Chronic Pain

Trauma occurs when our survival instincts — the flight, flight, freeze, collapse responses — stay stuck in the body. 

In the context of chronic pain, the freeze response is particularly of interest. Freeze is activated when the body has attempted fight or flight but the threat persists. As a result, the body activates the freeze response, which acts like a handbrake on the fight and flight and freezes the body in place.

After the traumatic event has passed, this freeze response can stay stuck within, keeping us stuck in this freeze state. Within this freeze state, our tissue is in conflict: the fight or flight energy is seeking motion and the freeze energy is keeping it trapped. This results in compulsive physical tension, tension which generates chronic pain. 

Resolving chronic pain involves releasing the stuck survival energy from the body. Our survival instincts have a natural completion cycle. When they are stuck, it is because they are waiting for us to provide them with the conditions they need to complete themselves and discharge. 

As we work with the body, we learn to provide these conditions, allowing the stuck freeze response to “thaw”, and the stuck fight or flight response to release. As this energy discharges from the body, layer by layer, it lessens the internal tension and softens the pain.

Pain also carries information with it. It is a signal sent by our body asking for our attention. As we release the stored trauma from the body at the root of the chronic pain, we gain insights about ourselves and our pain. Insights that can help us make positive changes to our lives.