The Biology of Traumaâ„¢ With Dr. Aimie

Even if you've done years of therapy, learned to manage your emotions, and built self-awareness, your nervous system might still be stuck in survival mode. But why is this? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie dives into the biology behind how oxidative stress at the cellular level can keep your body trapped in a trauma response. No matter how much mindset work you've done! She breaks down how unresolved biological stress sends ongoing danger signals to your nervous system, fueling anxiety, overwhelm, and chronic dysregulation. You'll hear more about: Why trauma isn't just stored in your mind but in your mitochondria and DNA How oxidative stress acts like “rust” inside your cells and blocks emotional regulation The link between oxidative damage and PTSD, depression, and chronic illness Why your body needs energy, not willpower, to heal from trauma What actually helps repair oxidative damage and stabilize your nervous system How to use food, supplements, and sleep routines to support deep biological healing Whether you're supporting others on their healing journey or navigating your own, this episode reveals the hidden cellular barriers that can keep the nervous system stuck and offers practical ways to work with the body's biology to create real progress.

"Neuroception is what determines our response to everything in any moment of our life. It is not based on reality. It is based on one's perception.” – Dr. Aimie Have you ever wondered why it's so hard to stick to healthy habits, even when you know they'll help you feel better? Or why those you help can't seem resistant to their treatment plan?   The truth is, it's not about willpower or motivation. Deep inside the body, there's an invisible security system constantly asking one question: "Am I safe right now, or am I in danger?" This system is called neuroception, and it's been quietly running your life without you knowing it. When this internal alarm system thinks you're in danger, even when you're perfectly safe, it can make your body reject the very things that would help you heal. Supplements feel overwhelming. Diet changes seem impossible. Exercise feels like too much. Your body isn't being difficult. In fact, it's actually trying to protect you! In this episode, Dr. Aimie breaks down neuroception and shows you exactly how to work with your nervous system instead of against it. You'll discover why some days you feel motivated and capable, while other days everything feels overwhelming, and most importantly, what you can do about it. You'll learn: The simple equation your body uses to decide if you're safe or in danger Why your body sometimes rejects healthy changes (Hint: it's not your fault!) The three different states your nervous system operates in How to tell which state you're in right now Simple body-based techniques to shift into a state of safety Why addressing oxidative stress is crucial for lasting change How to create an environment where healing actually feels possible And more! Whether you're someone struggling to maintain healthy habits or a practitioner working with people who seem "resistant" to treatment, this episode will completely change how you understand behavior, motivation, and the healing process.   Helpful Links Related To This Episode: Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. Pre-order now and, at the time of this recording, you'll get over $400 in bonuses included! Those bonuses are only for the pre-order window which goes until Sept 22, 2025. When you've already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses. The 21 Day Journey - If you're ready to create a felt sense of safety in your body and experience the benefits of 26% decrease in daily physical pain, 28% decrease in sleep issues and digestive issues, 30% decrease in anxiety, depression, or want to learn how to do this for those you help - join me for your 21-Day Journey, a structured sequence of gentle, somatic-based self-practices walking you through The Essential Sequence to safely open up stored trauma in the body.  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode35: When trauma Has Made It Unsafe To Feel Safe, What Do We Do? with Dr. Stephen Porges Episode 73: The Impact of Early Attachment Shocks: How Unexpected Stressors Can Cause Developmental Trauma & What To Do   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.   Timestamps: [01:51] What is this invisible security system in your body? [06:09] The simple math your body does every second: Can I handle what's happening to me? [12:10] The three modes your nervous system switches between (and how to recognize them) [15:00] Why anxiety and depression might actually be your nervous system trying to protect you [20:00] How past experiences get "stuck" in your muscles and keep you feeling unsafe [25:00] Body language clues that reveal which mode someone is in [27:01] Why you need to heal your cells, not just your mind [29:51] The hidden cellular damage that keeps you stuck in "danger mode" [33:46] The three-level approach that actually works: Mind, body movement, and cellular health [36:42] Why "self-sabotage" is actually your body trying to keep you safe    

Why is it that sometimes the things that are supposed to help us feel calm actually make us feel more anxious instead? In this mini-episode, Dr. Aimie explores why this happens, expanding on her conversation with Dr. Sue Carter from Episode 125. She answers therapist Sarah's question about why some people struggle with relaxation techniques and reveals the surprising science behind it. You'll hear more on: Why oxytocin is called "nature's fire extinguisher" and how it helps you heal How oxytocin and vasopressin work together (not against each other!) Why past difficult experiences can make your body think "quiet time" is dangerous How your brain's control center decides if you're safe or not Simple ways to feel safer in your body before trying relaxation techniques If you're a practitioner working with clients who struggle with calming techniques or if you've ever wondered why meditation or mindfulness makes you feel worse instead of better, this episode explains what's happening in the body and gives practical ways to work with it instead of against it. To hear the full episode and learn more about how stress hormones affect healing, head over to Episode 125: Why the Mind & Body Can't Heal Without Oxytocin with Dr. Sue Carter.

