abreacting
v. C1 Advanced abre·act·ing
v. to express strong feelings or memories that you have been keeping hidden. This often happens when you talk about a painful experience and start to cry or feel physical tension.
v. to release or express repressed emotions or memories through physical or verbal means. Often used in the context of psychotherapy to describe the process of confronting and discharging suppressed trauma.
The patient was abreacting when she heard the sound of the car.
During the therapy session, the client began abreacting as he recalled the accident that had changed his life.
The therapist observed that the client was abreacting, manifesting in sudden physical tremors and a flood of tears that suggested a long-held emotional barrier was finally breaking down.