-Understanding Trauma: What Happens in the Body — and the Hope for Healing

Trauma is not just something that “happened to you.” It’s what happens inside you as a result of overwhelming or threatening experiences. Whether the trauma is acute (like a car accident), chronic (such as ongoing emotional abuse), or complex (stemming from childhood relational wounding), it deeply impacts how we think, feel, and function — especially in our nervous system.

The Nervous System and Trauma

The human nervous system is designed for protection. In the face of threat, it mobilizes us to fight, flee, freeze, or fawn. This is not weakness — this is biology. When the threat is over, a well-regulated nervous system returns to a state of safety. But trauma can disrupt this cycle, leaving the body stuck in survival mode long after the danger has passed.

You might notice:

• Hypervigilance, anxiety, or irritability
• Numbness, disconnection, or chronic fatigue
• Difficulty trusting others or yourself
• Emotional reactivity or shutdown
• Trouble sleeping or concentrating

These are not character flaws — they are adaptations. Your system did exactly what it needed to survive.

But Here’s the Good News: Healing Is Possible

The same nervous system that holds trauma also holds the capacity for healing. With the right support, safety, and tools, people can move out of survival mode and into what we call post-traumatic growth — a deeper, more integrated way of being in the world.

Healing does not mean the trauma never happened. It means:

• You no longer live as if it’s happening now.
• You feel safe enough to connect with others and with yourself.
• You reclaim your voice, your agency, and your joy.
• You trust yourself and your body again.

What I Believe — and What I’ve Seen

As a trauma-informed therapist, I’ve witnessed people rise from profound pain into greater clarity, courage, and compassion. I’ve had a front row seat of individuals turning “wounds into wisdom” Healing isn’t linear or fast — but it is absolutely possible. I believe you can feel safe in your own skin again. I believe you can rewrite the story your nervous system has been stuck in.

If you’re ready to begin, or begin again — I’d be honored to walk with you.

Understanding Trauma: What Happens in the Body — and the Hope for Healing

Trauma is not just something that “happened to you.” It’s what happens inside you as a result of overwhelming or threatening experiences. Whether the trauma is acute (like a car accident), chronic (such as ongoing emotional abuse), or complex (stemming from childhood relational wounding), it deeply impacts how we think, feel, and function — especially in our nervous system.

 The Nervous System and Trauma

The human nervous system is designed for protection. In the face of threat, it mobilizes us to fight, flee, freeze, or fawn. This is not weakness — this is biology. When the threat is over, a well-regulated nervous system returns to a state of safety. But trauma can disrupt this cycle, leaving the body stuck in survival mode long after the danger has passed.

You might notice:

• Hypervigilance, anxiety, or irritability
• Numbness, disconnection, or chronic fatigue
• Difficulty trusting others or yourself
• Emotional reactivity or shutdown
• Trouble sleeping or concentrating

These are not character flaws — they are adaptations. Your system did exactly what it needed to survive.

But Here’s the Good News: Healing Is Possible

The same nervous system that holds trauma also holds the capacity for healing. With the right support, safety, and tools, people can move out of survival mode and into what we call post-traumatic growth — a deeper, more integrated way of being in the world.

Healing does not mean the trauma never happened. It means:

• You no longer live as if it’s happening now.
• You feel safe enough to connect with others and with yourself.
• You reclaim your voice, your agency, and your joy.
• You trust yourself and your body again.

What I Believe — and What I’ve Seen

As a trauma-informed therapist, I’ve witnessed people rise from profound pain into greater clarity, courage, and compassion. I’ve had a front row seat of individuals turning “wounds into wisdom” Healing isn’t linear or fast — but it is absolutely possible. I believe you can feel safe in your own skin again. I believe you can rewrite the story your nervous system has been stuck in.

If you’re ready to begin, or begin again — I’d be honored to walk with you.