Depression and the Freeze Response: A Somatic Perspective
If you’ve been living with depression, you may know it not just as a feeling of sadness, but as a kind of inner stillness—one that can feel heavy, foggy, or disconnected.
You might find yourself withdrawing, feeling numb, or struggling to care about things that once mattered. It can be easy to interpret this as personal failure or weakness.
But from a trauma-informed, somatic lens, depression is often not about what’s wrong with you—it’s about what has happened to you, and how your nervous system has adapted to survive.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of trauma is how deeply it lives in the body. Long after a painful or overwhelming experience has passed, your nervous system may still be carrying its imprint. This is especially true when it comes to the freeze response, a natural survival mechanism that can show up as depression, dissociation, or emotional shutdown.
When we talk about the freeze response, we’re referring to a physiological state that emerges when fight or flight isn’t an option. If you’ve ever felt stuck, paralyzed, or like you were watching life from a distance, that may have been your nervous system moving into freeze—an unconscious attempt to keep you safe in the face of something too much, too fast, or too soon. For many people, especially those who’ve experienced developmental or relational trauma, this response can become chronic.
From a somatic perspective, what we call “depression” can often be understood as a form of this chronic freeze. The body slows down. Energy feels inaccessible. Emotions may flatten. There may be a sense of disconnect from self or others. But what’s important to remember is this: these patterns aren’t who you are. They are protective responses, shaped by the body’s wisdom and its drive to keep you alive.
Understanding depression through this lens can shift the narrative from one of shame to one of compassion. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” we begin to ask, “What happened to me?” and “How has my body tried to protect me?” This shift opens the door to healing—not by forcing change, but by inviting gentle reconnection with the parts of you that have been holding pain.
In my work as a trauma therapist here in Kelowna, I often support clients in moving through these freeze-based states using EMDR therapy and nervous system regulation tools. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a powerful, research-backed approach that helps the brain and body process traumatic memories in a way that feels safe and contained. It’s not about reliving the past, but about helping the nervous system unhook from the survival responses that were necessary at one point, but may now be keeping you stuck.
Alongside EMDR, we work with the body to gently build a sense of internal safety. This might include learning to notice subtle cues of activation or shutdown, finding ways to ground when you feel overwhelmed, or slowly reconnecting with emotions that have felt too big to hold. Nervous system regulation isn’t about controlling your experience—it’s about cultivating a relationship with your body that allows for greater choice, resilience, and ease.
Healing from freeze-based depression is possible. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t follow a straight line, but with the right support, your system can begin to thaw. The goal isn’t to “fix” you—because you are not broken—but to create space for your body to come out of survival mode and back into connection.
Looking for EMDR Therapy in Kelowna?
If any of this resonates with you, know that you’re not alone. What you’re feeling makes sense, and it has a reason. And if you’re curious about exploring EMDR or trauma therapy as a way forward, I welcome you to reach out.
Whether or not we work together, you deserve support that honors your story and your nervous system’s wisdom.
There is nothing wrong with you. There is only the slow, sacred work of coming home to yourself.