Many people spend years in therapy and still struggle to feel truly safe in relationships. But why is this? The answer lies in the body. You can understand your trauma, but still feel unsafe. Oxytocin helps turn that understanding into actual feelings of safety in your body. Known as nature's most powerful anti-inflammatory, oxytocin plays a vital role in regulating the nervous system, forming secure connections, and shifting the body out of survival mode. In this episode, Dr. Aimie is joined by world-renowned oxytocin expert Dr. Sue Carter to discuss how this hormone holds the key to healing trauma, creating genuine safety, and forming secure connections. Dr. Carter has studied oxytocin for over four decades and reveals why this hormone is essential for moving from survival to thriving. In this conversation you hear why traditional talk therapy alone often falls short, how early life experiences program our capacity for connection, and practical tools for naturally increasing oxytocin to create a felt sense of safety in your body. You'll learn more about: How early attachment experiences shape your nervous system and relationships The difference between vasopressin and oxytocin in the stress response How trauma and chronic stress disrupt your ability to feel safe, even in loving relationships Why oxytocin is nature's “fire extinguisher” for inflammation and chronic illness Practical tools to support healing and regulate your nervous system And more! Whether you're a practitioner or someone navigating your own healing journey, this episode offers evidence-based insights into how your body creates its own pharmacy of healing hormones and why safety in relationships is the biological foundation for all healing   Helpful Links Related To This Episode: Want to know more about the Safe and Sound Protocol mentioned in the episode? Go here to find out more. Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. Pre-order now and, at the time of this recording, you'll get over $400 in bonuses included! Those bonuses are only for the pre-order window which goes until Sept 22, 2025. When you've already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses. The 21 Day Journey - If you're ready to create a felt sense of safety in your body and experience the benefits of 26% decrease in daily physical pain, 28% decrease in sleep issues and digestive issues, 30% decrease in anxiety, depression, or want to learn how to do this for those you help - join me for your 21-Day Journey, a structured sequence of gentle, somatic-based self-practices walking you through The Essential Sequence to safely open up stored trauma in the body.    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 69: How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior Episode 77: Attachment Styles: Impact on Relationships, Health & Healing with Dr. Diane Poole Heller   Timestamps: [02:21] How Early Life Affects Oxytocin and Building Strong Bonds [06:07] How Oxytocin Helps People Feel Safe and Connected [07:51] What PTSD and Trauma Do to Oxytocin Levels [09:59] Why Vasopressin, Not Cortisol, Is the Main Stress Hormone in Trauma [12:29] How the Body Shuts Down During Trauma and Dissociation [14:05] Why Loving Early Relationships Are Important for Emotions [16:48] The Difference Between Fake Safety and Real Safety for Growth [20:02] Simple Ways to Increase Oxytocin [30:58] The Hypothalamus: How It Controls Oxytocin and Safety Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.  

Did you know that it's impossible to have gut issues without feeling grief and regret, and equally impossible to hold grief while maintaining a healthy gut?  In this mini-episode, Dr. Aimie explores the powerful connection between constipation and grief, expanding on her discussion in Episode 124. She answers a listener's question about remaining stuck in grief work despite months of therapy, and how chronic constipation might be the  barrier preventing emotional healing. You'll hear more on: How grief triggers a biological trauma response that directly impacts digestion The effect constipation has on your nervous system How constipation leads to brain inflammation, mental fatigue, and emotional shutdown Why your gut health directly impacts your ability to process emotions Practical strategies to improve your constipation  Why talk therapy alone may not be enough when the nervous system is stuck in overwhelm If you're struggling with both grief and digestive issues, or if you're a practitioner working with clients who seem stuck in their healing journey, this episode offers crucial insights into the biological barriers that may be preventing progress. To hear the full episode and access additional resources, head over to Episode 124: Grief and Gut Health to learn more!  

