When words fail, the body speaks: unlocking mental wellness through body awareness

How body awareness bridges the gap between mind and body? Could body awareness be the missing piece in your mental wellness journey? How can interoception help when words fall short?

Diversity in body awareness experiences

For many people from Black, African and other culturally diverse backgrounds, emotional expression is not always verbal. Instead, they are deeply felt in the body and manifest physically through responses such as a racing heart, a tight chest or restlessness. You may have heard phrases like “I feel it in my gut” or “My chest feels heavy today.” These everyday expressions reflect interoception, the body’s way of communicating emotions through physical sensations such as changes in breathing, muscle tension or heart rate shifts.

Despite this, mental health discussions often focus on thoughts and feelings rather than how emotions are physically experienced. This is where body awareness, the practice of tuning into and understanding these sensations becomes a powerful yet often overlooked tool for emotional regulation and self-care. By learning to interpret these signals, individuals can develop a more intuitive and embodied approach to mental wellness

A global perspective on mental health and body awareness

Recently, I had the opportunity to engage with some mental health leaders from across the world who are working to improve support for Black and African communities. Together, we explored:

✔ Strategies to break down stigma and the silence around mental health in underrepresented communities.

✔ Cultural responsiveness by way of tailoring mental health services to fit different cultural experiences, even in resource-limited settings.

✔ Innovative advocacy and creative approaches to educating and empowering people about mental well-being.

✔ Partnerships for change and amplifying our collective impact.

A key takeaway? Body awareness is an essential yet underutilised tool for mental wellness. For many communities where openly discussing mental health remains stigmatised, body awareness offers a non-verbal and culturally intuitive way to process emotions.

At Tabvuma Mental Health, we are championing this approach through our Body Awareness workbook which provides practical exercises to help individuals interpret their body’s signals and respond in ways that promote well-being.

What is body awareness again and why does It matter?

To illustrate the power of body awareness, let’s consider Thecla, a Zimbabwean-Australian woman who grew up hearing “Stay strong” whenever she felt overwhelmed. Verbally expressing emotions like sadness or anxiety was rarely encouraged. Instead, she dismissed her digestive issues as mere physical discomfort not realising they were connected to her emotions. Through intentional self-reflection and body awareness practices, she began paying closer attention to her body’s signals where she noticed that her stomach clenched and her appetite decreased every time she felt overwhelmed, anxious or emotionally burdened.

After subscribing to the Tabvuma Mental Health ‘Getting started’ mental health care package, Thecla learnt body awareness techniques such as mindful check-ins, journalling her physical sensations and tracking when these symptoms occurred, she started to see a clear pattern. She realised that these sensations were not random but were her body’s way of communicating distress. By acknowledging this connection, she was able to explore her emotions more deeply and adopt coping strategies like deep breathing, gentle movement, and intentional pauses to address stress before it manifested physically.

Her journey highlights how body awareness can help individuals especially those from cultures where verbal emotional expression is less common to process their feelings in a meaningful and intuitive way.

When words fall short, the body speaks

For many first-generation migrants, language barriers and cultural expectations can make verbalising emotions difficult. In many cultures, feelings like stress, sadness or anxiety are not always openly discussed leading people to internalise their emotions. But while words may fail, the body always communicates whether through an aching head, tense shoulders, a racing heart or an unsettled stomach. These sensations are not random, they are the body’s way of signaling distress which offers an opportunity for self-awareness and regulation.

Take Alpha, a young Sierra Leonean-Australian man who struggled with anxiety but did not have the words to explain it. Whenever he felt overwhelmed, his chest tightened but he brushed it off as exhaustion. He had grown up in a household where resilience was valued and showing vulnerability was not encouraged. Over time, his symptoms worsened, his sleep was disrupted, he experienced frequent headaches and he found it difficult to concentrate. Still, he believed he just needed to work harder and push through.

It wasn’t until Alpha started working through the Tabvuma Mental Health Body Awareness Workbook that things began to shift. The workbook guided him to pause and observe his physical sensations without judgment. He learned that his chest tightness was not just fatigue, it was his body’s way of signaling emotional distress. Through guided exercises, he practiced simple body scans, deep breathing and grounding techniques. He started recognising early signs of tension and developed strategies to regulate his nervous system before anxiety spiralled out of control. Over time, Alpha realised that his body had been speaking to him all along and he just needed the right tools to listen. This shift not only improved his emotional well-being but also helped him feel more in control of his mental health.

Across different cultures, mental health professionals are recognising interoception, the ability to tune into internal body signals, as a powerful and culturally safe entry point for emotional well-being. By promoting body awareness, we empower individuals to understand and regulate their emotions in ways that feel natural and accessible.

Listening to your body: the first step to self-care

Thecla and Alpha’s stories highlight a powerful truth: when words fail, the body speaks. Developing body awareness is not just about relaxation, it is about reconnecting with yourself in a meaningful and culturally intuitive way. Whether through mindful breathing, movement, or simply noticing sensations, this practice transforms how we experience emotions.

If Thecla and Alpha’s story resonates with you or a loved one, it may be time to start your own journey. Subscribe to our Getting Started mental health care package today to access self-guided tools, reflective exercises, and culturally tailored resources designed to help you reconnect with your body and emotions.

Your body is speaking, are you ready to listen?

Follow us on our social platforms – Instagram, YouTube and Facebook @tabvumamentalhealth and subscribe to our mental health care packages for tips, resources and culturally safe mental health support designed for you.

Until next time,

Tabvuma Mental Health