info@queerjoytherapy.com
114 Maitland Street, Toronto
info@queerjoytherapy.com
114 Maitland Street, Toronto
Have you ever felt like everything was just too much—emotionally, mentally, or even physically? That experience has a name: overwhelm. In trauma-informed therapy, overwhelm refers to moments when your nervous system was flooded—by fear, chaos, grief, or intensity—and you didn’t have the tools, support, or capacity to process it. Overwhelm is more than stress. It’s what happens when our sense of safety and control disappears. “Overwhelm is any life event where we felt out of control, engulfed by fear, even terror... where our self-awareness felt immobile, unable to escape, and perhaps literally frozen.” — Sergio Ocampo, Somatic Innovations
Free Consultation
Writer's information:
Yijia is a proud Queer Asian therapist, based in Tkaronto (colonially known as Toronto)
Not every overwhelming experience becomes trauma—but many do, especially if you were alone when it happened.
Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by how your nervous system experienced it. If you were unsupported, unseen, or emotionally abandoned, that overwhelm can get trapped in your body.
In my work with queer, neurodivergent, and trauma-impacted individuals, I’ve seen this often:
We don’t just “remember” overwhelming moments with our minds—we store them in our bodies.
Overwhelm lives in the nervous system.
“The body holds onto overwhelming experiences, especially those where we lost control, consciousness, or events that occurred too quickly.”
— Sergio Ocampo
These experiences are processed through your Emotional Nervous System and embedded in your Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)—which means you might feel the impact even when you don’t consciously remember the event.
Signs your body might be remembering overwhelm:
Healing doesn’t mean “pushing through.” It means gently repairing your relationship to safety, trust, and connection.
Begin by saying, “This is overwhelm.” It invites compassion and interrupts shame.
You don’t need to heal alone. Find a therapist, friend, or space where your nervous system can soften.
Talk therapy is powerful—but healing trauma often requires somatic (body-based) practices like grounding, breathwork, or movement.
Create slowness and space. Overwhelm thrives in urgency. Healing happens in pause.
Every time you listen to your body’s cues, you reclaim agency and self-compassion.
If you’ve been told you’re overly sensitive, reactive, or emotional—you’re not broken. You’re likely holding onto a lot.
The good news? Healing is possible. Your body holds not just the memories, but the wisdom to release them.
