Beyond the Muscles: Understanding the Nervous System for Trauma Informed Manual and Movement Therapy
- Jessica Carlin
- Aug 1
- 4 min read
For many bodywork and movement therapists, the primary focus has traditionally been on muscles, bones, fascia, joints and biomechanics. While this anatomical understanding is crucial, a deeper layer of healing becomes accessible when we shift our attention to the master controller of the body: the nervous system. Understanding the nervous system in bodywork is not just an advanced concept; it is a fundamental paradigm shift that can transform your practice, leading to more profound and lasting results for your clients.
The Nervous System: Our Body's Command Center
The nervous system governs everything we do, from conscious movements to automatic bodily functions like breathing and digestion. It is also the seat of our emotional and psychological experiences. When it comes to bodywork and movement therapy, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is of particular interest. The ANS is responsible for regulating our internal state and responding to perceived and real threats and safety cues in our environment [1].
Key components of the ANS include:
• Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): The "fight or flight" response, mobilizing the body for action in the face of perceived danger.
• Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): The "rest and digest" response, promoting relaxation, recovery, and social engagement.
Trauma, chronic stress, and unresolved emotional experiences can lead to a dysregulated nervous system, where an individual becomes stuck in a state of hyper-arousal (anxiety, tension) or hypo-arousal (numbness, disconnection). This is where bodywork and movement therapy, informed by neuroscience, can play a powerful role.
Nervous System Regulation Techniques for Bodyworkers
As a bodyworker or movement therapist, you are uniquely positioned to help clients cultivate nervous system regulation. Your hands-on work and guided movements can provide the sensory input needed to shift the nervous system out of a state of defense and into a state of safety and connection. Here are some key nervous system regulation techniques for bodyworkers:
1 Cultivating Presence and Co-regulation: Your own regulated nervous system can act as a powerful anchor for your client. By maintaining a calm, grounded presence, you create a safe relational field that invites your client's nervous system to co-regulate with yours.
2 Gentle, Mindful Touch: Slow, deliberate, and mindful touch can be deeply soothing to the nervous system. It communicates safety and care, helping to down-regulate the sympathetic nervous system when appropriate. Likewise, mindful increased pace, pressure and movement can encourage safely becoming more present when a client has been stuck in hypoarousal.
3 Breath Awareness: The breath is a direct gateway to the nervous system. Gently guiding clients to notice their breath, without forcing any particular pattern, can help clients to feel more present and embodied.
4 Somatic Tracking (Interoception): Encouraging clients to notice and describe their internal bodily sensations (e.g., warmth, tingling, pressure) enhances their interoceptive awareness. This practice helps them reconnect with their bodies and build resilience.
5 Pendulation and Titration: These are advanced techniques, taught in Somatic Experiencing™ and trauma-informed massage, manual and movement therapy online courses, that involve guiding clients to gently move between a state of activation and a state of settled rest, in small, manageable doses. This helps expand their window of tolerance and process stored traumatic energy.
The Role of Movement in Nervous System Regulation
Movement is a powerful tool for nervous system regulation. Trauma-informed movement therapy recognizes that movement can be used to release stored tension, complete defensive responses, and restore a sense of agency and empowerment. This can involve:
• Restorative movements: Gentle, supportive movements that promote relaxation and release.
• Expressive movements: Allowing the body to express emotions and stories through movement.
• Orienting movements: Guiding clients to orient to their environment through their senses, which can help them feel more present and grounded.
By integrating these principles, movement therapists can help clients move beyond rigid patterns and rediscover a sense of fluidity, resilience, and joy in their bodies.
Deepen Your Understanding with Online Training
For practitioners eager to delve deeper into this fascinating and vital area, specialized online training is an invaluable resource. Jessica Carlin RMT offers comprehensive online courses for manual therapists trauma that provide a solid foundation in the neuroscience of trauma and practical, hands-on techniques for working with the nervous system.
These courses are designed to help you:
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the nervous system in bodywork.
• Learn and practice effective nervous system regulation techniques for bodyworkers.
• Integrate principles of trauma-informed movement therapy into your practice.
• Build confidence in working with clients who have experienced trauma.
Conclusion
Moving beyond the muscles to embrace the nervous system is the next frontier in bodywork and movement therapy. By understanding the profound impact of the nervous system on our clients' well-being and learning to work with it skillfully and compassionately, we can unlock new levels of healing and transformation. This journey not only enhances our professional efficacy but also deepens our appreciation for the intricate and beautiful connection between mind, body, and spirit.
References
[1] Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.[2] Levine, P. A. (1997).Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books.