"Your gut cannot hold grief and regret and stay a healthy gut. It's impossible, and it's impossible to have gut issues and to not feel grief and regret." – Dr. Aimie Grief isn't just an emotional process, it's a biological experience that can deeply disrupt your gut health, nervous system, and overall well-being. In this episode, Dr. Aimie explores the gut-brain axis and how emotional trauma like grief gets stored in the body, often leading to digestive issues and nervous system dysregulation. Discover how grief affects the vagus nerve, diaphragm function, and the enteric nervous system—your body's "second brain." Learn why doctors often overlook the link between trauma and the gut, and how somatic healing offers a powerful, holistic approach to recovery. In this episode, you'll learn: How the vagus nerve connects grief and gut health The 3 most difficult types of grief to process: attachment grief, absent grief, and heart shock grief How unprocessed grief disrupts diaphragm function and the digestive system The difference between being stuck in grief vs. actively grieving How grief contributes to inflammation and pressure in gut health How your gut and brain work together to process emotional trauma And more! Whether you're a practitioner or on your own healing journey, this episode sheds light on the mind-body connection, offering a holistic healing perspective on grief, trauma, and gut health.   Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. Pre-order now and, at the time of this recording, you'll get over $400 in bonuses included! Those bonuses are only for the pre-order window which goes until Sept 22, 2025. When you've already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses. The 21 Day Journey - many have taken the 21 Day Journey because of grief, and wanting to safely access and regain a sense of safety, energy, and find their authentic self again. Over the course of 21 days, I'll guide you through a structured sequence of somatic-based self-practices designed to help you reconnect with your body, calm your nervous system, and begin healing from the inside out. Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma - A Roadmap for Healing - Use this free 23-page guide to recognize when grief has become stored trauma in the body them, and get simple steps to the healing journey. It's great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey.   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 42: Unlocking The Role Of Disguised Grief in Health with Dr. Joan Rosenberg Episode 89: Tapping, EFT and Energetic Boundaries For Inner Child and Gut Issues with Jennifer Partridge   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.  

What if your inability to change habits and reactions wasn't about lack of willpower or being lazy, but was actually about your body not having enough energy to make the change? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind why so many people feel stuck in old patterns or habits, expanding on her conversation with Katie Wells from Episode 123. She answers a question from Jessica, a therapist, about why her clients intellectually understand their problems but can't seem to make changes stick and feel drained after therapy. Dr. Aimie explains how trauma becomes an energy problem in your body. She breaks down what happens inside your cells when trauma gets stored and why healing requires energy that many people simply don't have. You'll hear more about: How trauma affects your body's mitochondria (aka the cellular powerhouses) The warning signs that your energy system is struggling Why feeling exhausted after therapy means your body doesn't have the energy to heal (Hint: You're NOT actually failing!) Simple steps you can take today to boost energy levels naturally If you know what your problems are but can't seem to change them, or if you're helping someone who's stuck in this cycle, this episode offers practical steps that actually work with your biology instead of against it. To hear the full conversation, listen to Episode 123: Light, Sleep, and High-Impact Habits to Heal Your Nervous System  

“I said to my body, ‘I want to be your friend.' And it took a deep breath and said, ‘I've been waiting our whole life for this.'” – Katie Wells Doing the inner work isn't just emotional, it's biological. In this episode, Dr. Aimie is joined by Wellness Mama founder and health journalist Katie Wells to talk about the high-impact habits with light, sleep, and movement can help support nervous system regulation and emotional healing In this conversation, you'll learn why trauma is actually an energy problem, how your environment may be silently working against your healing, and how small, daily habits can dramatically impact your capacity for rest, resilience, and recovery. Together, Dr. Aimie and Katie dive into the misunderstood connection between light exposure, sleep quality, nutrition, and trauma recovery. They explain why pushing yourself, without creating safety and energy, can backfire, and how to finally work with your biology rather than against it. You'll hear more on: Why trauma is an energy problem  How your nervous system responds to light, sleep, and environmental signs Why rest and safety signals are essential to healing How to listen to your body's cues without overwhelm Why doing more won't help you heal, and what your nervous system actually needs instead And more! Katie Wells is a mom of six with a background in journalism. She took health into her own hands and started researching to find answers to her own health struggles. Her research turned into a blog and podcast that turned into an amazing community, Wellness Mama. She is one of the 100 most influential people in health and wellness and is considered a thought leader for the current generation of moms.   Guides, Tools & Resources: Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal - at the time of this recording, The Insider's Circle Book Club is open and pre-orders have gone live. You will receive over $400 worth of bonuses if you pre-order now. And if you've already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses! The 21 Day Journey - If you're ready to create a felt sense of safety in your body, increase your energy, and build the foundation for deeper trauma healing, join me inside the 21-Day Journey. Over the course of 21 days, I'll guide you through a sequence of gentle, somatic-based practices designed to help you reconnect with your body, calm your nervous system, and begin healing from the inside out. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 68: Struggling with Sleep How to Regain Restful Nights with Suzi Senk Episode 82: Using Biological Rhythms to Recover From Trauma with Dr. Leslie Korn Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.  

