“I Don’t Feel Safe in My Body” — What That Means & How We Can Work With It

Sometimes clients say, “I know I’m safe now, but my body still feels tense, jumpy, or shut down.” That makes so much sense. Trauma isn’t just a memory—it’s a lived experience that can linger in the nervous system long after the threat is gone.

You might not resonate with the word “trauma.” That’s okay. Maybe you’ve just had to hold it together for too long. Maybe you grew up in a home where emotions were too much—or not welcome at all. Maybe your nervous system learned to stay on high alert because of racism, queerphobia, or ableism. Whatever the root, I believe your body has been working hard to protect you.

In therapy with me here in Washington, DC, we won’t just talk about your experience—we’ll gently experience what’s happening in real time. Gestalt therapy helps us notice what comes up in the moment—without rushing to explain it away. Somatic and polyvagal-informed approaches let us listen to your body’s cues and work with your nervous system instead of overriding it.

We might notice that your shoulders lift every time you speak about work. We might explore what it’s like to soften your jaw, or what happens when you take up more space in the room. We’ll move at the pace your body says yes to.

As we bring curiosity to your body’s patterns, we create space for choice. You get to build new, more empowering ways to relate to yourself—with care, not force.

This work is especially powerful if you’ve had to navigate the world while feeling “different” or unseen. My approach to psychotherapy in Washington, DC is queer liberation-affirming, trauma-focused, and grounded in critical multicultural awareness. I offer mental health therapy that honors how systemic stress shows up in the body—and we work toward reclaiming your agency, your voice, and your breath.

If you're looking for a psychotherapist in DC who works with the nervous system, identity, and embodied healing, I’m here. You deserve to feel safe in yourself. You deserve to come home to your body—not as a battleground, but as a place of truth and possibility.

If this speaks to you, I’d love to connect. You can schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to see if therapy feels like a good fit.

Email me at Glen@GestaltGlen.com, call me at 202-922-5747, or visit GestaltGlen.com to get started.

Learn more about Trauma-Focused Therapy with Glen here.