Emotion Code Impact: How Releasing Trapped Emotions Can Transform Health
Written by Sarah Parkins. Published August 20, 2025
When people think about health, they often focus on physical systems, nutrition, exercise, sleep, or lab results. Yet science continues to show that our emotional landscape is just as critical as our biology. The nervous system, immune function, and hormonal balance are not separate from how we process, or do not process, our emotions.
This is where the concept of the Emotion Code comes in. Developed by Dr. Bradley Nelson, the Emotion Code is built on the idea that unprocessed emotional energy can become trapped in the body, and that these stored energies may influence the body’s natural functioning. Through the Emotion Code, it has been observed that the typical adult may carry between 200 and 400 trapped emotions. This modality offers a structured way of identifying and releasing trapped energetic emotions, removing the negative charge from the body if you like.
The Emotion Code may sound abstract at first, but it comes from how closely emotions are tied to the body. When emotions become stuck, they can act almost like energetic roadblocks, influencing normal flow and function. This is not just a metaphor. Emerging sciences such as psychoneuroimmunology, the study of how emotions and stress affect the immune, nervous, and endocrine systems, and epigenetics, which examines how experiences and environment influence gene expression, provide a framework for understanding why releasing these trapped emotions may support well-being. Both fields show that emotions do not just live in the mind; they influence the body at a cellular and systemic level.
Important Note: The Emotion Code is not a medical diagnosis, treatment, or cure. It is intended to support awareness and complement conventional healthcare.
The Science of Trapped Emotions
Every thought and feeling creates a cascade of physiological responses. The body experiences emotions every day, many of which are outside conscious awareness, but the unconscious mind notices and the body records these experiences. Consider stress: one triggering event elevates cortisol and adrenaline, tightening muscles, raising heart rate, and altering digestion. If that stressor is resolved, the body rebalances. But when emotional events remain unresolved, such as grief, anger, fear, shame, or despair, the body may hold onto the physiological imprint.
Over time, this can contribute to experiences such as body aches and pains, digestive discomfort, mystery symptoms, difficulty with willpower, sleep disturbances, and heightened anxious thoughts, emotional reactivity, reduced capacity or bandwidth before boiling over. Research shows that unresolved trauma can influence the way the amygdala and hippocampus operate, reinforcing patterns of hyper-vigilance. Similarly, immune cells may respond to emotional stress in ways that affect their activity. This is not to suggest that emotions cure conditions or are the sole reason they happen. Trapped emotional energy may interfere with the body’s natural processes, and exploring these patterns allows the body to function with greater ease and clarity.
Energy, Electromagnetic Fields, and Emotional Health
Humans are not only biological beings, they are also energetic systems. Every cell emits and responds to electromagnetic signals, which help regulate processes such as neurological signaling, hormonal rhythms, and emotional responses. Subtle disruptions in these energetic patterns, caused by stress, unresolved emotions, environmental factors, or past experiences, can influence how the body and mind function.
Research in bioelectromagnetics shows that electromagnetic fields can affect cellular activity, including ion transport, membrane potential, and gene expression. Quantum biology, mechanics, and physics suggest that energy interactions at the subcellular level help the body process information and maintain internal balance. In essence, the body continuously receives, sends, and responds to energetic information.
The Emotion Code works by identifying and releasing trapped emotional energy, which may disrupt the body’s natural balance. When energy that has been stuck is released, the body’s energetic systems may recalibrate, supporting overall awareness and well-being. This approach complements conventional healthcare, providing a structured way to explore energy patterns and create space for clarity and vitality.
Birch Cove’s Work with Over 100 Clients
At this point, Birch Cove founder Sarah Parkins has worked with more than 100 individuals through Emotion Code sessions, and one thing is clear: emotions do impact lives. They can become stuck, and the energy of them may influence experiences, creating blocks similar to a detour when driving. You still get to your destination, but it can take more effort and a longer route.
The body is remarkable in its ability to adapt and compensate. When energy is released that no longer serves, individuals may notice a sense of alignment or smoother flow. Energy is not odd or mythical. Every cell moves and vibrates; under a microscope, that vibration is visible. Physics tells us that energy is transferred rather than created, and emotions are a form of energy. Emotions are contagious; being in a room with someone angry or aggressive can shift how you feel for hours afterward. That is energy interacting on a cellular level.
Watch how white blood cells move under a microscope here, or see how the cells in your body vibrate here.
What Sarah Parkins Has Seen in Practice
Through her work, Sarah has observed that trapped emotional energy may influence:
Relationships – recurring conflicts or challenges where emotional patterns create disconnection
Physical experiences – tension or discomfort that may carry an emotional root
Family dynamics – emotions transferring between parents and children, even without words
Business and career – blocks that can affect decision-making, productivity, or creativity
Emotional patterns – recurring feelings or reactions that may interfere with daily life, motivation, or sense of ease
It is also common for people to absorb emotions from others, including family, friends, or animals. These patterns may surface during sessions. Some clients notice shifts after a single session, while others return regularly to explore energy accumulated over years.
How Sessions Work
Sessions are held over Zoom, and clients can participate from anywhere in the world. Sarah works with the subconscious mind, using muscle testing on her own body as a way of exploring the client’s system. This approach may sound mystical, but it is designed to work even for those who are skeptical.
Clients are encouraged to continue working with their conventional healthcare providers and maintain healthy routines, medications, and lifestyle practices. The Emotion Code complements these efforts by providing additional insight and awareness.
Sarah works with adults over age 18, with a balanced mix of men and women. Many clients find the process soothing, especially those who prefer not to speak during sessions. Some bring a specific concern, while others remain open to what the body indicates for exploration first.
Types of Emotions Often Uncovered
During sessions, common trapped emotional energies include:
Common emotions, experienced firsthand by the individual
Absorbed emotions, picked up from others, including family, friends, colleagues, or pets
Inherited emotions, passed down through generations
Prenatal emotions, experienced during gestation
Shared emotions, arising from families, friends, colleagues, or even strangers
Clients explore whichever patterns their body highlights, whether emotional, relational, or lifestyle-related.
Why This Matters for Your Body
Business professionals may underestimate the cumulative influence of unprocessed emotional energy. Exploring these patterns is not “soft wellness,” but a method for increasing awareness of how energy and emotions intersect with daily experiences.
A Practical Step for Your Health Journey
Even if you’ve never tried an Emotion Code session, you can begin today with something simple and evidence-based: name what you feel. Research in affect labeling shows that naming an emotion decreases amygdala activation and strengthens prefrontal regulation.
Try this tonight: Pause for one minute and ask, What am I carrying right now? Whether it’s anger, frustration, sadness, or something else - naming it is the first step in loosening its hold. Then state, I am willing to release the hold it has on me. And observe what arises over time.
In Summary
The Emotion Code is not a medical treatment, diagnosis, or cure. It is a structured system for exploring trapped emotional energy, helping individuals gain insight into thoughts, feelings, and patterns. Many clients report increased clarity, ease, and understanding after exploring these patterns, but experiences are subjective and vary for each individual.
If you are curious about exploring what might be influencing emotional or behavioral patterns, you are invited to book a session. Your body may reveal insights you were not consciously aware of.
Disclaimer: The information and services provided by Birch Cove are for educational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Birch Cove is not a medical provider and does not treat, cure, or prescribe for any medical conditions unless otherwise stated. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any medical concerns. Birch Cove assumes no liability for actions taken based on the provided information or services. Product links may be affiliate links, meaning Birch Cove could receive a small commission on purchases.
