You know that feeling when something small … a tone of voice, a certain look, a smell … suddenly hits you harder than it “should”? Your heart races, your chest tightens, and you feel flooded with emotion. Maybe you tell yourself, This makes no sense. Why am I reacting like this?
You’re not overreacting. You’re remembering, even if you don’t realize it.
When the past shows up in the present
Trauma isn’t just something that happened. It’s something that stays with us, especially when our nervous system never got the message that the danger is over.
That’s why certain moments in the present can feel so charged. A part of you is responding as if the past is still happening right now.
This is sometimes called time distortion in trauma. The body and brain aren’t being dramatic, they’re being protective. They recognize a familiar cue and move quickly to keep you safe, even when you consciously know you are safe.
Why this feels confusing
Logically, you might know the current situation is different. Emotionally and physiologically, though, your body may still be living in the old story. It’s like two realities are happening at once — one rooted in memory, the other in the present.
You might notice:
- A sudden wave of fear, shame, or sadness that feels “too big” for the moment.
- Feeling small, frozen, or out of control during conflict.
- Wanting to run away or shut down without knowing why.
These are signals that your system is trying to protect you the best way it knows how.
How therapy helps the body and mind recalibrate
Healing trauma isn’t about erasing the past, it’s about helping your body and mind realize that it is the past.
Therapy offers a safe space to slow down these automatic responses and notice what’s happening underneath. Through approaches like EMDR, Attachment-based therapy, and IFS (Internal Family Systems), we can help the nervous system release old patterns of protection and begin to trust new experiences of safety.
In this process, you start to:
- Recognize when an old wound is activated.
- Anchor yourself in the present moment.
- Offer compassion to the parts of you that are still holding old pain.
Over time, your body learns that it no longer needs to stay on alert. The past can finally start to feel like the past.
Moving toward wholeness
When you understand that these reactions come from old experiences, not present failures, something softens. You can meet yourself with more curiosity and less judgment.
If you’re noticing old emotions surfacing in your daily life and want to explore why, therapy can help you find understanding, grounding, and relief. I’d be honored to walk with you in that process.