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For clients · interactive · Trauma & the body

Body Map

Close your eyes for a second. Where do you notice something? Tap that spot, then pick the words that fit.

4 minute practice Plain-language guide
Practice 01
Step 1 · tap a region
HeadThroat / jawLeft shoulderRight shoulderChest / heartLeft arm / handRight arm / handStomach / gutHips / pelvisLeft legRight legFeet

Tap any part of the body.

Step 2 · pick words for the spot

Tap a spot on the body first. Then describe what you notice there.

Why the body
Emotions show up in the body before we have words for them. A tight chest is information. A heavy gut is information. Naming the sensation — not the story about it — slows everything down.
How to use it
Once a day for a week. You'll start to see patterns — certain situations land in certain places. That's the beginning of being able to catch a feeling before it catches you.
Good to know

A body map records your experience; it does not diagnose what a sensation means. The same sensation can have physical, emotional, contextual, or mixed causes.

If this does not help

Map only neutral areas, zoom out to the room, or stop. You can describe intensity, temperature, pressure, or movement without deciding why it is there.

Talk about this in therapy
  • What changed before and after I noticed the sensation?
  • Which sensations need medical review?
Safety

Body-focused practices can feel activating, especially after trauma or during dissociation. Keep your eyes open, shorten the exercise, and orient to the room. Stop if symptoms intensify. New, severe, or unexplained physical symptoms need medical assessment.

Sources and limits+

Reviewed for clarity and updated October 2026. This page offers general education and cannot assess your individual situation.

  • National Center for PTSD: grounding and coping
  • NICE guidance on PTSD
  • American Psychological Association: trauma

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