The Scapegoat: A Body-Based Healing Circle
Details
In many families, one person becomes the scapegoat — the one who carries blame, speaks uncomfortable truths, or absorbs what the system cannot face.
This role is not a flaw.
It is a nervous system adaptation.
Scapegoats often grow up feeling misunderstood, singled out, or labeled as “too sensitive,” “too much,” or “the problem.” Over time, the body learns to stay alert — scanning for threat, criticism, or emotional danger. This constant vigilance can later show up as anxiety, tension, or exhaustion.
In this gentle, body-based healing circle, we’ll explore the scapegoat role somatically — through sensation, breath, and awareness — rather than analysis or storytelling.
This circle is not about reliving the past.
It’s about helping the body recognize that it no longer has to stay on guard.
What We'll Explore
- How the scapegoat role forms in the body and nervous system
- Why hypervigilance and anxiety are common for scapegoats
- Where blame, tension, and alertness live in the body
- How to gently release vigilance and reclaim safety
What to Expect
- This is a slow, supportive somatic experience. We’ll move gently through:
- Grounding and nervous system settling
- A scapegoat-specific body awareness scan
- Somatic teaching and internal inquiry
- Optional journaling
- Gentle release and integration
You are always in choice. Sharing is optional. You are welcome to participate in the way that feels safest for your body.
No prior somatic experience is needed.
If this session resonates and you want to go deeper, I’m also offering a workshop called Healing Anxiety: The Hidden Roots of Family Roles. This workshop looks at how roles like the scapegoat shape the nervous system and contribute to ongoing anxiety patterns — and how we can begin to shift them through somatic awareness.
You can register for the workshop here.
Led by: Natalie Bussell
Somatic Healing & Embodiment Coach | NB Holistic Health
Trauma-informed. Nervous-system aware. Body-based healing.