Old Wounds Bubbling Up
I am not an astrologer by any means (I defer to my personal expert, Marissa Winters at MW Astrology, for all things in that realm), but I’ve started paying much closer attention to astrology—especially when big transits, like eclipses, stir something deep within me. I’ve found it powerful to not only understand the collective energy, but also to know what placements in my own chart are being activated. It’s become a subtle but supportive practice, helping me make sense of moments that feel emotionally charged or unexpectedly tender.
One prompt I recently came across stopped me in my tracks:
“What old wounds have come to the surface lately?”
As far along as I am in my burnout recovery, I didn’t think there was much left to uncover. I’ve done the work. I’ve processed so much. But back in February, something shifted. It felt like a purge of childhood wounds I hadn’t even realized were still lingering beneath the surface.
The Invisible Weight We Carry
One of the most fascinating things I’ve learned throughout this recovery is that my experiences weren’t particularly extreme or traumatic in the way we often define trauma. I had a happy childhood. There’s no single story I could point to that would make someone say, Wow, what a difficult life she’s had.
So how did I end up here—deep in the work of unraveling, healing, and rebuilding from burnout?
What I’ve come to understand is just how sensitive I’ve always been. As a child, I could feel the energy of a room before anyone even spoke. I picked up on emotions that were never verbalized, sensing shifts and undercurrents that others may not have noticed. At one point, this sensitivity felt like a superpower—helping me navigate the world. But somewhere along the way, it became overwhelming.
We move through life like we’re wearing a Velcro suit. Some experiences pass right by, never sticking at all. Others, though, latch onto us, embedding themselves into our sense of self. They shape how we see the world, our relationships, and our own worth.
I’ve realized I wasn’t just carrying my own emotions—I was carrying everyone else’s, too. If I could feel someone’s pain, I worried for them. If I sensed discomfort, I tried to soften it. Over time, this quiet responsibility became an invisible weight, one my nervous system could no longer handle.
The Moment Everything Changed
The first time I truly felt the weight of what I had been holding was during a webinar Beatriz Victoria Albina, NP, MPH was hosting on somatic healing. She asked:
“When were you told you were too much as a child? Ask your body where that is stored.”
At first, I dismissed it. I was a shy kid—I was never told I was too much. But before I could even finish that thought, tears streamed down my face. Not a slow build-up—just an instant, overwhelming release.
And then, just as quickly, I heard the words: “Too developed.”
A flood of childhood memories came rushing back. Being teased for wearing a training bra in fourth grade. A much older man approaching me, making me shrink in discomfort. The unspoken lesson I learned in those moments: Make yourself smaller. Disappear.
That experience was my first glimpse into how much our bodies remember, even when our minds have long moved on. These weren’t stories I had carried consciously, but they had shaped me nonetheless, threading their way into patterns and beliefs that followed me into adulthood.
What Might Be Stuck in You?
Burnout isn’t always about work. It’s not just about long hours or stressful deadlines. Sometimes, it’s the accumulation of everything we’ve held onto—unprocessed emotions, old wounds, and invisible burdens we never realized we were carrying.
If you’re feeling weighed down, if your nervous system feels like it’s in overdrive, there may be something deep within you waiting to surface.
Somatic healing changed everything for me. It’s not about talking your way through things—it’s about feeling your way through, allowing your body to release what it has stored for years.
The world of somatics is growing, and every practitioner has their own approach. If this resonates with you, I encourage you to explore and find the right fit. Here are a few practitioners I’ve found helpful in my own journey:
Dr. Linnea Passaler - I credit her instagram being my first aha moment of realizing I have a nervous system problem. Each post, I started to see myself in and that opened the door for my own healing journey to unfold. Her instagram is full of easy to understand posts and she also has a book “How to Heal Your Nervous System.” You can find her on Instagram @healyournervoussystem.
Beatriz Victoria Albina, NP, MPH - As I mentioned earlier, I attended a webinar with Beatriz and had a pretty transformative experience. She’s a wealth of information and I highly recommend attending one of her webinars if you are interested in learning about somatic healing. You can follow her on Instagram @beatrizvictoriaalbinanp.
Isabella Mainwaring - I first discovered on TikTok doing her somatic exercise challenge. I saw myself in her story, so I joined her online community. You can find her on Instagram @isabella.mainwaring.
Healing doesn’t happen all at once. But sometimes, all it takes is a single moment of awareness to begin shifting everything.
