Here at Talking-Sense.com, I love helping people make sense of how the subconscious holds onto stuff we don’t always talk about, notice, or even realise we’re still carrying. One of the most powerful — and often surprising — ways this shows up? Trauma. Not just the kind you remember with your head, but the kind your body holds onto long after the moment has passed. Sometimes you don’t even know it’s there… until it shows up as something else entirely.

In The Body Keeps the Score, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains this beautifully. Trauma doesn’t just affect your thoughts — it’s stored in your nervous system, your muscles, your gut. He links unprocessed trauma to all sorts of physical symptoms: migraines, IBS, asthma, autoimmune issues, chronic pain. The body remembers what the mind tries to forget.

From a hypnotherapy point of view, that makes total sense. The subconscious is like your inner hard drive. It stores patterns, memories, and beliefs — many formed before you could even talk. When trauma isn’t processed, it gets coded into the body as a “danger signal.” That’s why someone might overreact to a harmless comment or feel anxious for “no reason.” Your body’s not overreacting — it’s remembering.

This is especially important when we talk about ADHD. Emotional regulation can be tough when your nervous system is stuck in survival mode. Dr. Gabor Maté, in The Myth of Normal, suggests that what we label as “disorders” like ADHD can sometimes be the result of early emotional stress. That impulsivity, distraction, or inner restlessness? It might be a coping strategy — not a defect.

So how do we start healing? How do we stop carrying old pain in our bodies like invisible luggage?

1. Hypnotherapy
Working with the subconscious allows us to gently shift deep patterns. Hypnotherapy creates a sense of safety — and when the body feels safe, it can finally let go.

2. Mind-Body Connection
Breathwork, somatic therapy, yoga — anything that brings your awareness into your body helps you notice where trauma might be held. And when you can feel it, you can start to release it.

3. Emotional Regulation & Co-Regulation
Naming what you feel is powerful. Feeling it in a safe space — even more so. Being with someone calm (like a therapist or close friend) helps your nervous system borrow that calm and settle.

4. Compassion Over Criticism
You're not too much. You're not broken. ADHD, anxiety, trauma responses — these are survival strategies. Your body is doing its best to protect you. Speak to it kindly.

Yes, the body keeps the score. But with patience, curiosity, and the right support, it can also rewrite the story.

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