Why does the body shake during trauma work?

When the body trembles or shakes, it can mean different things, either:

• Nervous system activation – Sometimes shaking signals that the body doesn’t feel safe. You might also notice strong emotions like fear, anger, or sadness, alongside physical responses such as a racing heart, shallow breathing, or overwhelm.

or

• A release of incomplete survival energy – Tremors can also mean your body is safe enough to let fight-or-flight energy move through. This is a natural way the nervous system discharges activation, preventing it from getting “stuck” or suppressed, which can lead to trauma responses.

In both cases, safety and containment are essential. In trauma therapy and somatic work, establishing regulation and trust is the foundation. Without that, the risk of re-traumatisation is possible.

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Is Trauma Really Stored in the Hips?

You may have heard that trauma is “stored in the hips.” While many people feel tension there, trauma is not stored in one single place. Its not a pocket we put all of our bad experiences in. Instead, unresolved experiences create body-wide holding patterns in the nervous system.

These patterns often include:

• Holding the breath

• Hunching the shoulders

• Tightening the belly

• Tucking the tailbone and gripping around the hips

For some people, these holding patterns are most noticeable in the pelvis. For others, it’s the jaw, shoulders, chest, or spine.

That’s why focusing only on the hips or only on shaking won’t resolve trauma. You are a whole human system, not a single muscle group.

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A Whole-Body Approach to Trauma Release

In Somatic Experiencing, the focus is on the entire nervous system. Sometimes the pelvis is the last place we’d bring awareness to, depending on your history and what feels safest.

To unwind trauma responses, we often need to involve:

• Jaw and facial muscles

• Neck and shoulders

• Chest and arms

• Back and belly muscles

• Pelvis and legs

By working slowly and carefully with the whole system, we support genuine trauma resolution — not just temporary relief.

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Why Safety Comes First

As a trauma specialist, my priority is to ensure your nervous system has enough safety and capacity before moving in to deeper work as this supports genuine long-term healing.

Whether through SE or Clinical Somatics, the process is always slow and steady. Safety and regulation come before deep release. When the nervous system feels safe enough, what has been held in protective patterns can begin to soften and integrate.

This is why “shaking trauma out of the hips” alone isn’t the answer. Instead, trauma healing through somatic therapy involves:

• Building nervous system regulation

• Creating safety in the present moment

• Gradually releasing old holding patterns

• Supporting the whole body, not just one part

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Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for someone to help you “shake trauma out of your pelvis,” my approach may not be the right fit. But if you want to work with a trauma specialist who understands how to support the whole body and nervous system in healing then Somatic Experiencing and Clinical Somatics offer a safe and effective path forward.

Because in this work, slow and steady truly wins the race.