Locus Counselling

17/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1aaN6FawtW/

14/04/2026

14/04/2026

Im@ages are courtesy of Centre of Excellence and J. Mike Fields

Trauma lives in the body. Pt 1.
Pt 2 to follow...

😶‍🌫️ Every emotion has a function and purpose and each is an integral part of our survival system.

Every emotion is hard wired into us and is intrinsic to our survival.

Each emotion communicates something to ourselves and to other people. How?

Each emotion has a corresponding signature, which is a physiological and neurological response. Different autonomic nervous systems are activated, different muscles, body temperatures, postures and non verbal subtle movements are activated.

Each emotion carries an action urge.
😡 = fight
😱 = flight
🥶 = freeze
🤮 = turn away
😳= hide
🥺= retreat

This is why physical ailments and pain can be an indication of emotions. Emotion states in the body and over time repeated activation (e.g. constantly being in hyper aroused states) can lead to longer term impacts on the brain and body.

😬 When we experience strong and distressing emotions as a result of witnessing or experiencing trauma or traumatic invalidation, different muscle groups and organs are activated.

🚪The way out of long term pain, distress and trauma reliving symptoms and hyper or hypo arousal is through the body.

🎭 To dissociate from distress we split off, shut down and disconnect from the bodily cues and clues that signal to us what emotions we are experiencing. Sensory information is left unprocessed and remains around within the body and shows up in body memories. Interoception is a skill that can help us to reconnect.

🤔 Do you experience certain emotions or bodily states throughout different times of the day?

🫡 Do you experience flashbacks in response to specific sensory experiences?

💪 We hold tension in various places within the body and they all correspond with shared common experiences and physiological responses and muscle groups within people all over the world.

🚶‍♂️Being aware of the body can be triggering for many trans and NB folk but also for survivors of medical and physical trauma and sexual abuse or assaults.

Many autistic and ND people struggle to connect with how emotions show up in the body but may find using imagery, colours and metaphors a helpful way to describe these changed nervous system states and experiences. Other people may also be able to witness how ND people's behaviour or body language change when experiencing different emotions.

👌 Learning to be embodied and emotionally present is integral to trauma recovery to begin again listening to and witnessing our bodies communicating subtle cues. It is possible to achieve this in a global way (e.g. not focusing exclusively on areas of the body that are triggering unless we chose to in therapy or somewhere else that is safe).

🦻The body keeps the score we just need to cultivate the space to listen and respond without judgement or pushing away.

14/04/2026

Images are courtesy of Centre of Excellence and J. Mike Fields

Trauma lives in the body. Pt 1.
Pt 2 to follow...

😶‍🌫️ Every emotion has a function and purpose and each is an integral part of our survival system.

Every emotion is hard wired into us and is intrinsic to our survival.

Each emotion communicates something to ourselves and to other people. How?

Each emotion has a corresponding signature, which is a physiological and neurological response. Different autonomic nervous systems are activated, different muscles, body temperatures, postures and non verbal subtle movements are activated.

Each emotion carries an action urge.
😡 = fight
😱 = flight
🥶 = freeze
🤮 = turn away
😳= hide
🥺= retreat

This is why physical ailments and pain can be an indication of emotions. Emotion states in the body and over time repeated activation (e.g. constantly being in hyper aroused states) can lead to longer term impacts on the brain and body.

😬 When we experience strong and distressing emotions as a result of witnessing or experiencing trauma or traumatic invalidation, different muscle groups and organs are activated.

🚪The way out of long term pain, distress and trauma reliving symptoms and hyper or hypo arousal is through the body.

🎭 To dissociate from distress we split off, shut down and disconnect from the bodily cues and clues that signal to us what emotions we are experiencing. Sensory information is left unprocessed and remains around within the body and shows up in body memories. Interception is a skill that can help us to reconnect.

🤔 Do you experience certain emotions or bodily states throughout different times of the day?

🫡 Do you experience flashbacks in response to specific sensory experiences?

💪 We hold tension in various places within the body and they all correspond with shared common experiences and physiological responses and muscle groups within people all over the world.

🚶‍♂️Being aware of the body can be triggering for many trans and NB folk but also for survivors of medical and physical trauma and sexual abuse or assaults.

Many autistic and ND people struggle to connect with how emotions show up in the body but may find using imagery, colours and metaphors a helpful way to describe these changed nervous system states and experiences. Other people may also be able to witness how ND people's behaviour or body language change when experiencing different emotions.

👌 Learning to be embodied and emotionally present is integral to trauma recovery to begin again listening to and witnessing our bodies communicating subtle cues. It is possible to achieve this in a global way (e.g. not focusing exclusively on areas of the body that are triggering unless we chose to in therapy or somewhere else that is safe).

🦻The body keeps the score we just need to cultivate the space to listen and respond without judgement or pushing away.

10/04/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DW6JNWEFXt3/?igsh=a2sybmloejBhbDkx

05/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CQq4RYtfp/

It is an insult to the extent of our suffering and to suggest that recovery is easy. It's not. It's the hardest thing we'll ever do. It requires all our strength and all our courage. The 'forcefulness' of our wanting to does not suggest that if we haven't recovered, it's because we don't want to (nothing could be further from the truth). It's simply acknowledging the gravity of trauma and how hard the recovery journey is to say that we have to want it, and want it, and want it, and keep wanting it, even when things are tough, even when things feel impossible, even when the fear overwhelms us. Recovery is HARD.

To find out more, listen to my podcast episode #7: ‘Can we heal?’ at https://www.carolynspring.com/podcast/how-can-we-heal/
where you can also find a full transcript.

Or search for 'Conversations with Carolyn Spring' on Audible, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

27/03/2026

🗣📣NEW BLOG POSTS📣🗣

We're always uploading new blog posts over on our website, there's a lot more like this wonderful TDOV blog post from our amazing team and members! 🏳‍🌈💖

🌐 www.SpaceYouthProject.co.uk/blog

27/03/2026

Want to create real change in trans healthcare?

Take part in the Trans, Non-Binary & Gender Diverse Adult PSP – a research project whose results will be used to direct where trans-related healthcare funding will go.

We want to know what kind of research you would like to see into transition-related healthcare. Fill in the short survey to let us know: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/KEBcynHLrW

27/03/2026

😫 This feels especially relevant for me today. It sometimes seems so much easier to block, hide and push emotion, memories and difficult experiences away. Staying with vulnerable emotions, needs and experiences is part of the process of reintegration. Allowing exiled parts to live and flourish again isn't possible without doing the deeper inner work.

🐇 Sometimes id much rather be an animal care assistant because as a therapist it isnt safe or ethical to avoid connecting with the darkness and inner ghosts. But connection with self is exactly what is taken pr disrupted in trauma. Through connection, feeling, owning and safely witnessing the pain of trauma we reconnect in a way that no one can ever take away again.

27/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1HuLRMqPMg/

Today's goody.

Credit: unknown

27/03/2026

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWN8H7cCHcI/?igsh=MTg2d2F6Z25wN3FmcA==