When I was 16, my world transformed in two profound ways. I became a mother, and I began the journey of raising a child who—like me—experienced the world through a neurodivergent lens. Neither of us knew it then, but we were both autistic, navigating a world that wasn't designed for minds like ours. ## Two Space Cadets Finding Our Way They called me a "space cadet" long before I understood what it meant. Lost in thought, missing social cues, overwhelmed by sensory experiences others barely noticed—I lived in a different orbit from my peers. When my son came along, I recognized familiar patterns in him, though his autism expressed itself differently than mine. He was a bit less on the spectrum than me, but together, we formed our own constellation. What we lacked in traditional guidance, we made up for in understanding. When he couldn't bear the feel of certain fabrics, I didn't need an explanation. When I became overwhelmed in crowded spaces, he instinctively knew...
The Body Keeps the Score: Why Your Trauma Lives in Your Muscles, Not Just Your Mind
A deep dive into Dr. Bessel van der Kolk's groundbreaking work on trauma and healing
Okay, Space Cadets. Let's talk about something that fundamentally changed how I understand my own body, my trauma responses, and honestly? My entire healing journey.
The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk isn't just another self-help book. It's not some fluffy "think positive thoughts" nonsense. This is decades of neuroscience research, clinical practice, and genuine understanding of what happens when our bodies experience things our minds can't process.
And for those of us who are neurodivergent? This book hits different.
The Core Message: Trauma Literally Reshapes Your Brain and Body
Here's what blew my mind: Dr. van der Kolk's central thesis is that trauma doesn't just leave psychological scars—it causes actual physiological changes in the brain. We're talking about:
- A recalibrated alarm system (hello, hypervigilance)
- Increased stress hormone activity that never quite settles down
- Changes in how your brain filters what's relevant from what's not
- Alterations in your limbic system—the emotional center of your brain
In his words: "Trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has ongoing consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present."
Read that again. Your body is literally organized around surviving something that already happened. And until you address what's stored in your body—not just your thoughts about it—you're going to keep living in survival mode.
Why Traditional Talk Therapy Isn't Always Enough
This is where Dr. van der Kolk gets controversial (in the best way).
He argues that traditional talk therapy—while valuable—often doesn't effectively address the physical manifestations of trauma. Because here's the thing: your logical brain (prefrontal cortex) goes offline during trauma. The memories aren't stored in words. They're stored in your body.
That tension in your shoulders? That knot in your stomach when you hear a certain tone of voice? The way your jaw clenches when you feel unsafe? That's your body keeping the score.
"The body keeps the score: If the memory of trauma is encoded in the viscera, in heartbreaking and gut-wrenching emotions, in autoimmune disorders and skeletal/muscular problems, and if mind/brain/visceral communication is the royal road to emotion regulation, this demands a radical shift in our therapeutic assumptions."
The Healing Methods That Actually Work (According to Science)
Here's where it gets good. Dr. van der Kolk doesn't just tell you what's wrong—he shows what actually helps. And spoiler alert: it involves your body.
1. Yoga (Yes, Really)
I know, I know. "Do yoga" sounds like basic wellness advice. But hear me out.
Dr. van der Kolk conducted a study showing that yoga was more effective than any medication studied for PTSD. Not "as effective as"—MORE effective. Ten weeks of trauma-sensitive yoga reduced PTSD symptoms in people who had tried medications and failed.
Why? Because yoga helps you:
- Reconnect with your body safely
- Improve heart rate variability (which trauma destroys)
- Stimulate the vagus nerve, helping you shift out of survival mode
- Create "islands of safety" within your own body
2. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
This one looked like witchcraft to me at first, but the research is solid. EMDR helps your brain reprocess traumatic memories so they don't feel like they're happening RIGHT NOW every time they surface.
3. Theater and Movement
Dr. van der Kolk found that activities involving movement, rhythm, and embodiment help trauma survivors reclaim their bodies. This includes dance, martial arts, and theater.
4. Neurofeedback
Training your brain to regulate itself through real-time feedback. Fascinating stuff.
Why This Matters for Neurodivergent Folks
Here's my personal take as someone with AuDHD (and then some) and trauma history:
We're already living in bodies that process the world differently. Add trauma to that mix, and you've got a nervous system that's working overtime just to exist. The hypervigilance. The sensory overload. The emotional dysregulation. Sound familiar?
Understanding that these aren't character flaws—they're physiological responses—changes everything. You're not "too sensitive." Your body is doing exactly what it learned to do to survive.
And the path to healing? It's not about thinking your way out. It's about teaching your body that the danger has passed.
My Personal Experience: Jiu-Jitsu as Body-Based Healing
Reading this book gave me language for something I'd already experienced: the healing power of Jiu-Jitsu.
My husband and I train at SBG (Straight Blast Gym)—the very gym Matt Thornton founded. When I step on the mat, something shifts. My mood improves. My self-worth stabilizes. I regulate in ways I can't through talking alone.
Dr. van der Kolk's research explains why: physical movement, especially movement that involves being present in your body and responding to another person, helps rewire the survival brain. You learn that you CAN handle challenge. You CAN be uncomfortable and survive. You develop what he calls "islands of safety" within yourself.
And honestly? You don't even have to be in a gym to practice. The principles transfer. The body remembers safety just as powerfully as it remembers threat.
Key Takeaways
✨ Trauma changes your brain AND body—both need to heal.
✨ Talk therapy alone often isn't enough for trauma stored in the body.
✨ Yoga, EMDR, movement, and neurofeedback show real results.
✨ Healing means teaching your body that the danger has passed.
✨ Your responses aren't character flaws—they're survival adaptations.
Final Thoughts
If you've ever felt broken, crazy, or "too much"—this book will help you understand that your body has been working overtime to protect you. And that's not weakness. That's survival.
The path forward isn't about erasing what happened. It's about giving your body new experiences of safety, connection, and presence.
You're not damaged beyond repair. You're exactly the kind of person who can heal—because you've already proven you know how to survive.
💜 Cosmic Wisdom for Earthly Healing 💜
— Mars
Space Cadet Collective
hello@spacecadetcollective.org
https://space-cadet-collective.mn.co/
Comments
Post a Comment
🚀 Drop your comment, encouragement, question, or cosmic insight below! We love hearing from you. This is a neurodivergent and trauma-informed space—please be respectful and compassionate to everyone in our community, including yourself.
If your comment includes sensitive details, remember this is a public community. For private support, please use our contact form.
🌈 All identities, lived experiences, and recovery journeys are welcome! Hateful, discriminatory, or triggering comments (including explicit violence or slurs) will be removed—trolls get beamed to another galaxy.
If you’re in crisis, visit our Crisis Resources page for immediate support.