Did you know that your body could literally be "rusting from the inside out" when stuck in trauma? This biological reality explains why so many develop chronic fatigue, autoimmunity, and other mysterious health conditions. In this mini-episode, Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind why trauma creates chronic illness, building on her discussion from Episode 122 about addressing trauma stored in the body. She answers a listener's question about why her clients seem to struggle with chronic health issues and what can actually be done about it. You'll learn more on: What oxidative stress is (and how being in survival state can cause it to accumulate) Why chronic illness can show up decades after traumatic experiences  Specific steps you can take to reduce oxidative stress A simple technique to shift out of shutdown throughout the day Why talk therapy alone isn't enough If you're struggling with chronic fatigue, autoimmunity, or other unexplained health issues, this episode offers practical insights for addressing these symptoms at the cellular level. Ready to address trauma at the cellular level? Head over to  Episode 122: Shutdown Before Stress for the complete trauma healing sequence, and grab Dr. Aimie's essential resources.

Healing begins when we stop pushing and start listening to what our body is trying to tell us. In this episode, Dr. Aimie walks through the science of how trauma is stored in the body and what that means for the sequence of healing, and what can go wrong when we don't follow the steps in the right order.. You'll learn the key differences between stress and trauma responses, why therapy can sometimes leave you feeling worse, and how to work with your body's natural healing process instead of against it.  Dr. Aimie breaks down why attempting to process trauma without following the correct steps can make you feel worse. She'll guide you through the steps for trauma healing, explaining why addressing shutdown responses in the body must happen before working with the stress response. Skipping this order often leads to frustration and can even retraumatize you. What You'll Learn: Why over 90% of people live “in their heads” (and what that means for healing) How to tell if the body is in trauma shutdown vs. stress What the Critical Line of Overwhelm is and its link to chronic illness How stored trauma may be behind chronic symptoms The essential healing sequence that works with the nervous system for lasting trauma recovery And more! Whether you're a practitioner or someone navigating your own healing journey, this episode provides insights and practical tools to help you reconnect with your body's wisdom and begin the path to healing.   Guides, Tools & Resources: Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal - at the time of this recording, The book Insider's Circle is open and pre-orders have gone live. You will receive over $400 worth of bonuses if you pre-order now. And if you've already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses! The Essential Sequence - my free guide that maps out the 3 steps for safely opening up stored trauma in the body, whether that is presenting as health issues, patterns of a chronic functional freeze or frequent triggers. 21 Day Journey - Let me guide you through The Essential Sequence with 21 days of structured somatic self-practices that you can learn for yourself, or apply in your work in those you help. It allows you access to do the deeper work with me because you have these skills of immediately creating inner safety. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 33: When Trauma Is Hijacking Your Body: The 3 Essential Pillars For The Healing Journey with Jude Weber Episode 108: How The Body Stores Emotional Trauma in the Fascia and Lymphatic System with Dr. Christine Schaffner   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.

“I was more afraid of regret than I was of failing.” — Dr. Eric Arzubi   Imagine having a corner office on Wall Street by age 30, but feeling like something important was missing. In this episode, Dr. Aimie sits down with Dr. Eric Arzubi, who had this exact experience. Despite his success, he felt a deep pull toward something more meaningful. That pull eventually led him to leave finance behind, become a psychiatrist, and take on the challenge of transforming mental health care in Montana through trauma-informed telehealth.  Dr. Arzubi shares his inspiring journey of walking away from financial security to follow a calling, revealing how the fear of lifelong regret ultimately outweighed the fear of change. Through his story, you'll discover why the search for meaningful work can be driven by different emotions and how creating "safe enough" spaces provides the foundation for career change.  In this episode, you'll learn: How to know if fear is trauma or just healthy caution when facing change Why nervous system safety is key for successful career changes Steps for transitioning into a meaningful career Solving mental health access gaps with innovative telehealth solutions How to navigate pushback when changing careers or implementing new ideas And more! Whether you or someone you know is contemplating a career change, this episode offers practical advice for recognizing whether your anxiety is a trauma response or a signal that it's time to move toward a more meaningful path.   Guides, Tools & Resources: Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal - at the time of this recording, The Insider's Circle Book Club is open and pre-orders have gone live. You will receive over $400 worth of bonuses if you pre-order now. And if you've already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses! The Essential Sequence Guide - A guide that provides step-by-step instructions for creating safety in your nervous system while making significant life changes, like career transitions, without triggering trauma responses. It'll give you the insights you need to make lasting change. A Guide For The Chronic Freeze Response - A guide that helps you recognize when your nervous system is stuck in “safe" mode and provides specific ways on how to support your body and create the change you want to create.  Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 20: The Connection Between Money, Loneliness, And Trauma Episode 116: The Body Keeps Score: How Trauma Rewires Your Nervous System with Bessel van der Kolk  Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.  

