At Rocky Mountain Flex Fitness, we know movement can support much more than physical strength. For some people, exercise can also become a way to reconnect with their bodies, build confidence, and develop a greater sense of agency.
We invited fellow member and Denver trauma therapist Alex Swales, LICSW, to share more about the connection between trauma, the nervous system, and movement, and how strength training can become a supportive part of the healing process.
When individuals experience trauma, abuse, or neglect, it can create a disconnection from their bodies, sense of agency and choice, and ability to feel connected to others. While trauma therapy can be an incredibly helpful part of healing, strength training and exercise can be a powerful complement to the therapeutic process.
To put it simply, trauma is an event or experience that disrupts or destroys one’s understanding of self, the world, or one’s relationships. Trauma can be an event that was too much and too fast for the nervous system to process. It can be an event that was too much for too long, or there may have been too little for too long, such as a lack of care, connection, and safety.
How trauma can affect us
Trauma can cause the following symptoms or adaptations:
- Few or no memories
- Shame and worthlessness
- Emotional overwhelm
- Insomnia
- Numbing
- Irritability
- Depression
- Self-destructive behavior
- Substance abuse and eating disorders
- Chronic pain
- Nightmares
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Suicidality and self-harm
And more.
These symptoms and adaptations can be incredibly painful and difficult for individuals to navigate. Trauma therapy is intended to address the many ways trauma impacts a person. Trauma therapy focuses on restoring the nervous system and supporting individuals in understanding how their traumatic experiences have impacted their thoughts, emotions, relationships, behaviors, and bodies.
As a somatic trauma therapist, I work consistently with individuals to reconnect with their bodies and restore agency, choice, and connection. Our nervous systems and bodies hold onto trauma and develop patterns to help us survive overwhelming experiences.
When I work with clients, we use mindfulness, movement, and slowing down to better understand the survival patterns that developed when the trauma occurred and whether those patterns still serve them today.
In working with the mind-body connection, I have found that strength training and movement can be powerful complements to healing from trauma.
Rebuilding a sense of safety and connection with the body
Trauma can interrupt our sense of safety and connection with our bodies. For some people, being in their body can even feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Strength training and movement can help someone rebuild a sense of safety and connection with the body. Intentional movement can invite someone to notice physical sensations, including uncomfortable ones, and practice being present with the body.
For individuals impacted by trauma, uncomfortable sensations like muscle activation, increased heart rate, increased breathing, and tension can all be distressing or even threatening. With strength training, these typical sensations are a normal part of intentionally moving and challenging the body.
This can support individuals in being present with their body while experiencing activating sensations without automatically interpreting them as danger.
Reconnecting with choice, boundaries, and agency
Strength training and movement can support individuals in reconnecting with their sense of choice, boundaries, and agency.
Trauma can impact our ability to experience choice, establish boundaries, or feel a sense of control over what happens to us.
Boundaries are a somatic practice. They help protect, contain, and set a framework for deepening our relationships with ourselves and others. Boundaries help support our autonomy.
Strength training can help build one’s internal sense of self because it requires mindfulness around posture, alignment, breath, and taking up space through movement.
Practicing nervous system regulation
Strength training and movement provide more opportunities to practice nervous system regulation.
Trauma can affect how our nervous system responds to stress and perceived threats. Fight, flight, and freeze are all important survival responses, but after trauma, people can sometimes find themselves stuck in these states.
Nervous system regulation is meant to help support individuals in moving through fight, flight, or freeze when those responses are necessary rather than remaining in a survival response while trying to navigate everyday life.
Exercise can be supportive in helping people process nervous system activation. Through movement, someone can notice the activation, determine whether they are safe, make choices about what their body needs, and eventually allow their system to settle.
Strength training and movement can help build one’s capacity to tolerate and move through different states of activation safely and with conscious awareness.
Supporting mood and stress regulation
As Elle Woods from Legally Blonde said, “Exercise gives you endorphins…” While she wasn’t talking about trauma therapy, she still had a good point.
Research has shown that regular physical activity supports stress regulation by promoting certain neurochemicals and pathways.
This does not mean that exercise “cures” trauma or that someone needs to work out in order to heal. Rather, movement can be one additional resource that supports the body and mind alongside therapy and other forms of care.
Feeling stronger in your body
Lastly, working out can help support individuals in feeling good in their bodies.
Building strength, noticing physical progress, learning new movements, and becoming more connected to what your body can do can all be meaningful experiences.
Even if exercise does not have a direct impact on someone’s trauma work, feeling stronger and more confident in your body can still be a valuable part of the process.
Growth & Connection support group
If you’re looking to continue healing and building your somatic awareness, my Growth & Connection Support Group may be a great fit for you.
In the group, we’ll focus on building community with others who have experienced trauma while developing a deeper understanding of how trauma has impacted us and exploring ways to support healing.
When: Wednesdays, beginning in October
Time: 6:30–8:00 pm MT
Where: 1221 S Clarkson St, Suite 222, Denver, CO 80210
Facilitators: Melissa Forrow and Alex Swales
Cost: $75 per session, $600 total for 8 weeks. Limited sliding-scale options and payment plans are available.
To schedule an intake and consultation, email growth.connection@proton.me.
For questions about the mind-body connection and healing from trauma, Alex can also be reached at alexswalestherapy@gmail.com.
One note from Alex: If you’re concerned about going to the same gym as your therapist and worried about running into me, due to confidentiality requirements, I will not acknowledge you unless you say hello first.
ABOUT
About Alex Swales, LICSW
Alex Swales, LICSW, is a trauma-informed psychotherapist and clinical supervisor who sees clients in person in Denver and virtually throughout Colorado, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.
Alex specializes in working with adults navigating trauma, sexual trauma, attachment, grief, and life transitions. Her approach integrates somatic therapy, including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness, and breathwork, with a focus on helping people reconnect with themselves, their bodies, and others.
A note from Rocky Mountain Flex Fitness
At Rocky Mountain Flex Fitness, we believe fitness can look different for everyone. Whether your goal is building strength, improving performance, supporting your overall health, or simply feeling more comfortable and capable in your body, movement can be a meaningful part of that process.
We appreciate Alex sharing her expertise with the RMFLEX community and providing another perspective on the many ways movement can support overall well-being.
