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Hi Reader,

This week I fell into a science rabbit hole after something I keep noticing in sessions: the way our bodies sneak into our language when we’re not even trying. “I’m fed up.” “That's a pain in the neck.” “I’m crushed.” “I’ve lost my balance.” We treat these as harmless expressions, but very often the body isn’t only being referenced… it’s already participating.

“Carrying everything” comes with lifted shoulders and a braced back. “I can’t stomach it” comes with a locked diaphragm and breath stuck high in the chest. “Biting my tongue” comes with a jaw that’s basically working overtime. And for people with a history of abuse, sometimes the whole body is organized around protection long before any words arrive.

And just to be clear: I’m not interested in turning pain into symbolism. This isn’t “your back hurts because emotional baggage.” The links are rarely that linear. What is interesting (and very real) is that words don’t land in a vacuum. Some research suggests that when we process language, the nervous system partially simulates aspects of what we’re saying, and that emotion itself is tied into perception–action systems. Then there’s another piece that’s more directly practical: when you put feelings into precise words, your brain state can shift. And when language becomes repetitive (hello, 3 a.m. loops), rumination is linked to prolonged stress physiology, including cortisol patterns over time.

So here’s the simplest version: language reflects affect, yes,but language can also crystallize patterns, especially when it repeats alongside the somatic configuration you’ve been running for years. Which is why this week’s practice is an experiment in changing the body under the sentence, without forcing the sentence to be different.

🎁 NeuroSomatic Practice of the Week

Play this word-game with me. Pick a situation, then pick the sentence that reflects your feelings about it the most.

Next, notice one body place that changes while you say it (jaw, shoulders, chest, belly). Now repeat the sentence, but change the body by 5%:

• Unclench the jaw a little (tongue off the palate)
• Drop shoulders one notch
• Widen ribs slightly
• Soften belly slightly
• Longer, slower exhale
• Observe: does the “charge” feel identical, or even slightly different?

🧠 NeuroMinute...

If you want the deeper dive, I unpack this idea (and how “stuckness” is often a pattern more than a personality trait) in my latest blog post. The science thread underneath is simple: first, emotional language isn’t processed in a purely “mental” bubble — it can recruit body-relevant systems, which helps explain why certain phrases actually land physically.

Second, some metaphors (especially sensory ones) reliably engage sensory networks during comprehension, meaning the nervous system partially “simulates” what we read or say.

Third, putting feelings into precise words can shift regulation in the moment, labeling emotion tends to reduce reactivity and increase the brain’s capacity to modulate the response. And finally, when language turns into a repetitive loop (rumination), it’s not “just thoughts”: it’s associated with prolonged stress physiology over time.

PS: OR - book your session here!

Warmly,

Joana

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