Did you know that, according to research, only 50% of people experience relief from antidepressants? Why could this be? In this mini-episode, Dr. Aimie explores why antidepressants often fail to provide relief for many people, expanding on her discussion in Episode 120. She answers a listener's question about what may be causing her to continue to experience brain fog and feeling flat despite increased medication dosage. You'll hear more on: What is really driving the mental health epidemic The five steps of how the body experiences a trauma response The missing piece in depression treatment (it's NOT what you think!) How stored trauma and persistent depression symptoms are connected What can create brain inflammation How lifestyle factors like poor sleep can trigger the same response as emotional trauma If you're taking antidepressants but still struggling with symptoms, this episode offers a deeper understanding of the underlying biology and practical strategies to address brain inflammation for more effective healing. To hear the full episode and grab the links Dr. Aimie mentioned, head over to Episode 120: Why Antidepressants Don't Work for Everyone to find out more!  

Are you or those you work with struggling with chronic fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, or emotional numbness, even when lab tests come back “normal”? In this episode, Dr. Aimie looks at how unresolved trauma stored in the nervous system can drive physical and emotional symptoms which are often mistaken for depression, anxiety, or autoimmune issues. Through the real life story of Michelle, a teacher who no longer felt like herself, you'll learn about the five-step trauma response everyone follows, and why conventional approaches often miss the mark. Whether you're a practitioner seeking deeper insight into trauma-informed care, or someone navigating your own healing, this episode reveals why trauma is not just psychological, but biological. You'll gain a fresh perspective on your or your clients  symptoms and allow you to begin exploring more effective, long-term paths to healing. What You'll Learn in This Episode: How stored trauma leads to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and gut issues Why emotional disconnection and brain fog are signs of a stuck trauma response What your body does in the first moments of threat The biological difference between stress and trauma Why antidepressants may not work for trauma-driven conditions And more! Guides, Tools & Resources: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma: A Roadmap for Healing - Find out what trauma is, how to recognize it, and get simple steps to help you heal in this 23-page guide. It's great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response. Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal - at the time of this recording, The Insider's Circle Book Club is open and pre-orders are going live soon.    Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 29 : What Is The Physiology And Neurobiology Of The Trauma Response? Episode 32: What Are The Ways The Body Communicates Stored Trauma?   Related Youtube Videos:  Understanding Trauma Response in Your Body | Dr. Aimie Apigian   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.   Timestamps: [05:45] Why your labs might look "normal" even when you feel terrible [07:20] Three ways your body protects itself during trauma [09:40] The five-step trauma response everyone's body follows [11:55] What happens in the body in the first moments of danger [13:10] Why adrenaline, not cortisol, is the real stress hormone [15:25] The specific turning point where stress becomes trauma [17:00] What happens when your body hits the gas and brakes at the same time [19:40] How your body saves energy during trauma and why this causes chronic symptoms like fatigue  [23:35] How trauma becomes chronic and creates physical symptoms  [27:50] The science connecting brain inflammation, gut health and mental health [30:15] Why people with fibromyalgia and IBS often have anxiety and depression too [32:45] Why addressing the stored trauma is essential for healing long term  

How can a single moment impact your life? Can that moment still affect you not only emotionally but physically years later? In this mini-episode, Dr. Aimie dives into the biology behind how trauma gets physically stored in the body, expanding on her conversation with Gregg Ward from Episode 119. She unpacks Greg's story of accidentally causing a fatal car accident at age 18 and how this moment shaped his entire life path and physical health. You'll hear more on: How trauma physically show ups in the body during the freeze response The 3 defense strategies that are triggered by trauma  What moral injury is and how it affects the nervous system  Practical steps for moving through grief and regret And more! If you're carrying regret, grief, or trauma that is staying in your body, this episode offers hope and practical insights for moving through these experiences toward healing. To hear the full episode listen to Episode 119: Transforming Trauma into Joy & Purpose with Gregg Ward  

What happens when a single moment changes the direction of your entire life? Can regret become a force for good?  In this episode, we'll hear one man's journey through the aftermath of accidentally causing his high school sweetheart's death in a car accident at 18 years old and how that trauma has shaped his entire life. Dr. Aimie is joined by Gregg Ward who shares how this terrible accident caused his greatest pain while also pushing him to become a better person. He describes how the trauma showed up in his body, his methods for trying to cope, and the path that eventually led him toward healing and purpose. This conversation goes deeper into how trauma lives in the body, how moral injury can affect someone, and how finding purpose can eventually transform regret and grief into meaning, purpose and joy. We'll discuss: What happens to the body right after trauma occurs What moral injury is and its role in trauma    How trauma can disrupt your life but also give it new direction Finding purpose by honoring what was lost instead of just trying to feel better How trauma stays in your body for years Connecting with others who have experienced similar traumatic events Why physical movement helps heal trauma when talking about it isn't enough How finding happiness after trauma is possible – even when you think it's hopeless And more! Whether you're living with regret, supporting someone through their grief, or working professionally with those carrying hidden pain, this episode shows you how one can move through seemingly unbearable experiences and eventually find peace, joy and purpose on the other side.   Gregg Ward is the founder of the Center for Respectful Leadership, an award-winning best-selling author, TEDx Speaker, executive coach, and master facilitator & culture change consultant. Guides, Tools & Resources: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma: A Roadmap for Healing Trauma - Find out what trauma is, how to recognize it, and get simple steps to help you heal in this 23-page guide. It's great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey. Biology of Trauma book - How the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. At the time of this recording, you can join us in The Insider's Circle Book Club and pre-orders are now available!   Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices.   Related Podcast Episode: Episode 117: Movement for Healing Stored Grief and Emotions with Paul Denniston Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.  

