Peter Levine, PhD on How to Release Trauma from the Body

Dec 27, 2025

In this engaging conversation, Peter A. Levine, Ph.D., a renowned trauma expert and founder of Somatic Experiencing, shares insights from over 50 years of experience. He reveals how trauma manifests in the body and highlights the limitations of talk therapy alone. Peter emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with bodily sensations to process trauma and describes a simple exercise to cultivate strength. With anecdotes and theories, he discusses the innate drive toward healing and the role of empathetic connections in trauma recovery.

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INSIGHT

Trauma Lives In The Body

Trauma is rooted in the body and expresses through bodily reactions that then influence the brain.
Treating trauma requires addressing bodily responses, not only changing thoughts or medicating the brain.

ADVICE

Use Slow Micro-Movements To Release Tension

Track and follow the tension under pain by allowing the body to move what it wants to do, but slowly and gently.
Repeat small movements and pauses to release stuck energy and permit memories or sensations to surface.

INSIGHT

Empathy Completes The Healing Cycle

Trauma is amplified by the absence of a present, empathetic other who can accompany the body's response.
Completing defensive or protective responses usually requires social support to finish the physiological cycle.

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Start the 2-Minute Nervous System Reset - https://alignbreathing.com/reset

Your body is trying to tell you a story... but you keep ignoring it.

In this episode from the Align Podcast, Peter Levine PhD, founder of Somatic Experiencing, joins Aaron to explore how trauma lives in the body and how we can reclaim our innate healing ability. Peter also breaks down why talk therapy alone often isn’t enough and offers practical guidance for reconnecting with your body’s wisdom.

OUR GUESTPeter A Levine, Ph.D., is the developer of Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), a naturalistic and neurobiological approach to healing trauma, which he has developed over the past 50 years. He holds a doctorate in Biophysics from UC Berkeley and a doctorate in Psychology from International University. He is the Founder and President of the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education and the Founder and Advisor for Somatic Experiencing International, where his work has been taught to over 30,000 healers in over 42 countries. He recently finished his Autobiography, An Autobiography of Trauma, A Healing Journey, and is the author of several best-selling books on trauma, including Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma (published in over 29 languages); In an Unspoken Voice, How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness; and Trauma and Memory, Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past.

PETER LEVINE🔷 LI ▶ https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-a-levine-34207430/📸 IG ▶ https://www.instagram.com/drpeteralevine/📘 FB ▶ https://www.facebook.com/peteralevinephd/AARON ALEXANDER📸 IG ▶ https://www.instagram.com/aaronalexander/🤳 TIKTOK ▶ https://www.tiktok.com/@alignmethod👉 SUBSCRIBE ▶ https://www.youtube.com/@AlignPodcast?sub_confirmation=1🌐 WEBSITE ▶ https://www.alignpodcast.com

TIMESTAMPS00:00 Intro00:30 The Big Question: Am I Enough?07:00 What Is Trauma and How It Manifests in the Body10:00 Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough 15:20 The Need For Empathy 22:30 Rewiring the Nervous System29:10 How Trauma Affects Relationships36:00 Accessing Inner Power40:30 Words of Wisdom for the Next GenerationABOUTAaron Alexander is a pioneering manual therapist and movement coach with over 5 years experience. He is the founder and creator of The Align Method, author of The Align Method book, and host of The Align Podcast which has ranked #1 in Nutrition on Apple Podcasts.Aaron has worked with some of the world’s greatest professional athletes, performers, and celebrities to help relieve pain, improve strength, better flexibility, and ease the mind and body.On this channel, Aaron interviews renowned experts in a range of fields focused on improving the mind and body. This mind and body podcast will teach you all that you need to know to become the healthiest version of yourself by integrating simplified ancient techniques and the foundational principles of The Align Method to strengthen your body, balance the mind, and activate healing systems in daily life. The mission? To be the best personal growth podcast about healthy habits, redefine functional movement, and make fitness who you are; not what you do.

TOPICS

1. Somatic Experiencing2. Trauma in the Body3. Nervous System Regulation4. Healing Practices5. Emotional Intelligence