Healing Addiction Through the Body
Addiction recovery is often approached through psychological and behavioral frameworks. While these are essential, they don’t always address the deeper, embodied roots of addiction: unresolved trauma, emotional repression, and chronic disconnection from the body. At InnerLife Recovery, we offer trauma-informed therapies that include somatic practices like de-armouring, which help individuals release physical and emotional blocks stored deep within the body.
What Is De-Armouring Therapy?
De-armouring is a body-based therapeutic technique designed to release chronic tension, emotional suppression, and trauma held in the body. Originating from the concept of “character armor” developed by psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich, this method views the body as a container for unprocessed emotional experiences. These experiences often manifest as physical numbness, rigidity, or chronic pain.
Unlike traditional massage, de-armouring applies deep, conscious pressure to specific areas of the body, such as the chest, abdomen, jaw, pelvis, and thighs, where emotional and energetic blockages tend to accumulate. The goal is not just to relax muscles, but to invite the nervous system to unwind and allow suppressed emotions to surface and be released safely.
Trauma Lives in the Body
People struggling with addiction often ask themselves: Why do I feel stuck, emotionally numb, or disconnected from life, despite my efforts to change? The answer lies in the body. When trauma isn’t processed, it gets stored in muscle tension, restricted breath, and patterns of emotional shutdown.
Substances or addictive behaviors become coping mechanisms, ways to avoid discomfort or pain that the body continues to carry. De-armouring provides a somatic path to healing, helping individuals access and release the layers of trauma that may be fueling their addiction.
A Trauma-Informed Approach
Our de-armouring work is fully trauma-informed. This means we:
• Prioritize safety and consent in every session
• Understand the impact of trauma on the nervous system
• Respect each individual’s emotional pace and boundaries
• Avoid re-traumatization by creating a grounded, present-centered environment
We work with people, not symptoms. Sessions are always personalized to support emotional regulation, nervous system stability, and a deeper connection to the body’s innate healing capacity.
How It Supports Addiction and Mental Health Recovery
De-Armouring can be a profound complement to traditional therapy and group work. Its benefits in the context of recovery include:
1. Reconnection with the Body
Many clients in recovery report feeling disconnected from their physical selves. De-Armouring restores the ability to feel—not just pain, but also pleasure, presence, and aliveness.
2. Emotional Release
Tears, tremors, or feelings of warmth and relief are common during sessions. These are signs of the body letting go of held emotions, often without needing to recount the story verbally.
3. Nervous System Regulation
By calming the fight-or-flight response, De-Armouring helps individuals respond to stress more effectively—reducing the urge to reach for substances or old coping habits.
4. Breaking Somatic Holding Patterns
Tension in areas like the diaphragm or pelvis often reflects unspoken trauma. Releasing these patterns supports greater freedom of movement, breath, and emotion.
5. Building Resilience
As the body learns to process instead of store stress, clients often feel more grounded, stable, and emotionally resourced—key ingredients for sustainable recovery.
What to Expect in a Session
Each De-Armouring session at InnerLife Recovery begins with grounding exercises to create safety and presence. The practitioner then works slowly and intentionally, applying sustained pressure to targeted areas while maintaining open communication with the client.
There is no pressure to have a dramatic emotional release. The focus is on listening to the body, supporting its natural rhythm, and creating a space where real healing can occur.
Is This Approach Right for You?
If you’re on the path of recovery but still feel stuck, disconnected, or overwhelmed by emotion, De-Armouring may offer a new way forward. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s a profound and empowering process, one that invites you to trust your body again, feel more fully, and reclaim your capacity for healing. We are here to walk that journey with you: body, mind, and spirit.
At InnerLife Recovery, we offer compassionate, professional support to help you uncover the roots of your behaviors, rebuild healthy relationships, and reconnect with yourself. Whether you’re struggling addiction, mental health disorders and eating disorders —or all three—we’re here to walk with you every step of the way.
The first step to recovery is reaching out. Healing begins when you speak up. You deserve support. You deserve peace. And you deserve a life that feels whole again.
Sources
1. https://somaticpsychotherapytoday.com
2. https://www.frontiersin.org
3. https://www.verywellmind.com
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