Episode 1: What Professionals Need to Know About the Chronic Freeze Response with Dr. Peter Levine
- THA Operations
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
When Your Body Gets Stuck in Shutdown
You wake up exhausted. You feel disconnected from your body. You can't seem to access motivation or energy. This isn't laziness and this isn't depression refusing to lift.
This is freeze.
The freeze response isn't a weakness but rather a survival mechanism that kept our ancestors alive. Your body didn't develop freeze to hurt you but to protect you when fight or flight won't work.
But when freeze becomes chronic, it shows up as fatigue, disconnection, and shutdown. When temporary protection becomes your baseline state.
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing. We get to the root of what causes freeze and why understanding this biology changes how you help yourself or your clients.
The Biology Behind Freeze
Freeze happens when your nervous system detects overwhelm. When there's no escape and no way to fight back, your body chooses immobilization over destruction.
This response exists in all mammals and is protective, not pathological. The problem isn't the freeze response itself but rather when your body gets stuck there.
Dr. Levine and I explore why freeze is an evolutionary survival strategy, what triggers the nervous system into immobilization, how chronic freeze differs from acute protective freeze, and the relationship between freeze and chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and autoimmunity.
Why Traditional Approaches Miss Freeze
Here's what most practitioners don't understand: you can't think your way out of freeze. You can't motivate someone out of it either.
This is biology, not lack of willpower or insight.
Talk therapy alone won't shift a frozen nervous system. Cognitive understanding doesn't release the immobilization response. Your body needs something different.
Somatic Approaches That Actually Work
Dr. Levine shares how working with the body directly helps. How tiny shifts in sensation can begin the thaw. Why safety must come before processing.
The key insights include that small movements matter more than big breakthroughs, sensation work precedes emotional processing, your nervous system needs evidence of safety rather than just concepts, titration prevents re-traumatization, and the body holds the roadmap out of freeze.
This Episode Is Essential For:
✓ Therapists and practitioners working with frozen, shut-down clients
✓ People who recognize themselves in the chronic freeze state
✓ Healthcare providers seeing unexplained fatigue and disconnection
✓ Anyone whose healing work has stalled in shutdown
✓ Professionals wanting to understand somatic trauma approaches
What You'll Take Away
Listen to learn why freeze is protective, not pathological. Understand how to work with this response instead of against it. Discover why the body must lead the way out.
Healing from freeze happens at the speed of safety.
Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information shared reflects my clinical expertise and research, but every person's biology and healing journey is unique. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers before making changes to your treatment plan or starting new interventions. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately.
Join the Conversation
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode. What resonated with you? What questions came up?
Please keep comments respectful and supportive. This is a community of people committed to healing. We welcome diverse perspectives and honest questions, but we don't tolerate personal attacks, spam, or content that could harm others on their healing journey.