The Concept
"The body keeps the score."
Before we had language, we had sensation. Early experiences of safety or danger are encoded in our nervous system, not our verbal memory.
Sometimes, anxiety is not about a current thought ("I will fail") but a somatic echo—a physical memory of being small, helpless, or alone. We try to solve this with our minds, but the problem is in the body.
1 Mapping the Echo
The Sensation
When you are anxious, what happens in your body? (e.g., cold hands, tight jaw, collapse in chest).
The Age
If this sensation had an age, how old does it feel? (e.g., "It feels like a terrified toddler").
The Turning Point
Bottom-Up Regulation
1. Speak to the Body
You cannot reason with a somatic echo. Instead, offer physical reassurance. Place a hand firmly on the part of your body that holds the tension. Say: "I've got you. You are safe now."
2. Complete the Movement
Trauma is often an incomplete fight/flight response. If you feel an urge to run (leg restlessness), stomp your feet. If you feel an urge to fight (jaw tension), push against a wall. Let the body finish what it started.