22/09/2025
The Psoas, Highly Sensitive People &KCR: Unlocking the Body’s Deepest Tension
Hugh Gilbert wrote about this May 2016, this is just my take on the psoas.
Many people have never heard of the psoas muscle, yet it quietly shapes how we move, feel, and even process our emotions. For highly sensitive people — and especially for those who have lived through trauma — the psoas can be both a messenger and a container for deep tension.
Let’s explore how this remarkable muscle works, why it matters, and how Kinetic Chain Release (KCR) can bring it back into balance.
The Psoas: The “Muscle of the Soul”
The psoas is a deep core muscle that connects the spine to the legs, running through the pelvis. More than just a muscle of movement, it’s intimately linked to the fight–flight–freeze response.
In moments of stress or danger, the psoas tightens to protect us.
In trauma, the psoas can stay locked long after the event has passed.
A tight psoas often shows up as back pain, hip restriction, digestive issues, fatigue, or anxiety.
No wonder some traditions call it the “muscle of the soul” — it holds our unspoken stories.
Highly Sensitive People & the Psoas
Highly sensitive people (HSPs) experience the world more intensely — their nervous system picks up on subtleties that others might miss.
This heightened sensitivity, however, means the psoas is often working overtime:
Absorbing stress from the environment.
Holding emotional energy that doesn’t even belong to them.
Staying on high alert, leaving the body restless and uneasy.
When the psoas releases, HSPs often describe feeling grounded, safe, and finally at home in their own body.
For HSPs and those with trauma, this is especially powerful. KCR provides a safe container for the body to release what it’s been holding for far too long.
Closing Thought
The psoas is more than a muscle — it’s a bridge between body and soul, between past experiences and present safety.
When it softens, we don’t just move more freely — we feel more alive, more connected, and more at p
