Breaking Free from Ruminating Thoughts with Somatic Healing

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a loop, replaying the same painful memories, trying to make sense of what happened, wondering if you will ever stop thinking about it?

If you have been through betrayal or abuse, ruminating thoughts can feel like they take over your mind and your life. You are not broken for experiencing this. There is actually a very good reason your brain is doing it.

In this post, I want to help you understand why rumination happens, validate your experience, and give you practical tools rooted in somatic healing so you can move forward with more peace.

Why Rumination Happens

Rumination is not weakness. It is your brain’s way of protecting you. I will be honest though, this was so frustrating when all I needed was sleep and yet my brain would not turn off. I remember lying there, watching the clock tick away, replaying everything over and over in my mind.

When betrayal trauma hits, your nervous system kicks into problem-solving mode. It replays the event over and over, desperately trying to understand:

• What happened
  

• Why did it happen
  

• How can I stop it from happening again

This is your brain’s survival response. The familiar pain of replaying the hurt can actually feel safer than facing the unknown future. On top of that, your central nervous system is activated and stays on high alert, scanning for danger.

The problem is that what begins as protection can keep you stuck. Instead of moving toward healing, you find yourself looping the same thoughts at two in the morning, exhausted but unable to stop. And it’s exhausting!

How Rumination Shows Up in Your Life

If you have experienced betrayal trauma, you might notice rumination showing up in ways like:

• Lying awake at night, replaying conversations in your head
  

• Constantly questioning what you could have done differently
  

• Feeling like you are picking up the rope again and again, fighting an endless mental tug of war
  

• Struggling to focus during the day because your mind will not let go

It is painful and it is real, but it is also understandable. Your body and brain are simply trying to protect you.

Somatic Healing as a Path Out of Rumination

Here is where somatic healing comes in. Unlike talk therapy alone, somatic modalities focus on healing the body and nervous system, not just the mind. This is critical because trauma does not just happen to you, it happens in you. When your nervous system learns safety again, your mind can finally loosen its grip on rumination.

Some somatic practices I use with clients include:

• Brainspotting: Helps identify and release the subconscious roots of looping thoughts. Many clients find this technique quiets their mind when nothing else has worked.

• The Alexander Technique: This method helps the body let go of shock patterns, which comes into the body before fight, flight, freeze responses- restoring balance and a sense of safety.

• Grounding and Breathwork: Simple body-based tools that calm the nervous system in the moment, giving you back agency over your thoughts.
  

A Tool You Can Try Right Now

Here is a practical exercise to interrupt rumination:

1. Name it to tame it – Dump the looping thought out of your head and onto paper. Ask: What story am I replaying? What belief is underneath?
   

2. Validate your brain – Say out loud: My brain is trying to protect me. It makes sense I am stuck on this. It was traumatic, and I did not get answers.
   

3. Get curious instead of fighting it – Ask: What part of me is holding on? What need is it trying to meet — justice, reassurance, safety?
   

4. Ground in the present – Put your feet on the floor, breathe deeply, and remind yourself: This is just a thought. It does not control me. I am safe right now.

Moving Forward

Healing is not about erasing thoughts. It is about navigating them with compassion and reclaiming your agency.

You are not broken. You are human. And your body carries the wisdom to heal.

Somatic healing practices like Brainspotting and the Alexander Technique can help you release the grip of rumination, restore safety in your nervous system, and move forward with freedom.

If you are ready to explore how these approaches can support you, I invite you to book a Brainspotting session with me and take the next step toward peace.

Because you are the creator and the chooser of your life, and you get to create the life you want, because

XO,

Amie Woolsey

Certified Brainspotting Practitioner,

CPC, PCC, APSATS-CPC