Healing Trauma Through Nervous System Work: A St. Pete Therapist Explains
- The Team at Be Your Best Self and Thrive
- 4 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Have you gone through something painful that still lingers in your body or mind? Trauma can make you feel stuck, anxious, disconnected—even long after the event has passed.
At Be Your Best Self and Thrive Counseling in St. Petersburg, FL, trauma therapist Nicole Malene, M.A. works with clients to heal not just emotionally, but physiologically— through the nervous system. When trauma dysregulates your body’s stress response, it can leave you feeling chronically on edge or emotionally numb. Nervous system work helps restore balance so you can start to feel safe in your body again.
Key Takeaways
Trauma impacts your nervous system and mental health long after the event.
Nervous system regulation is essential for emotional healing and long-term well-being.
Nicole Malene uses holistic, trauma-informed approaches like somatic therapy and mindfulness.
Nervous system work can help reduce anxiety, chronic pain, and emotional reactivity.
Therapy in St. Pete can help you feel grounded, connected, and more like yourself again.
Understanding How Trauma Affects the Nervous System
Trauma isn’t just emotional—it lives in the body. When you’ve experienced something overwhelming, your nervous system may get “stuck” in survival mode. This can lead to chronic symptoms like:
Feeling constantly on edge (hypervigilance)
Trouble sleeping or relaxing
Numbness or dissociation
Muscle tension or chronic pain
Mood swings or emotional overwhelm
These are all signs that your nervous system may be dysregulated—and trauma therapy can help reset it.
"Trauma isn’t what happens to you. It’s what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you." – Gabor Maté
The Science Behind Nervous System Healing
Nicole Malene integrates evidence-based approaches like:
Polyvagal Theory – This explains how your body moves between calm and survival modes (fight/flight/freeze). Understanding it helps you work with your body, not against it.
Neuroplasticity – Your brain can rewire itself. With the right practices, you can create new pathways that restore calm, safety, and connection.
Signs of Nervous System Dysregulation
Recognizing these signs is the first step in the healing journey:
Symptom | Impact |
Sleep issues or chronic fatigue | Your body struggles to fully rest or recharge |
Chronic pain or tension | Trauma is stored physically in the body |
Emotional numbness | Disconnection from emotions or others |
Constant reactivity or anger | Your nervous system is stuck in overdrive |
You may have been told “you’re just sensitive” or “you overreact”—but these responses are often your body’s way of protecting you.
Somatic Therapy, Mindfulness, and Body-Based Healing
Nicole helps clients reconnect with their body through practices like:
Somatic Experiencing: Learn to gently notice and release stored trauma in the body.
Breathwork: Calm the nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve.
Grounding Exercises: Bring you back into the present when you feel overwhelmed.
These tools are especially helpful if traditional talk therapy hasn’t worked—or if you feel disconnected from your emotions or physical body.
How Therapist Nicole Malene Helps Clients Heal in St. Petersburg, FL
Nicole specializes in working with people who feel burned out, anxious, stuck in trauma responses, or who experience chronic pain and stress-related illnesses. Her approach is gentle, integrative, and empowering.
Through therapy with Nicole, you can:
Learn to identify your stress responses
Understand how trauma shaped your nervous system
Use body-based techniques to feel safe again
Reconnect with your intuition and internal cues
Break free from trauma loops and emotional spirals
Nervous System Healing Takes Time—but It’s Worth It
Everyone’s trauma journey is different. Some people notice relief in a few months, while others may work through deeper layers over years.
Stage of Recovery | What It Looks Like |
Initial Stabilization | Feeling safer, less anxious |
Deeper Processing | Unpacking and integrating traumatic memories |
Reconnection & Growth | Feeling grounded, self-aware, more alive |
Nicole will meet you exactly where you are.
Ready to Heal Your Nervous System in St. Pete?
You don’t have to keep living in survival mode. Nervous system work can help you feel calmer, more connected, and more in control of your emotions.
Schedule a free consult with Nicole Malene at Be Your Best Self and Thrive Counseling in St. Petersburg, FL, to start your trauma healing journey today.
