The Hidden Power of Pleasure in Trauma Healing
Many people come to therapy expecting to problem-solve or “fix” something. But in my somatic approach, we focus on reconditioning the nervous system, by expanding our “survival window” . This is so we can tolerate a wider range of emotions and explore deeper meaning in our identity and life purpose. Parts of us develop patterns to stay safe, even when those patterns are maladaptive.
Somatic therapy helps us move from survival-driven responses toward a more flexible and fluid nervous system, allowing us to experience not just life’s challenges, but also its nourishment.
Feeling good is not a luxury—it’s essential for healing.
Shifting out of ingrained survival patterns can feel challenging, especially when hyperarousal keeps the nervous system on high alert. Learning to experience positive sensations safely is a crucial part of healing. For people with CPTSD or anxiety around pleasure—where pain and pleasure can feel intertwined—the approach is often slow and gentle, beginning with building tolerance for bodily sensations before moving into relational experiences.
Here are 5 ways to help you shift
Reconnect with Nature: Engage your senses through the natural world. Feel soil beneath your fingers, inhale the scent of sprouting seedlings, or lie on the ground and watch the trees. These small acts nurture life and provide a sense of safety.
Move Your Body: Allow your body to move as it wants—through light walking, yoga, dance, or creative movement. Practices like Authentic Movement invite mindfulness of the subtle body, helping you re-engage with your internal sensations.
Give Your Nervous System Rest: Rest is more than sleep—it comes in many forms. Physical rest allows the body to recover; mental rest gives the brain a break; sensory rest reduces overstimulation; emotional rest provides space to process feelings; social rest nurtures recovery through supportive connections; creative rest sparks inspiration; and spiritual rest reconnects you to meaning and purpose.
Acknowledge Your Victories: Celebrate even small wins. Share them with a friend, jot them in a journal, or reflect on daily moments of delight. This practice isn’t just gratitude—it’s training your nervous system to tolerate and seek out joy.
Engage in Community Experiences: Safe and supportive social connections help the nervous system explore new experiences where you feel seen and heard. Co-creating validating spaces with others allows us to reimagine our identities as flexible rather than fixed.
Soma Social Justice Community
A free online space to deepen somatic practice, build community, and engage in social justice and climate action.Movement Meditations
Live, free online somatic movement lessons and Q&A sessions in a supportive environment.Out of the Storm
A FREE anonymous community for those with Complex PTSD from prolonged relational trauma.Trauma Survivors Network
Virtual Zoom support groups twice a month for survivors of physical trauma, with in-person options available.
Incorporating these practices into your life gradually can help widen your survival window, cultivate safety, and make space for joy, connection, and nourishment.