Reawakening the Body: How Somatic Work Supports Neurodivergent Nervous Systems

For so many neurodivergent people, tuning into the body can feel like tuning into chaos. Sensory overload, emotional flooding, and a lifetime of being told we’re "too much" or "not enough" often lead us to one survival strategy: disconnecting.

We learn to dull our interoception—the ability to sense what’s happening inside us. We suppress hunger cues, ignore exhaustion, push through discomfort, and numb out emotions because feeling them fully has never felt safe.

But here’s the thing: when we shut down our ability to sense pain, we also shut down our ability to sense pleasure, joy, and safety. Somatic work is the process of slowly, carefully turning those signals back on—relearning how to feel. And with that awakening often comes an initial wave of discomfort, old trauma, and deep emotional release.

This isn’t a sign that something is wrong. It’s a sign that your nervous system is waking up.

The Nervous System & Interoception: Why We Shut Down

For many neurodivergent folks, the body has never felt like a safe place to be. When the world overwhelms us—through sensory overload, social rejection, trauma, or chronic stress—our nervous system adapts. It learns that feeling everything is too much, so it turns down the volume.

The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

Our autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for regulating our stress responses. It has three main states:

1️⃣ Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight/Flight) – When we feel unsafe or overwhelmed, our body gears up for survival. We might feel anxious, restless, or hypervigilant.

2️⃣ Parasympathetic Nervous System (Rest/Digest) – This is where healing, digestion, and regulation happen. Ideally, we cycle back to this state after stress.

3️⃣ Dorsal Vagal Shutdown (Freeze/Fawn) – When stress becomes too much for too long, the body shuts down to protect us. This can feel like exhaustion, dissociation, numbness, or emotional flatness.

Many neurodivergent people experience chronic dysregulation—where the nervous system is stuck in high alert (fight/flight) or deep shutdown (freeze). Over time, the brain learns that disconnecting is the only way to cope, leading to dulled interoception.

Turning It Back On: The Somatic Healing Process

Somatic work—body-based healing—guides us back into connection. It helps us feel safe in our bodies again, one small step at a time. But here’s the part no one talks about:

When we start reconnecting to our body, all the emotions, memories, and sensations we’ve buried can come rushing back.

Suddenly, you might feel:
⚡ Overwhelmed by emotions – Grief, anger, or sadness bubbling up out of nowhere.
⚡ Restless or anxious – A deep discomfort, like something is shifting inside you.
⚡ More aware of pain & tension – Noticing aches, tightness, or fatigue you’ve ignored for years.
⚡ Like you want to stop – The urge to shut it all down again because it’s too much.

This is normal. This is your nervous system processing. The key is to go slowly—to build safety inside yourself as you reawaken.

How to Gently Reconnect with Your Body

💡 Step 1: Start with Curiosity, Not Force
Instead of pushing yourself to "feel everything," try gentle noticing. Ask yourself:

• What sensations are present right now?

• Is there one place in my body that feels neutral or okay?

• Can I breathe into that space for a moment?

💡 Step 2: Find Anchors of Safety
When feelings start surfacing, grounding techniques can help stabilize you:

• 🌿 Touch something solid – Press your hands against a surface and feel its texture.

• 🎵 Hum or sing – The vibration soothes the nervous system.

• 🚶‍♀️ Move gently – Rock, sway, or stretch to release tension.

💡 Step 3: Work with the Edges
You don’t have to dive into deep emotions all at once. Instead, approach them like dipping a toe in the water—just enough to feel, but not enough to overwhelm. If something feels like too much, step back and return to grounding.

💡 Step 4: Validate the Process
When old emotions or discomfort arise, remind yourself:
✔️ This is my body processing safely.
✔️ I am allowed to feel at my own pace.
✔️ There is no rush to "fix"—just space to be.

Why Somatic Work Is Essential for Neurodivergent Nervous Systems

Neurodivergent brains often have heightened or suppressed nervous system responses due to sensory sensitivity, trauma, or chronic stress. Somatic work helps by:

🔹 Restoring interoception – Teaching the body to recognize and respond to signals again.
🔹 Regulating the ANS – Moving out of chronic fight/flight/freeze into a more flexible nervous system.
🔹 Building body trust – Instead of fearing sensations, we learn they are messages, not threats.
🔹 Processing emotions safely – Releasing stored stress without overwhelm.

Coming Home to Yourself

Reconnecting with your body isn’t just about regulation—it’s about coming home. It’s about reclaiming the parts of yourself that were shut down, not by choice, but by necessity.

Yes, there will be moments of discomfort. Yes, old wounds might surface. But beneath it all, there is you—whole, present, and finally, safe inside yourself.

And that? That’s freedom.

✨ What helps you feel safe in your body?

Let’s share and support each other in the comments. 💙