“I Don’t Really Feel Things in My Body—I Just Think About Them”
Jordan was articulate, insightful, emotionally intelligent.
But every time their therapist asked,
“Where do you feel that in your body?”
They’d respond with: “I don’t know. I just think I feel it.”
They weren’t numb. They were just… floating.
Constantly in their head
Zoned out during conversations
Startled by their own heartbeat
Unsure what hunger, anger, or sadness felt like physically
It wasn’t laziness. It was disconnection.
They Didn’t Know They Were Dissociating—Until It Was Named
Jordan assumed everyone felt that way.
Until their therapist gently said:
“It sounds like you might be dissociating from your body.”
Jordan blinked.
“But I’m not traumatized. I’m just stressed.”
That’s when they learned: You don’t have to survive a major trauma to leave your body. You just have to stop feeling safe in it.
Where the Disconnection Started
For Jordan, it began in childhood:
Feelings weren’t welcomed
Body-related topics were taboo or shamed
Expressing discomfort was “being dramatic”
Emotional sensitivity was punished, not nurtured
So they learned:
Stay neutral
Stay quiet
Stay in your head
Don’t need anything
It wasn’t rebellion. It was adaptation.
The Turning Point Came in Complete Stillness
One session, their therapist invited them to pause:
“Let’s not talk about the sadness—just breathe into it.”
Jordan panicked.
Wanted to fill the space. Make a joke. Change the subject.
But they stayed.
One breath.
One heartbeat.
One slow drop back into their chest.
And then came the whisper:
“Oh. There I am.”
What Healing Looked Like (Hint: It Wasn’t Intellectual)
Therapy didn’t give Jordan a strategy. It gave them presence.
They began to:
Feel heat, tightness, tension—and name it
Say “I don’t know what I feel, but I’m here”
Place a hand on their own chest in moments of stress
Cry without explaining why
Dance, rest, breathe—without performing
They weren’t mastering their body.
They were meeting it—for the first time.
The Sentence That Anchored It All
After a particularly embodied session, their therapist said:
“Your body isn’t the problem. It’s the place the pain lives—and also the place where healing begins.”
Jordan started crying. Not from sadness. From returning.
If You Feel Disconnected From Your Body—You’re Not Alone
You might:
Get headaches, stomach pain, or tension but “push through”
Avoid mirrors or touch
Feel awkward in rest or stillness
Constantly “zone out” when emotions arise
Experience anxiety that has no name—but all the weight
You’re not dramatic. You’re not broken.
You’re just carrying too much—and your body learned to survive by going silent.
➡️ Therapy helps you listen again. Come home to yourself.
FAQs About Somatic Disconnection and Therapy
Q: Can I reconnect with my body even if I’ve been disconnected for years?
Yes. It’s never too late. Healing can begin gently, at your own pace, with the right support.
Q: What if being in my body feels scary?
That’s a valid response. Therapy helps you build safety in tiny steps—not all at once.
Q: Do I need somatic therapy for this?
Not necessarily. Even traditional talk therapy can incorporate body awareness in gentle, powerful ways.
Q: What are signs I’m starting to reconnect?
You might notice emotion rising before a thought. Or you feel grounded instead of dissociated. Or you breathe deeper without forcing it.
Conclusion
You are not a brain on a stick.
You are not just a thinker or a fixer.
You are a body. A breath. A pulse.
Your body has waited patiently for your return.
Not to punish you—but to welcome you back.
➡️ Let’s walk you home—one gentle step at a time. Start here.
