Listening to the Body: A First Step Toward Change

“The body is the ground of our being, and awareness is how we come to live in it.”— Jim Kepner

In a world that constantly pulls us outward—into screens, schedules, and speed—it can be easy to lose connection with the place we actually live: our body.

As a Gestalt therapist, I often begin not by asking “What’s wrong?” but rather “What are you noticing, right now?” Our body is always offering subtle information: a tightness in the chest, a flutter in the belly, a pulling back of the shoulders. These sensations aren’t random. They’re meaningful expressions of how we’re meeting the world, moment by moment.

Embodied awareness is the practice of tuning in to these physical signals—not to fix them, but to listen.

Jim Kepner writes about the body as a living process, not just an object we have but a presence we are. In Gestalt therapy, we attend to the body as part of the whole field of experience. The way someone breathes, holds their jaw, or avoids eye contact might carry more truth than a well-rehearsed story.

This work isn’t about mindfulness for relaxation, although calm can emerge. It’s about making contact—with yourself, your history, your needs, your edges. The body can speak what words haven’t yet formed.

If you’re feeling disconnected, stuck, or unsure what you need, try pausing—just for a moment. Feel your feet on the ground. Let your shoulders drop. Breathe. That’s where the conversation begins.