Are you a practitioner struggling to balance patient care with your own health needs? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie looks at the biology behind the Spoon Theory and how practitioners can manage their own health while helping others heal. She answers a listener's question about why she feels drained after certain client sessions and the actionable steps she can take to keep her energy levels up.  Dr. Aimie's will build on her conversation with Helga Byrne from Episode 118, where they discussed navigating professional responsibilities while managing personal health challenges. You'll hear more on: What the Spoon Theory is  How trauma impacts the body's mitochondria What happens to the your cells when you go into overwhelm  Why practitioners experience brain fog and fatigue while helping others How your nervous system sends signals to either boost or reduce your energy levels throughout the day Practical ways to manage your “spoons” of every daily  If you're struggling to manage your energy while caring for others, this episode will provide insights on how to maintain energy levels while still being an effective practitioner. If you'd like to go deeper into this topic, listen to the full conversation with Helga Byrne on Episode 118: How Practitioners Can Navigate Their Own Chronic Illness & Healing Journey.

Are you trying to work caring for others while navigating your own chronic health symptoms? In this episode, we'll take a look at one woman's decade-long battle with a chronic illness and the actions she took to build and maintain her practice.  Helga Bryne, worked years in corporate, but wanted a more meaningful life. Becoming a licensed therapist, she spent years struggling with a chronic health issue without having an answer. Eventually, it was discovered it was chronic Lyme disease, but that didn't bring an overnight solution.  How do we manage being a professional in the healing field when we have our own chronic health issues? What happens when our physical health issues get triggered by long days or difficult clients?  In this conversation, Helga joins Dr. Aimie to share the struggles and strategies Helga implemented to effectively run her business while navigating brain fog and extreme fatigue. She'll also share insights on common identity challenges, the challenge of finding practitioners who believed her symptoms, how to identify what gives you energy, and changes you can make to your life, relationships and work. They'll discuss: How trauma can be created by medical rejection How chronic illness can create isolation Using the "spoon theory" for managing energy  Creating different ways to earn income when you can't see clients full-time The healing power of accepting your illness instead of waiting to "get better someday" Why working with clients can be energizing even during chronic illness Why learning to say "no" can protect your limited time and energy How finding a supportive community can change your outlook on your illness How your own health struggles can help you better understand and connect with clients And more! Whether you are a practitioner, parent or other caregiver, this episode will give you great insights into how you can structure your life, work and schedule around your body's needs while showing up for others effectively.   Guides, Tools & Resources: The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response. Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices.   Brain Inflammation Protocol – The complete protocol for if you have anxiety, depression, prior head injuries and want to address the brain inflammation that's keeping you stuck. Tackling Brain Inflammation [Video Library] – 27 videos from experts on how to recognize brain inflammation, how to get tested and what nutrients and supplements can support you   Related Podcast Episodes for Practitioners: Episode 67: Healing Trauma and Chronic Illness Through Connection with Gabor Mate Episode 99: Stress In The Body: Trauma-Informed Medicine & Why Dysregulation Should Be Included In Assessments Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.  

Can your body be stuck in trauma or grief? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie is answering a listener's question about why her physical symptoms are still bothering her a year after a loved one's death. She dives into why the normal approach to self care won't work and how creating safety can allow the trauma and grief to move through the body instead of staying stuck. Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind why movement is needed for overwhelming grief and trauma, building on her conversation with Paul Denniston from episode 117. She shares more on why “emotions need motion” and how movement practices work on a physiological level to release the trauma and grief trapped in the body. You'll hear more about: How grief pushes the body from a stress response into a trauma response The three coping strategies triggered by grief Where grief and trauma get stored physically within the body  The action steps you can start taking today to move through your own trauma or grief  And more! If you feel like you're ready to let go of the trauma and grief that your body has been holding onto, then this episode is a must listen to! For more on this topic, listen to the full conversation with Paul Denniston in Episode 117: Movement For Healing Stored Grief & Emotions   Check out The Essential Sequence which is a free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.

