What does ‘embodied’ actually mean?
The first time my therapist asked me what I was feeling in my body…
I went completely blank.
That’s when I learned that embodied therapy isn’t just about talking—it’s about noticing what your body already knows.
I’d spent years living mostly in my head — thinking, analysing, explaining. I could talk about my feelings, but I couldn’t locate them.
‘Embodied’ is a word we hear a lot these days, in wellness, therapy, yoga, social media…
It can feel abstract or intimidating. But in therapy, it has a concrete meaning: noticing your body while you feel your emotions.
It’s noticing:
the tightness in your chest when you’re anxious,
the heaviness in your shoulders when you’re overwhelmed,
the warmth in your belly when you’re excited.
All the things your body does before your mind puts words to it.
Many of us learned to ignore these signals, because thinking felt safer, or coping required us to stay “in our heads.”
Coming back to your body can start small: “What am I sensing? Where do I feel it? What changes when I notice it?”
That simple curiosity is the start of being embodied.
Why the body matters: what research shows
Neuroscience shows that the brain and body are in constant conversation. The brain uses signals from your heart, breath and muscles (called interoception) to help create emotions.
Studies using brain imaging show that the same areas involved in noticing body sensations also light up when we feel emotions — meaning they’re tightly linked.
Somatic therapy research finds that increasing awareness of body sensations can improve emotion regulation and reduce stress.
Bottom line: paying attention to your body isn’t “woo” — it’s part of how your brain and nervous system create emotion in real time.
Over time, this awareness can change how you experience emotions:
you respond rather than react, notice patterns, and feel more present in your life.
If you’d like to explore this more, to notice, understand, and work with your body’s signals, feel free to reach out, or save this for later.
References
The neurobiology of interoception and affect
How does interoceptive awareness interact with the subjective experience of emotion? An fMRI study
