Anxiety is something many of us feel.
It can show up as racing thoughts, a tight chest, or a constant sense of unease. While talking about it can help, there’s something that’s often forgotten: our body plays a big role in anxiety.
Anxiety lives in our Body
Anxiety isn’t just in our mind; it’s also in our body. Stress, fear, and overwhelming emotions get trapped in our physical self. Sometimes, anxiety comes from thoughts that create fear—like worrying about the future or what might go wrong. While we can tell ourselves not to worry, the body doesn’t respond to words in the same way.
This is why it’s not enough to say “calm down” or “don’t worry”—the body doesn’t understand words. It speaks the language of sensations, feelings and emotions.
A Client's story
I worked with a client who struggled with intrusive thoughts. She spent months in talk therapy trying to make sense of them. While it did help and creates an awareness of what was happening, the thoughts didn’t go away. Her body stayed tense and in a state of alert. Even though her mind was trying to relax, her body was still in a state of fear.
When she started integrating yoga, nervous system regulation techniques and embodied movement practices, things began to change. These practices helped her connect with her body and release the fear and tension that talk therapy alone couldn’t reach. She realized that her body had been holding onto fear, and it needed more than just talking to let go.
Why Yoga and Movement Help
Yoga and embodied movement work with the body directly. They help us notice where we hold tension, fear, or stress, and give us ways to release it. Each yoga pose lets us stretch, breathe, and create space for the body to let go of what it no longer needs.
Yoga is powerful for anxiety because it gives the body a way to process and release the fear and stress that often come with it. This is especially important when anxiety is caused by fearful thoughts—while we can’t always stop these thoughts, we can help the body let go of the fear they create.
What Anxiety is telling us
Anxiety isn’t something to push away. It’s a signal that something in our life needs attention. Maybe we’re holding onto unprocessed emotions, traumas or living in a way that doesn’t feel safe. Instead of trying to get rid of anxiety, we can see it as a messenger.
By working with our body through yoga, somatic practices and embodied movement, we can begin to understand and what our anxiety is telling us and shift the energy. Often, it’s a sign that something in our life or within ourselves needs to change.
Moving beyond the Mind
The mind and body are connected, but we can’t heal anxiety by thinking our way through it. We need to work with the body, too. This is why movement and yoga are so important—they help the body release what it’s been holding onto, whether it’s fear, tension, or stress.
If you’re dealing with anxiety, ask yourself: what is your body holding onto? It might need more than just words. It might need movement, breath, and a way to feel safe again.
Anxiety isn’t something to fight or to run away from. It’s a call to pay attention to what’s happening in our body and life. Yoga, somatic practices and embodied movement combined with talk therapy will help us release the fear, stress, and tension that cause anxiety. By working with our body, we can heal anxiety in a deep and lasting way.
If you’re ready to start working with your body to release anxiety, I invite you to explore this Yoga of Embodiment video on YouTube.
This practice will guide you through gentle movements designed to help you reconnect with your body and begin your healing journey.
You can access the free class by clicking in the video below.
