
Energetic Root: Diagnosed as a disc issue. But I knew it began when I used my body to block a garage door from an enraged spouse. His force jarred my neck. I stopped speaking up after that.
Trigger: When tension flares, I ask: What truth am I holding back?
Chakra: Fifth (Throat)
Left Hip Pain
Dis-ease: Chronic piriformis syndrome.
Energetic Root: Occupational strain, yes — but also emotional residue. Memories of abandonment and abuse surfaced during coaching. My hip let go in a session. Emotion. Memory. Energy. All stored there.
Trigger: I now ask: Am I hiding parts of myself again? Holding in creativity or emotion out of fear?
Chakra: Second (Sacral)
Chest Tightness and seasonal Astma
Dis-ease: Seasonal asthma, tightness while running.
Energetic Root: Pollen was the medical explanation. But sitting with it revealed mother grief. A deep longing for safety and tenderness I had never known.
Trigger: I ask: Am I feeling lonely, unseen, or unmothered?
Chakra: Fourth (Heart)
Jaw Tension
Dis-ease: Chronic jaw clenching, teeth grinding, dental issues.
Energetic Root: Clenching around my front teeth — the same ones I injured at 11, when my childhood trauma began. I held back truth in silence for years.
Trigger: When tension builds, I ask: What am I afraid to say?
Chakra: Fifth (Throat)
A Reflection Practice
The next time anxiety arises, stop, feel, try asking:
Where do I feel this in my body?
What chakra corresponds to that area?
What unmet need or unprocessed emotion might live there?
And then listen…Let your body lead you back to center.
Muscles of the Chakras
Working With the Body in My Healing Practice
In my work with women — especially those healing from anxiety and mother loss — we use trauma-informed tools to help you:
Calm the nervous system so you feel safe
Tune into where your body holds tension or pain
Use somatic, energetic, and breath-based practices to gently open those areas
Explore your birth chart as a mirror for your healing and purpose
Incorporate herbal support as a constant calming and nourishing tool
Your body knows.
It always has.
Sometimes, it just needs help translating the message.
Ready to Begin Your Journey?
If you're ready to shift from anxiety into insight — to reconnect with your body and your inner wisdom — I’d love to walk with you.
Explore my 1:1 sessions, workshops, group classes and healing tools:
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Other Healing Allies to Support Your Journey
Therapist - CBT tools and a deep understanding of emotions and psychological conditions. Holds a safe container for talk therapy and emotional release.
Somatic Therapist - Helps locate and gently release trauma stored in the body
Acupuncturist - Rebalances the energy meridians affected by emotional experiences
Astrologer - Offers personalized guidance and insight based on your unique birth chart
Master Guide or Mentor - Grounds you in your healing path and spiritual purpose
