^{A's to your Q's}

It's common for one side of the body to feel easier to work with than the other, and there are a few potential reasons for this.

It could relate to the direction from which a threat or stressor originated, as our brain processes things differently depending on whether it’s the left or right side. It may also be connected to neuro-muscular patterns, like posture or repetitive movements that create tension on one side.

Whatever the cause, noticing these differences and shifting your attention between them is an important part of working with stored trauma. In fact, it’s a good sign if one side feels less tense than the other. Over time, as you continue this work, you’ll often notice the two sides start to balance out—the side that was more clenched may relax, and the side that felt numb or disconnected may begin to feel more alive with sensation.

Yes, they can recover! The body is incredibly resilient and repairable, especially so when the nervous system is regulated and we are not continually clenching for no apparent reason i.e. no real time threat.

Absolutely!

Often this pain and tension is our system tensing and bracing, to  self-protect by trying to keep the uncomfortable sensations and emotions of unresolved trauma at bay, but it can also be pain from an injury that was traumatic, and never got the proper care.

The idea is to find an area that is clenching and tense, and then just see if it can naturally unclench and let go. It may be that you are stopping yourself before this natural release happens, or it could be your system simply does not feel safe enough yet to let go of its "armour" in the form of habitual clench and tension.  

Yup! That is not an uncommon experience.

When you’re working with fear and anxiety, remember that anxiety is essentially fear—it's the energy behind the flight aspect of the Sympathetic survival response.

If you're able to stay present with those sensations without fearing them, simply feeling the fear can be helpful. However, it can be tough to stay grounded without either shutting down or getting overstimulated. So, a more proactive approach—mobilising the body—can be a better option.

How does fear move? This is actually one of the most powerful ways to transform that energy and help renegotiate the trauma.

Even if it's the middle of the night, when fear and panic tend to show up for many, this practice can still be effective—especially if you're already awake. If you’re feeling up for it, try sitting up and expressing the energy a little, or you could get up and fully mobilise to work through it.