At Wild Mountain Clinical Counselling, we know trauma responses are often misunderstood—and one of the most misinterpreted is the freeze response. While “fight or flight” are widely known, “freeze” can be equally common and deeply impactful. It’s a biological survival strategy, but when it becomes chronic, it can feel confusing, isolating, and even shame-inducing.
Let’s explore what freeze is, why it happens, how it shows up, and most importantly—how to begin healing.
What is the Freeze Response?
The freeze response is one of the nervous system’s automatic survival reactions. When neither fighting nor fleeing seems possible or safe, the body may go into immobility or shutdown. Think of a deer “freezing” in headlights—still, silent, and stunned—not by choice, but by instinct.
This response is deeply protective, helping the body minimize harm by reducing visibility, emotional overwhelm, or physical sensation. But when freeze becomes a patterned response—especially in those with trauma histories—it can interfere with emotional connection, daily functioning, and a person’s sense of identity.

Why Do People Freeze?
Freeze becomes a dominant trauma response when:
· A person experienced danger or helplessness where resistance or escape was impossible (e.g., abuse, bullying, assault).
· There was no safe caregiver or emotional support during the trauma.
· The nervous system learned that shutting down was safer than feeling or reacting.
Over time, especially in repeated or developmental trauma, freeze may become a default way of coping, even in situations that aren’t threatening.
What Happens in the Body During Freeze?
The freeze state involves a conflict between the sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest/shutdown) nervous systems. It’s as if your body presses the gas and brake at the same time—creating a state of stillness, overwhelm, and shutdown.
Physiological shifts may include:
· Slowed heart rate and breathing
· Low energy or sudden exhaustion
· Drop in muscle tone and body tension
· Reduced ability to move, speak, or act
This is the body’s automatic attempt to survive, not a reflection of your character, strength, or willpower.
How Freeze Might Show Up
Internally (What a person may feel):
· Numbness – unable to feel emotions or physical sensations
· Disconnection – from body, thoughts, or environment
· Zoned out – mentally distant, foggy, or blank
· Avoidance – instinctively pulling away from situations or feelings
· Paralysis – difficulty starting tasks, speaking, or reacting
· Shame or guilt – wondering “why didn’t I do something?”
· Flatness – inability to cry, laugh, or emotionally engage
These symptoms may result in feeling “cut off” from life. Emotions are still present, but the nervous system blocks access to them for protection.
Externally (What others or a counsellor may observe):
· Blank or frozen facial expressions
· Lack of eye contact or flat affect
· Long pauses or monotone speech
· Physical stillness or tenseness
· Passive or nonreactive demeanor during stress
These can be mistaken as disinterest or defiance, but they are signs of nervous system overwhelm.
How to Recognize You’re in Freeze
It can be subtle and confusing to recognize when you’re in freeze. Some signs include:
· You can’t feel your emotions, or everything feels flat
· You suddenly “space out” or feel blank during stress
· You’re aware of what’s happening but can’t move or speak
· You avoid conflict or responsibility without knowing why
· You feel shut down or unreachable, even to yourself
Where Dissociation Fits Into the Freeze Response
Dissociation is the mind’s companion to freeze. While freeze is a bodily response, dissociation is a mental and emotional disconnection—the mind’s way of buffering pain.
Common dissociative experiences include:
· Depersonalization – feeling detached from your body or like you’re watching yourself from outside
· Derealization – the world feels distant, dreamlike, or unreal
· Time loss or memory gaps – forgetting chunks of time, conversations, or tasks
· Emotional flatness – “I know I should feel something, but I don’t”
· Going blank during stress, conflict, or emotional intensity
Dissociation keeps emotions out of awareness when the brain deems them too overwhelming. While this helps in survival, over time, it can leave a person feeling confused, numb, or broken—even though their mind and body are doing exactly what they were designed to do.
How to Support Yourself Through Freeze
Healing the freeze response means moving slowly, building safety, and reconnecting with your body and emotions in manageable ways.
1. Acknowledge It Without Shame
Freeze is not your fault—it’s your nervous system doing its best to protect you.
2. Gentle Grounding Tools
Reconnect with the present moment:
· Wiggle your fingers and toes
· Hold a cold object like an ice cube or textured stone
· Look around the room and name five things you see
· Place your hands on your heart or belly
3. Reconnect with Your Body—Slowly
· Try gentle movement like stretching or rocking
· Use your voice (humming, sighing, or low-tone sounds)
· Do a few rounds of diaphragmatic breathing—soft and slow
4. Co-Regulate with Safe Others
Being with a calm, trusted person or pet can help regulate your nervous system. Even virtual contact or calming recordings can help.
5. Work with a Trauma-Informed Counsellor
Therapies like EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, or Parts Work can gently help process trauma and bring frozen parts back into connection.
Final Thoughts
The freeze response is not failure—it is survival. You did what your nervous system needed to do. But now, if you feel stuck in patterns of numbness, shutdown, or disconnection, know that healing is possible.
At Wild Mountain Clinical Counselling, we see you. We understand freeze, dissociation, and the silent ways trauma lives in the body. Together, we can help you build safety, reconnect with your inner world, and move toward healing—at your own pace.