Trauma has a unique way of leaving its imprint—not just in our memories or emotions, but in the very fibers of our being. It can make our bodies feel unfamiliar, unsafe, or even like hostile territory. Many who’ve endured physical or emotional trauma often report feeling numb, disconnected, or as if they’re floating outside themselves. But healing, while deeply personal and nonlinear, often begins with one essential step: returning to the body.

This journey—what therapist and author Deidra Fay calls “becoming safely embodied”—isn’t about forgetting what happened. It’s about learning how to live within yourself again, to reclaim your body as a place of peace rather than pain.

The Disconnection Trauma Creates

When trauma strikes, our bodies often react instinctively to protect us. We might freeze, dissociate, or go emotionally numb. These survival mechanisms are valid and necessary in the moment—but when they linger, they can sever the natural relationship we once had with ourselves.

In these moments, it’s easy to feel betrayed by your own body. You may feel like a stranger in your skin, unsure how to feel, how to move, or how to simply be. It’s in these spaces of disconnection where becoming safely embodied becomes a powerful framework for healing.

What Does It Mean to Become Safely Embodied?

To become safely embodied means to re-establish trust with your body—to inhabit it fully and gently, without fear. It’s about cultivating an inner environment where safety, presence, and compassion can grow.

Therapeutic approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS) suggest that when we peel away the many “parts” that trauma fragments us into—fearful parts, angry parts, numb parts—we are left with our core self. But sometimes trauma hides that self so deeply that it takes patience and practice to find our way back.

And that’s where embodiment practices come in.

Rebuilding Through the Five Doorways of the Body

Deidra Fay describes five doorways through which we can begin reconnecting with ourselves. These aren’t mystical concepts, but practical pathways for healing, grounded in psychology, yoga, and mindfulness.

1. The Physical Body (Sensations)

The first step in embodiment is simply feeling again. That might mean noticing where your body holds tension or where it feels relaxed. Sensations are the body’s language—and listening to them without judgment is the first step toward building trust.

2. The Emotional Body (Emotions)

Once the body feels slightly safer, emotions can begin to emerge. The emotional body is about letting yourself feel, even if the feelings are overwhelming. With the right tools—like self-regulation strategies and therapeutic support—these emotions can be processed rather than feared.

3. The Energy Body (Spiritual Connection)

This layer is about connecting to something greater, whether that’s through breathwork, meditation, prayer, or nature. It’s not about religion necessarily—it’s about grounding yourself in a source of support and meaning that transcends the trauma.

4. The Wisdom Body (Insight and Understanding)

As you begin to feel and process, clarity starts to return. You can begin to see patterns, understand what happened, and integrate the lessons into your life. This isn’t intellectualization—it’s about accessing the quiet, clear knowing that lives beneath the pain.

5. The Bliss Body (Wholeness and Peace)

The final doorway isn’t about surface-level happiness. It’s about a deep sense of well-being that comes when all the parts of you are in alignment. This is the state where boundaries between you and the world soften, and you begin to feel at home in yourself again.

Trusting the Inner Path

Healing from trauma doesn’t follow a straight path. There are setbacks, stumbles, and periods of doubt. But as Fay emphasizes, the only right way is your way. When we trust our inner wisdom, even mistakes become part of the healing journey.

It’s much like a toddler learning to walk—they fall, they get up, they try again. We don’t tell them they’re failing—we celebrate their determination. Adults healing from trauma deserve the same grace.

Unfortunately, many of us were conditioned to believe mistakes are shameful. That if we just “do everything right,” we won’t suffer. Trauma turns that belief inside out, often making us terrified to err—because for many, mistakes once had serious consequences. But as we reconnect with our bodies and reclaim our sense of self, we begin to reframe mistakes not as failures, but as teachers.

The Importance of Support

Embodiment work can feel like stepping into the unknown. That’s why it’s vital to have support—whether from a trauma-informed therapist, a trusted community, or gentle practices like yoga, breathwork, or journaling. Healing in isolation is difficult. Connection—to ourselves, to others, and to something greater—creates the container for growth.

Public figures like Sha’carri Richardson, who openly committed to learning, making mistakes, and rising stronger, remind us that transformation is possible when we approach ourselves with patience and curiosity.

You Are Not Defined by Your Trauma

Ultimately, trauma may be a part of your story, but it is not your identity. Becoming safely embodied invites you to remember who you were before the trauma—and who you can become beyond it. It’s not a quick fix. It’s a lifelong practice of returning, again and again, to the truth that your body is not the enemy. It is your ally, your home, your guide.

So if you’re just starting out on this path, take heart. Reconnection may begin as a whisper, a breath, or a gentle sensation—but it grows. And with time, care, and courage, you can find your way back to yourself.