“Emotions need motion” - Paul Denniston Grief is an emotion that many of us try to avoid. But what happens when we don't let it out? In this episode, we explore how hidden grief can get stuck in the body, causing tight shoulders, stomach pain, and nonstop anxiety. Paul Denniston, founder of Grief Yoga, joins Dr. Aimie to explain that grief doesn't simply disappear when ignored. Instead, it hides in our muscles and body, making them hurt or feel uncomfortable.This conversation sheds light on how movement and even laughter can let the feelings out of our bodies in a safe way. We'll talk more about: How grief physically manifests in the body Why movement is essential for trauma healing How to recognize if what you're feeling is grief (even if it looks like anxiety or anger) The power in creating dedicated time and space for grief expression Learning how to sit with grief safely so it doesn't feel too overwhelming How laughter can be used to access deeper grief How practitioners can hold space for others' grief without becoming overwhelmed themselves The physical and emotional benefits of moving grief through the body  And more!   Whether you're a practitioner working with grief, someone supporting a loved one through loss, or navigating your own healing journey, this episode shares insights into transforming pain through movement practices that incorporate breath, sound, and embodied awareness.   Paul Denniston is the founder of Grief Yoga®, which uses yoga, movement, breath, and sound to release pain and suffering and connect to love. His intention with Grief Yoga is to combine many different forms of yoga in order to help heal grief. Guides, Tools & Resources: The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response. Biology of Trauma book - How the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. At the time of this recording, you can join us in The Insider's Circle Book Club and pre-orders will be going live soon.  Foundational Journey - If you want to be guided through The Essential Sequence laid out in the guide and the book, join me and my team for this 6 week journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices to lay your foundation to do the deeper work safely. These are the daily practices I have found that change one's biology and health symptoms the fastest. Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 74: Why Stored Trauma Becomes Syndromes & Their Somatic Solutions Episode 114: Grief: The Science Behind Why We Can't “Get Over” Loss and How to Grieve Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.  

Preventing people from moving when something terrible happens is what makes trauma a trauma. In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie dives into the biology behind why not being able to move (either physically or internally) can create trauma. She looks more closely at the moment in the trauma response that she calls "hitting the wall" - the pivotal point where we feel powerless and our physiology shifts from a stress response to a trauma response. Dr. Aimie also explains that our neuroception (nervous system's perception) determines whether we take action or shut down, and this process isn't based on reality but on our perceived capacity against perceived danger. So when we feel overwhelmed, our nervous system prevents movement as a way to protect us. You'll hear more about: The five steps of trauma response and why "the wall" is the most significant How our nervous system can block our own movement The biological factors that influence our capacity to respond vs. shut down And more! If you're interested in understanding why you might "hit the wall" in everyday situations and how to support your body's capacity to respond differently, then this episode is for you! For more on this topic, listen to the full conversation with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk in Episode 116: The Body Keeps Score: How Trauma Rewires Your Nervous System

In response to overwhelm, the body tries to keep one safe in different ways. Sometimes our body feels so shaken and shocked that it makes our mind need to disconnect from the pain of it. This is called dissociating.  Yet, the body still remembers what happened. The impact to our biology doesn't go away just because we don't understand or remember something. The impact is how the body keeps track of everything from out past. When we understand that our body is reacting because it is still holding onto something from the past, it can help us uncover what needs to be healed. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk joins Dr. Aimie in this episode to explore the profound nature of trauma - how it affects the body in ways that make it keep score. He explains why trauma is not just about the events but about how those experiences become engrained in our biology, creating patterns that persist long after the danger has passed. This in turn can make trauma something that is truly "unbelievable, unbearable, and overwhelming." Our bodies are built to move when we're in danger. When we can't move during traumatic events, it changes how our brain works. This conversation looks at why this happens. It also explains how difficult experiences in childhood create patterns in our minds - like an inner roadmap - that shape how we see the world and connect with people as adults. They'll talk more on: Why trauma leaves people unable to articulate their experiences How dissociation works as a way to survive during overwhelming events Why the lack of movement during an event is what makes it traumatic The physical toll of living with a dysregulated nervous system Why healing must address the basic housekeeping functions of the body How trauma blocks our capacity to experience pleasure and worthiness And more!   If you're working with trauma professionally, supporting someone on their healing journey, or navigating your own recovery, this episode is excellent for understanding how the body keeps score while offering practical actions to reclaim agency, embody healing, and create a life worth living through curiosity and collaboration.   Guides, Tools & Resources: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma: A Roadmap for Healing Trauma - Find out what trauma is, how to recognize it, and get simple steps to help you heal in this 23-page guide. It's great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey. Biology of Trauma (the book) - How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It. With the foreword written by Dr. Gabor Mate, it is a book intended to change the conversation about how to heal on the deepest level, not just our mind, not just our body, but also our biology. Please join me for The Insider's Circle where you can pre-order your copy and receive monthly readings with Dr. Aimie.   Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices.   Related Podcasts: Episode 7: Identifying And Treating Cooper Excess To Reserve Postpartum Depression With William Walsh Episode 90: Beyond Talk Therapy: Addressing the Biochemical Basis of Behavior & Changing Our Response Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.  

