Originally posted on www.brainzmagazine.com
For many complex trauma survivors, the idea of meditating can feel anything but peaceful. Sitting still might trigger anxiety, flashbacks, or even a full-body freeze response. If that’s true for you, you’re not alone, and you’re not doing anything wrong. Despite being a trauma recovery therapist for many years, I often still resist meditation.
So if meditation is so hard, you might wonder, like I often have, “Why should I even try?”
The answer? When done gently, with patience and self-love, meditation can become a powerful ally in your healing journey. It’s not about doing it “perfectly.” It’s about slowly rebuilding trust with yourself.
Rebuilding a sense of safety
Trauma often teaches the nervous system to stay on high alert. Even years later, your body might still scan for danger. This is because we can be easily triggered in everyday living, and our nervous system then stays dysregulated. Somatic bodywork is a gentle way to ease into meditation. Mindful practices like breathwork, grounding, or guided meditation can gently signal to your system, “I’m safe now.” But this only works when the practice feels supportive, not forced. That’s why trauma-informed yoga or meditation is so important.
Working with a trauma-competent therapist is important as well.
Regulating your nervous system after trauma
When your body has been living in survival mode (fight, flight, freeze, or fawn) consistently or frequently, meditation can help you gradually shift into a state of calm and rest. It’s not immediate, and it doesn’t look the same for everyone. But regular, short, safe moments of mindfulness can ease anxiety, reduce stress hormones, and bring more balance to your days.
Take the time to learn more about polyvagal theory and work on healing your vagus nerve. Somatic exercises, mindfulness, and meditation are all tools for regulating your nervous system.
Reconnecting with yourself, on your terms
Trauma often disconnects us from our own bodies and emotions. You might feel numb, dissociated, or like you don’t “know” yourself anymore. Meditation, when tailored to your needs, helps you check in again. Maybe not for 20 minutes in silence, but maybe through five minutes of noticing your breath, listening to soft music, or placing your hand over your heart and whispering, “I’m here.”
Be flexible, meditation doesn’t have to look a certain way
Forget the image of sitting cross-legged on a cushion in silence. Just thinking about this image can make me jittery! Meditation for trauma survivors might look like:
- Walking slowly and feeling the ground beneath your feet
- Journaling with intention
- Being in nature and simply noticing what you see
- Completing a body scan
- Following a short guided meditation made by a trauma-competent therapist
Self-compassion
Meditation isn’t about getting it right. It’s about being present with whatever is true in the moment. Try not to judge your thoughts, emotions, or even yourself. Some days, that might mean breathing through discomfort. On other days, it might mean practicing mindfulness, even just for thirty seconds. That’s okay. Every attempt is an act of kindness toward yourself.
Meditation is not a quick fix. But when approached gently, it can be a doorway back to safety, connection, and inner peace. You don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to begin slowly, softly, and in your own way.
You are worthy of that peace. One breath at a time.
