--- title: I've been in therapy for two years processing sexual trauma. Recently, I've started experiencing physical arousal when thinking about or processing the assault. This is particularly distressing since I'm gay and the assault was by someone of the opposite sex. Are these physical responses normal during trauma processing? ~ Our Wave Community description:

Thank you for asking this. Physical arousal during trauma processing is a common and normal physiological response that many survivors experience, though... url: https://community.ourwave.org/en/answer/ive-been-in-therapy-for-two-years-processing-sexual-trauma-recently-ive-started-experiencing-physical-arousal-when-thinking-about-or-processing-the-assault-this-is-particularly-distressing-since-im-gay-and-the-assault-was-by-someone-of-the-opposite-sex-are-these-physical-responses-normal-during-trauma-processing-338.md --- {{customAnalyticsScripts}} [\[Image: Our Wave Logo\]\[Image: Our Wave Logo\]](/en/) [ Community ](/en/)[ Questions & Answers ](/en/learn)[ Find Support ](/en/resources) Share story Post a message 0 Users 0 Views 0 Reactions 0 Stories read ##### Need to take a break? 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Send it to us 🇺🇸 # I've been in therapy for two years processing sexual trauma. Recently, I've started experiencing physical arousal when thinking about or processing the assault. This is particularly distressing since I'm gay and the assault was by someone of the opposite sex. Are these physical responses normal during trauma processing? \[Image: Dr. Laura\] Answer by **Dr. Laura** PhD Mental Health Nurse & Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Topics:[Managing emotions and how you feel in your body](/en/learn?tags=managing-emotions-and-how-you-feel-in-your-body) Thank you for asking this. Physical arousal during trauma processing is a common and normal physiological response that many survivors experience, though it can feel deeply confusing and distressing. Our bodies can react to traumatic memories in complex ways, even when the experiences are painful or go against our sexual orientation. These responses occur because our nervous system remembers and can react to any type of touch or sexual content, whether wanted or unwanted. During trauma processing, our bodies may recreate sensations from the traumatic experience as part of memory processing. This can include physical arousal, muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, or other physical sensations. These reactions happen in our autonomic nervous system - the same system that controls our heartbeat and breathing - making them outside our conscious control. It's similar to how our body might respond to watching an intense scene in a movie, even when we know it isn't real. The fact that these reactions are emerging now, two years into therapy, might actually be a sign that you're processing deeper layers of the trauma. Many survivors initially experience emotional numbness or disconnection from physical sensations as a protective mechanism. As healing progresses, our bodies might begin to process these stored sensations and memories. This can be particularly confusing when the physical responses seem to conflict with our sexual orientation or identity, but these automatic responses don't define your sexuality or diminish the reality of your trauma. I wouls speak to your therapist about these sensations and feelings. They can help you understand these reactions as normal parts of the healing process and develop ways to feel safer in your body when they occur. Remember: Your body's involuntary responses don't reflect consent or enjoyment of the assault, nor do they invalidate your sexual identity. They're simply part of your nervous system processing the experience. Thank you so much for asking this. You are not alone. 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Name the following out loud: 5 – things you can see (you can look within the room and out of the window) 4 – things you can feel (what is in front of you that you can touch?) 3 – things you can hear 2 – things you can smell 1 – thing you like about yourself. Take a deep breath to end. From where you are sitting, look around for things that have a texture or are nice or interesting to look at. Hold an object in your hand and bring your full focus to it. Look at where shadows fall on parts of it or maybe where there are shapes that form within the object. Feel how heavy or light it is in your hand and what the surface texture feels like under your fingers (This can also be done with a pet if you have one). Take a deep breath to end. Ask yourself the following questions and answer them out loud: 1\. Where am I? 2\. What day of the week is today? 3\. What is today’s date? 4\. What is the current month? 5\. What is the current year? 6\. How old am I? 7\. What season is it? Take a deep breath to end. Put your right hand palm down on your left shoulder. Put your left hand palm down on your right shoulder. Choose a sentence that will strengthen you. For example: “I am powerful.” Say the sentence out loud first and pat your right hand on your left shoulder, then your left hand on your right shoulder. Alternate the patting. Do ten pats altogether, five on each side, each time repeating your sentences aloud. Take a deep breath to end. Cross your arms in front of you and draw them towards your chest. With your right hand, hold your left upper arm. With your left hand, hold your right upper arm. Squeeze gently, and pull your arms inwards. Hold the squeeze for a little while, finding the right amount of squeeze for you in this moment. Hold the tension and release. Then squeeze for a little while again and release. Stay like that for a moment. Take a deep breath to end. Try another grounding activity I feel grounded and ready