Feeling Dissociated? Here's What To Do
As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I’ve worked with many clients who describe feeling disconnected—from their body, emotions, surroundings, or even reality itself.
They say things like:
“I feel like I’m floating above myself.”
“My body is here, but I’m not.”
“It’s like I’m watching my life happen, but not living it.”
These are all signs of dissociation—a natural, protective response from the nervous system when something feels overwhelming or unsafe. If you’ve felt this way, please know: you’re not broken. This is your body’s way of helping you survive.
And it’s possible to come back—gently, slowly, and at your own pace.
Quick note: Technically, “dissociated” is the correct term when talking about trauma and nervous system responses. “Disassociated” refers more to separating from a group or idea. However, because most people are more familiar with—and search for—the word “disassociated,” I’ll be using that spelling throughout this blog. My priority is helping people find the information they need for their healing, even if the wording isn’t perfect.
What Does Disassociated Feel Like?
People often ask me: What does disassociated feel like?
Dissociation isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s subtle. You might zone out in a conversation, lose track of time, or feel like you’re moving through life on autopilot. Other times, it can feel more extreme—like you’ve left your body or gone completely numb.
You might be:
Feeling disassociated with life, like nothing really touches you, everything feels flat.
Feeling disassociated from your body, unsure what sensations are present or unable to locate yourself physically.
Clients who I have supported have said things like:
“I feel like my eyes are way above my head but I know they aren’t”
“Part of me just left a little bit.”
“I can’t feel anything below the waist, not even my feet.”
Going emotionally numb during conflict or stress
Struggling to recall conversations or events
Feeling like you are living in a movie or a video game, like reality isn’t real.
From a somatic perspective, dissociation is part of the freeze or collapse response—a deeply intelligent survival strategy. When fight or flight isn’t an option, the body may shut down, numb out, or disconnect to help you endure the overwhelming events. What this means is that the dissociation almost always has very strong sympathetic activation (fight-or-flight) underneath the dissociation.
This is common in people with trauma histories, chronic stress, or experiences where the body didn’t feel safe.
Client Story #1: Reclaiming Presence by Focusing on pleasant Resources
I once worked with a client—we’ll call her Maya—who came to me saying, “I don’t feel anything. I feel like I’m hovering outside my body.”
She had spent years in talk therapy and understood her trauma intellectually, but she still felt numb and detached most of the time. Her body felt like foreign territory.
In our sessions, we didn’t start with deep emotional processing. We began with something much simpler: contact with the present moment.
I invited Maya to notice the weight of her body in the chair. I asked her to place her hands on her thighs and track any sensation—warmth, tingling, pressure. For the first few sessions, there wasn’t much she could feel. But one day as we were processing very small pieces of the traumatic event, I drew her attention to something positive and pleasant as she sat with her hands on her heart. In the noticing of this pause and said:
“I feel a tiny flicker. Like warmth in my chest. I think I’m here.”
That flicker was everything. Not because it solved everything, but because it marked the beginning of a shift, a doorway if you will, where we could continue to build upon and expand her capacity for not just feeling her heart space, but bringing her emotions back online. With time she no longer felt like a shell. It was feeling more and more like herself and comfortable in her own skin.
What to Do When You Feel Disassociated
If you’re wondering what to do when you feel disassociated or what to do if you feel dissociated, know that the answer isn’t about “snapping out of it”—it’s about gently helping your nervous system return to a sense of safety and connection.
Here are a few simple practices I use with clients:
Feel your feet. Place them on the ground and press gently and slowly. Notice any sensation—temperature, texture, pressure.
Orient to your space. Slowly look around and name five things you see. Let your eyes move. Let your body register safety.
Touch your body with presence. Place a hand on your heart or belly. Not to fix anything—just to say “I’m here.” Focus on the contact your body is making with your hand.
Try rhythmic movement. Rock side to side. Sway gently. Let your body find a rhythm that feels tolerable.
Track one sensation. Ask yourself: “What do I feel, physically, right now?” Stay with just one sensation, even if it’s very faint.
You don’t need to feel everything all at once. Just one small anchor in the present moment is enough.
is Trauma holding you back?
Are you feeling stuck in life, disconnected, or somehow not yourself? Or maybe you carry a sense of unease in your body, struggling with anxiety or a feeling that something isn’t quite right.
As a somatic experiencing practitioner I specialize in helping people process and release stored trauma through gentle yet effective methods.
Download my FREE guide “Get Unstuck! The Truth About Body Trauma and How to Break Free’ and learn how to create the future you deserve.
Dissociation Is Adaptive—And It Can Shift
Dissociation exists for a reason. It may have helped you survive something too much, too fast, or too soon. The goal isn’t to get rid of it—it’s to build more capacity to stay connected when it’s safe to do so.
That capacity grows through safety, choice, and slow reconnection.
This is the heart of somatic healing: helping your body find its way back—not through force, but through presence. to learn more about somatic experiencing and how to bring healing to your trauma please click here.
You’re Not Alone—And You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If you’re reading this and recognizing yourself in these stories, I want you to know: it’s possible to come back to your body. I’ve walked this path with many clients, and I’d be honored to support you too.
If you’re interested in exploring somatic healing—through private sessions or my online programs—you can learn more here. You’re welcome just as you are, dissociation and all.
This is a gentle path. And you get to walk it at your own pace.
Brianna Anderson, SEP
I’m here to help you heal so you can begin to live the life of your dreams
My private practice specializes in helping people who have endured trauma, resolve the symptoms out of their body, mind & spirit so they can feel comfortable in their skin, find inner peace and live the desires of their heart.
I am based out of South Orange County, Ca and offer online therapy sessions. Whether you are just starting your healing journey or ready to try something new, I am here to help.