Body Sensation List
- Brittani Antunes, MC, LPC
- Apr 8, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
"and where do you notice that in your body?"
"When you feel that, how is it showing up in your body?"
"What do you feel in your body right now?"
Sound familiar?
Having the right word that describes what you're noticing in your body can go a surprisingly long way. Depending on your therapist's style, they may often ask you to tune into your body and tell them what you're feeling... easier said than done, right? Most of us aren't used to this— we didn't learn it in school, we weren't asked this at home, we don't talk about it with our friends, this is new. You're not alone.
As a therapist who is very curious about what's going on in the body while we work through things (primarily in EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy sessions), I ask a lot of questions about body sensations.
Something I've noticed—after sharing space and hearing vulnerably honest thoughts from many people—is that finding a fitting word to capture what you're feeling can....
Feel validating
It transforms something vague or overwhelming into something tangible, making it easier to understand and express.
Feel Seen/Acknowledged
Not by me, but by yourself.
You are aware of the knot in your stomach.
You're not running from it, complaining about it, ignoring it, or trying to fix it...
Right now, you are simply aware of it.
Perhaps it's been trying to get your attention.
Heal Deeper
So much is stored in the body—trauma, feelings, experiences.
The shoulder clench from the time when you heard the boom, the icy frozen numbness your entire body felt that time it didn't know what to do, that lump in your throat from the time you didn't get to shout what you really felt. (To understand this way more I recommend reading the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk)
When we find words like shrinking, heavy, suffocated, hollow, shaky, floaty, light, glowing, or smooth we're one step closer from healing from within the body, not just regarding the thoughts we're having.
Propel Processing
Sometimes, the word we choose can elicit imagery—frozen, prickly, pulsing, piercing, draining—which activates a part of the brain that might perceive the sensation in a new way. This can lead to metaphors, speedy processing, insights, you name it.
For example, if you find the word 'frozen', your brain might begin to play with some ideas of ways to melt the ice, realize it's warm today and it's no longer frozen in that fear.
Body Sensations
Here are some words to help describe what you're feeling in your body.
I recommend reading through this list prior to a therapy session so that when you're searching for the word in the moment, your brain will have access to some options.
Tender
Sensitive
Raw
Bruised
Wounded
Achy
Sore
_______
Tense
Tight
Stiff
Dense
Constricted
Breathless
Clenched
Pressure
Knotted
Blocked
Closed
Cut off
Dark
Congested
Suffocated
Heavy
Burdened
Full
Frozen
Immobile
Armored
Stuck
Trapped
Paralyzed
Contained
_______
Imploding
Shrinking
Hiding
Hollow
Empty
Disconnected
Spacey
Numb
Floaty
_______
Pit in stomach
Nauseous
Dizzy
Spinning
Wobbly
Queasy
Clammy
_______
Shaky
Trembly
Fluttery
Shivery
Quivery
Fidgety
Twitchy
Buzzy
Itchy
Fuzzy
Jumpy
Pulsing
Throbbing
Pounding
_______
Prickly
Fizzy
Vibrating
Electric
Tingling
Burning
Radiating
Energized
Cold
Hot
Warm
Sweaty
Fiery
Red hot
Cool
Blue
Flushed
Dry
_______
Stinging
Piercing
Sharp
_______
Draining
Flowing
Releasing
Expanded
_______
Fluid
Streaming
Melting
_______
Spacious
Open
Light
Airy
Expansive
Growing
_______
Glowing
Alive
Awake
_______
Smooth
Relaxed
Calm
What words would you add?
Download a copy of the list here
Live in Arizona or Minnesota ?
If so, I'd be happy to unpack what you're experiencing with you
Curious about some therapies that tune into body sensations?
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