Does resisting guided stretching mean my body is holding old emotional trauma?

I notice that when a guided session involves gentle stretching or yoga, I have an overwhelming physical resistance, especially in my shoulders and hips. My body simply refuses to relax into the stretch. I believe this deep physical stiffness is a sign that my body is literally holding onto old emotional trauma or fear. Is this physical refusal a protective mechanism, and should I push through the stretch to release the anxiety, or approach it more gently? My name is Saurabh, born 1st March 1991. Time: 7:10 PM. Location: Lucknow.