The Mind-Body Connection 8/30 How Emotions Get Trapped in the Body

Get the course: How to Process Your Emotions

The mind-body connection is powerful. When we have a strong emotion our body has a physical reaction, and emotions can seem trapped in our body when we have a chronic stress response. In this section, you’re going to learn how to improve your mental health by working with emotions in the body.

Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC, and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health.

About Me:
I’m Emma McAdam. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I have worked in various settings of change and growth since 2004. My experience includes juvenile corrections, adventure therapy programs, wilderness therapy programs, an eating disorder treatment center, a residential treatment center, and I currently work in an outpatient therapy clinic.

In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC
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[britannyify]

Our bodies truly believe all our thoughts to be true. We really need to be mindful of what we choose to think about ourselves and the world around us.

[MindVersusMisery]

As someone who suffers from GAD from time to time, here are some tips that I use to deal with my illness:
Strength training to relax my muscles. (Edit: And stretching thoroughly to keep tension from staying in the body)
Running/jogging to calm myself, get stress out of the system and improve sleep.
I go to sleep the same time every night at about 23:00 (11 P.M) and sleep for 7-8 hours.
I don't use light screens a couple of hours before going to bed, and I never use my phone in the bedroom. I always use the last hour to unwind before bed.
I drink decaff when I have coffee, especially later in the day.
I never drink alcohol to deal with my emotions. But sometimes I go out for beer and fun with friends. If I feel anxious, but still want to go out with friends, I drink non-alcoholic beer.
I seldomly eat junk food or processed foods, only like once a month (bad foods in excess trigger an anxious mood for me).
I eat a plant based diet, and keep my omega3:s high by eating lots of flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and an algae supplement 3 times a week. Complex carbs, plant proteins and unsaturated fats with additional fruits and veggies seem to do the trick for my mood.
I meditate for about 20 minutes a day; sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the day.
I make sure to surround myself with people that I can talk to about life, feelings and relationships. Most of my relationships are very meaningful to me, and gives me a lot of joy.

I do all the above mentioned things because they make me feel good. Sometimes I am less strict, but that always comes back to bite me, so I accept that my life needs to be somewhat structured around a healthy lifestyle for me to feel my best.

[veronicaveintimilla]

This is so true! When I starting taking care of my body by exercising and eating healthy I noticed my anxiety decreased

[Stephieandcheech]

Getting good sleep is not an easy solution. Some sleep issues are related to ptsd, and fixing that is deep, intense work that takes time.

[IM-uhtk]

Solutions shared in the video (start at 10:40, you have to learn to soothe your body because emotions act out physically):
1. Prioritise your sleep
2. Allow emotions to pass through your body rather than holding them up inside of you
3. Take a few long, steady, belly breaths
4. Focus on the area that feel tense and move it
5. Exercise
6. Nutrition
7. Yoga
8. Posture
9. Smiling
10. Progressive muscle relaxation

[johngrasso]

If it wasn’t for the gym I think I would have completely lost my mind years ago. Through these covid lockdowns I’ve had to find alternatives.
I hate it when people judge me & assume I’m arrogant or have a big ego. The gym & exercise is my personal form of meditation. When I walk through those gym doors all my troubles are left behind. This and music are my two main staples for warding off anxiety.
Best to everyone dealing with this.

[DominiqueFrancon]

Six years ago I found out my mother had terminal cancer. A week after that shock, I learned that my husband had been having multiple affairs. After my mother passed away 10 months later, I learned I had breast cancer. Given the incredible stress, shock, and grief from that time period, I am not surprised that I got breast cancer. My holistic doctor asked me “who’s been blocking your femininity?“ It was an interesting journey exploring my emotions in order to understand my cancer better. There is definitely a connection between emotions and physical health.

[megashredderofkate]

i definitely have a strong reaction to being angry or being tired.

[fahdsbiti]

I cannot thank you enough, all your videos have top quality content.
This video in particular helped me soothe myself after I thought i would just go crazy with stress.
May God bless you and help you on your journey, you are changing lives.
You have my deepest thanks and appreciations.

[joiemccumbeesr]

As a former Massage Therapist turned Addictions counselor, I can see all of this up close and personal. I share this info with my clients so that they can develop a different understanding about why they do and feel things. Great video.

[nettle_head]

I encountered the bodily experience of emotion when one I found one of our pregnant goats in the morning who had died in the night. At first I didn’t know what to feel but after a while my feet were numb and I was crying in place. The feeling of numbness from my feet up to my legs was most notable when waves of sadness washed thru my heart. Thanks for this video, I think your course is going to change the world.

[NeuralRetraining]

Wow I really need this! I can’t wait to come back and watch in 20 min. Releasing those trapped emotions has been an essential part of my healing. Healing vibes to everyone else here as well ❤️🌸☀️

[maryclebeau]

Massage helps me soooo much. I just had an hour massage and it really helped me feel better as well.!!!

[TeaandLaceJournals]

FINALLY. I’ve listened to so many coaches and thought leaders about top down approach. But as someone who is in chronic pain I’ve been waiting to learn the information about how my body and the pain affects my thinking:) it’s been so frustrating to try to ‘just’ change my thoughts when they’re coming from signals in my body. so I’m loving this new information!

[elainew]

So glad I found this video today, I am just beginning to explore trapped emotions and the physical manifestations in the body. I have fibromyalgia and believe this started after a traumatic event in the family which has not been processed at all, along with living with long term stress and fear and a lifetime of looking after others before myself. Thank you for putting these videos out for us :)

[trinityalps]

I had a therapy session once where I was able to recall my father hitting me with a rake and breaking the handle on my legs. I told the therapist about it and how it didn't hurt but the rake handle broke. After the session ended I couldn't walk, my legs hurt like I had been hit.... 30 years before.

[sans]

the research on how we feel emotions in our body is so interesting..i found it difficult to change how i think when im anxious so dealing with the bodily sensations is exciting..thank you for this keep up the good work .

[TheMiranana]

Lost 35 pounds because of nausea inhibiting me from eating…
Listening to this gives me hope of relief from anxiety/ depression…
It’s the first ‘therapy’ that actually ‘explains’ what is happening in my mind body connection.
I’m not crazy after all!

[kmw]

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - Frank Herbert, Dune

[JJ-yuog]

Thank you for helping all of society with this information-- the more healed people are, the safer the society. Violence begets violence. I cannot thank you enough.