27:33 Lena: Miles, we've talked a lot about the psychological aspects of healing, but I'm curious about the physical side. I know trauma gets stored in the body—what does that actually mean, and how do people work with that?
27:46 Miles: This is such an important piece, Lena. The research shows that trauma literally lives in our bodies. When you're in an abusive situation, your nervous system is constantly activated—your muscles are tense, your breathing is shallow, your heart rate is elevated. Over time, these become ingrained patterns.
28:05 Lena: So even after someone leaves the abusive situation, their body might still be stuck in that hypervigilant state?
0:45 Miles: Exactly. And this can show up in all sorts of ways—chronic pain, digestive issues, sleep problems, panic attacks. Your body is still protecting you from danger that's no longer there.
28:24 Lena: That must be so frustrating. You've done the hard work of leaving, but your body hasn't gotten the memo that you're safe now.
28:31 Miles: Right, and this is where traditional talk therapy, while incredibly valuable, sometimes isn't enough on its own. You need approaches that work directly with the nervous system and help the body learn new patterns of safety and relaxation.
28:45 Lena: What kinds of approaches are we talking about?
28:47 Miles: Well, there are several different somatic therapies that have shown promise. Things like yoga, which combines movement, breath, and mindfulness. Or body-based therapies that help you develop awareness of physical sensations and learn to regulate your nervous system.
29:02 Lena: I've heard yoga can be really helpful for trauma survivors, but I've also heard it can sometimes be triggering. How do you navigate that?
29:10 Miles: That's a really important point. Any body-based work needs to be trauma-informed and go at the survivor's pace. The research shows that trauma-sensitive yoga, for example, emphasizes choice and agency. Students are encouraged to listen to their bodies and modify or skip poses that don't feel safe.
29:27 Lena: So it's about learning to trust your body's signals rather than pushing through discomfort the way you might have had to during the abuse.
0:45 Miles: Exactly. And this is revolutionary for many survivors who learned to disconnect from their bodies as a survival mechanism. Reconnecting with physical sensations—in a safe, controlled way—can be incredibly healing.
29:47 Lena: What does that reconnection process look like?
29:50 Miles: It might start with something as simple as noticing your feet on the ground or the feeling of air moving in and out of your lungs. The research shows that developing what's called "interoceptive awareness"—the ability to sense what's happening inside your body—is crucial for emotional regulation.
30:08 Lena: So you're literally learning to feel safe in your own skin again.
9:01 Miles: Beautiful way to put it. And what's amazing is that as people develop this body awareness, they often report feeling more grounded, more present, more able to handle difficult emotions without being overwhelmed.
30:25 Lena: It sounds like the body becomes an ally in healing rather than something that's working against you.
0:45 Miles: Exactly. And this connects to something we talked about earlier—the importance of agency and choice in recovery. When you can sense what's happening in your body and respond appropriately, you're taking back control in a very fundamental way.
30:45 Lena: What about things like massage or other touch-based therapies? I imagine that could be really complex for abuse survivors.
30:53 Miles: You're absolutely right. Touch can be incredibly healing, but it can also be triggering. The research shows that any touch-based therapy needs to be approached very carefully, with lots of communication and the survivor maintaining complete control over what happens.
31:08 Lena: So it's about reclaiming positive, healing touch experiences to counteract the harmful ones.
5:52 Miles: Right. And for some survivors, this might not feel safe for a long time, and that's completely okay. There are plenty of other somatic approaches that don't involve touch—breathwork, movement, even things like singing or humming that work with the vagus nerve.
31:30 Lena: The vagus nerve—can you explain what that is?
31:32 Miles: The vagus nerve is this amazing part of your nervous system that connects your brain to your heart, lungs, and digestive system. It's responsible for your "rest and digest" response—the opposite of fight or flight. When it's functioning well, you feel calm, connected, and able to engage socially.
31:49 Lena: And trauma affects this nerve?
0:45 Miles: Exactly. Chronic stress and trauma can dysregulate the vagus nerve, leaving you stuck in that hypervigilant state we talked about. But the good news is that there are simple practices that can help tone and strengthen it.
32:04 Lena: Like what?
32:05 Miles: Deep breathing, humming, gargling, cold water on your face—these all stimulate the vagus nerve and help activate your relaxation response. The research shows that regular practice of these techniques can literally help rewire your nervous system.
32:19 Lena: So you're giving your body concrete tools to shift out of that trauma response and into a state of safety.
0:45 Miles: Exactly. And what's powerful about these somatic approaches is that they're often accessible and empowering. You don't need special equipment or a therapist present. You can use your breath, your movement, your voice to help regulate your own nervous system.
32:41 Lena: That sense of agency seems to come up over and over again in our conversation about healing.
32:46 Miles: It really does. And I think that makes sense when you consider that abuse is fundamentally about taking away someone's agency and control. Healing involves reclaiming that power in all its forms—psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual.
33:01 Lena: It's like every aspect of recovery is about coming home to yourself in some way.