Why Changing a Belief Isn’t Just About Changing Your Thoughts
When it comes to emotional healing, we often focus on changing our thoughts. We assume that if we can just change the way we think, our feelings and behaviors will follow.
This is what we call top-down therapy: the idea that we start with the mind, trying to change beliefs, thought patterns, and perspectives.
But what happens when you can’t shift a belief, no matter how hard you try? You know, the one that’s deeply rooted in your system?
This is where bottom-up therapy comes in. Instead of working from the mind, it starts with the body—focusing on physical sensations, emotions, and the nervous system to create change from the ground up.
In this post, I want to explore how top-down and bottom-up therapies are both essential for lasting healing. They work together to release beliefs that are stored in the body, and I’ll explain why this process is so important.
Top-Down Therapy: Understanding Beliefs
Top-down therapy is all about changing how we think. For example, if you struggle with a belief like “I’m not good enough” or “I’ll never be able to do this,” top-down therapy can help you examine where that belief came from and how it affects your behavior.
It’s about gaining insight, challenging negative thoughts, and learning to think in a new, healthier way.
If you change the way you think, the idea is that your emotions and actions will change, too.
Bottom-Up Therapy: The Body Holds the Key
But here’s the thing: sometimes, changing our thoughts isn’t enough.
Our beliefs don’t just live in our minds—they’re also stored in the body. That’s where bottom-up therapy comes in.
The body holds onto sensations and emotions, sometimes in the form of tension, discomfort, or tightness. For example, when you’re nervous, you might feel tightness in your chest or a knot in your stomach, even if you’re not consciously aware of why.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in The Body Keeps the Score, talks about how trauma and emotional experiences get stored in the body. When we experience trauma, our nervous system goes into a state of high alert, and those sensations get stored. Over time, the body’s memory reinforces the beliefs we carry about ourselves.
Even if your mind tells you “I’m okay”, your body might still be holding on to the emotional charge of old wounds. This can make it really hard to change the beliefs that are still anchored in your body.
Why You Can’t Just Think Your Way Out
Here’s an example: say you have the belief, “I’m unworthy.”
You can try to tell yourself, “I am worthy of love and respect”, over and over again. You might understand logically why that belief isn’t true, but if your body is still holding onto sensations of rejection or abandonment, that belief can stick around.
As Dr. van der Kolk says, “The body keeps the score.” Our body holds onto memories of past trauma and emotional experiences. And those memories can reinforce the beliefs we hold about ourselves, even when we try to think differently.
Without addressing the body’s role in holding onto those beliefs, changing them in the mind alone can only go so far.
Bottom-Up Therapy: Releasing the Body’s Hold on Beliefs
This is where bottom-up therapy can make a real difference. By working directly with the body, we can release the emotional charge stored there and allow the mind to follow.
When you start addressing the physical sensations that are connected to beliefs, you give your body the space to release old patterns. Over time, as those physical patterns shift, your beliefs can transform as well.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever tried to change a belief, only to find it keeps resurfacing, it might be because that belief is stored in your body.
Changing deeply held beliefs requires more than just thinking differently—it requires working with your body to release the tension and emotional charge tied to those beliefs.
If you’re ready to explore how both your mind and body can be involved in your healing process, I can help. Through bottom-up therapy, we can work together to release old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve you.
