Your Body Isn’t Fighting You, It’s Protecting You: The Hidden Pauses in Trauma Therapy and Healing
- Wylie Abramyk
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Healing is rarely a straight line. Even when things seem to be moving forward, your body sometimes says, “I’m not ready yet.” These pauses are not setbacks. They are signs that your nervous system is working to protect you.
In trauma therapy, pauses often appear when the nervous system is working hard to protect you, even when you feel ready to move forward.
These moments can feel confusing, especially if you’ve been consistent in your therapy, your self-care, or your emotional work. But the truth is that these slowdowns are often indicators that something deeper is shifting beneath the surface.
The Subtle Ways Your Body Protects You
Imagine someone who begins therapy feeling ready for major changes. They show up every week, stay present, and push themselves to grow. Suddenly, they hit a wall. They feel tired, disconnected, or overwhelmed, even though nothing “big” has happened.
This is the body pulling the brakes.
Your system might be responding to:
A memory becoming more accessible
A trigger you didn’t fully register
Emotional exhaustion from recent work
Stress building in other areas of life
Your body notices these things long before your mind does.
Why Pausing Is Part of Healing
In therapy, especially trauma-focused work, the goal is not to push through discomfort at all costs.
It’s to build capacity.
Pauses allow you to:
Re-establish safety
Regulate your nervous system
Integrate emotional work you’ve already done
Prepare for the next layer of healing
Your body is not resisting healing. It’s pacing it.
This is especially true in trauma therapy approaches like EMDR, where your system naturally sets the pace of healing.
The Myth of Losing Progress
When healing slows down, many people worry that they’re slipping backward.
You’re not.
Just like physical strength builds during moments of rest, emotional growth consolidates during emotional pauses.
You are not losing progress.
You are absorbing it.
How to Honour the Pause
Instead of pushing harder, these questions can help you tune in:
What feels heavy or overwhelming right now?
What is my nervous system trying to protect me from?
Where do I feel tension or shutdown in my body?
What small act of care would support me today?
Sometimes the most therapeutic choice is to stop forcing movement and instead listen closely to what your system is asking for.
When the Pause Lifts
Eventually, the pause loosens.
You return to therapy with more capacity, more clarity, and often more emotional range than before.
You may notice:
Certain memories feel less sharp
You can stay grounded longer
Themes that once felt overwhelming now feel manageable
This is your nervous system advancing you only when it is safe.
Healing is not a battle to win.
It is a relationship to nurture.
Moving Forward With Trauma Therapy Support
At MindFluent Counselling & EMDR, we honour the natural rhythm of your nervous system. When your body needs space, we slow down with you. When you're ready to move ahead, we guide the process safely and intentionally.
Whether you’re navigating trauma therapy, starting EMDR, or simply trying to understand your emotional patterns, you don’t have to do it alone.
If you’re ready to explore this work at your own pace, we’re here to support you.
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