Are you or someone you know feeling stuck in trauma patterns despite years of therapy and personal work? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie is answering a question about whether there might be a biological component hindering a persons attachment repair progress. Dr. Aimie will buliding off of her conversation with Dr. Jason Loken in Episode 115. She'll be diving deeper into the 3 common biochemical imbalances that can keep people trapped in nervous system dysregulation. You'll hear more about: How under-methylation works and it's symptoms How a copper excess can create a toxic environment for the nervous system and is strongly connected to postpartum anxiety and depression How pyroluria makes the nervous system hypersensitive and reactive  Ready to discover if biochemistry might be holding back your healing journey? Listen to the full conversation with Dr. Loken on Episode 115: 3 Biochemistry Findings Behind Mood & Mental Health Struggles.   Other resources mentioned in this episode: 3 Most Common Biochemical Imbalances - Discover the common biochemical imbalances that are frequently at the core of mood and trauma patterns. Learn how these imbalances are identified and addressed to help improve emotional well-being.

Are you or those you help seemingly doing all "right things" but still feeling stuck? That competitive drive, those controlling tendencies, or that persistent anxiety might actually be rooted in our biochemistry.  In this episode, Dr. Aimie sits down with Dr. Jason Loken to explore how hidden biochemical imbalances can create patterns of depression, anxiety, and behavioral challenges that talk therapy alone cannot resolve. Dr. Loken shares how under-methylation, a copper-zinc imbalance, and pyroluria can fundamentally affect your physical and mental well-being. They'll also discuss why certain traits run in families, how a copper-zinc imbalance can affect postpartum mental health, and why some children struggle with focus and emotional regulation. Dr. Loken breaks down the science behind these biochemical patterns, explains how these biochemical imbalances can be identified, and shares actionable steps for addressing the root cause of these imbalances. They'll talk more about: How under-methylation is connected to depression and anxiety The behavioral traits commonly associated with under-methylation (competitiveness, control issues, obsessive compulsive tendencies, etc.) How to properly test for methylation imbalances  How a surge in copper levels during pregnancy can lead to postpartum mood disorders Why "managing stress better" is nearly impossible with certain imbalances How pyroluria strips the body of key nutrients that help create the feel good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine  The connection between these biochemical imbalances and autoimmune conditions And more!   Whether you're a practitioner looking for more comprehensive approaches to mental health, a parent concerned about your child's behavior, or someone personally struggling with persistent symptoms, this episode offers valuable insights into how balancing your biochemistry might be the key to finally feeling like yourself again. Guides, Tools & Resources: 3 Most Common Biochemical Imbalances - Discover the common biochemical imbalances that are frequently at the core of mood and trauma patterns. Learn how these imbalances are identified and addressed to help improve emotional well-being. Biology of Trauma (the book) - How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It. Please join us in the Insider's Circle where you can pre-order your copy and receive monthly readings with Dr. Aimie.   Related Podcasts: Episode 90: Beyond Talk Therapy: Addressing the Biochemical Basis of Behavior & Changing Our Response Episode 92: ​​How Chaos of Early Childhood Trauma Affects Our Adult Nervous System Related Youtube Videos:  The Copper to Zinc Ratio You Need For Healing From Trauma Are You Predisposed to Trauma? Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.    

Are you or someone you know struggling with the weight of grief, feeling disconnected, exhausted, or immobilized? In this short episode, Dr. Aimie will expand on her conversation with Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor from episode 114. She will dive deeper into the neurobiology of grief and its impact on the body. You'll hear more on: The three survival mechanisms of grief-related trauma Why grief can trigger overwhelming fatigue, digestive issues, and feelings of heaviness The connection between grief, the gut, and the nervous system Practical steps to support and repair the body during the grieving process If grief feels unbearable, understanding the biology behind it can provide insights and strategies to support healing. If you want to learn more listen to Episode 114: The Science Behind Why We Can't “Get Over” Loss and How to Grieve   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Are you or someone you know struggling with unexplained anxiety, fatigue, or reactivity? In this short episode, Dr. Aimie dives deep into the conversation she had with Dr. Neil Nathan in episode 113 about how hidden infections like mold toxicity and Lyme disease can create a "biology of threat" within your body. She'll explore: How mold and Lyme can trigger physiological symptoms that mimic trauma responses The 3 interconnected systems that keep your body in constant threat mode Practical steps to regulate your nervous system and reduce sensitivity Ready to learn more on how mold toxicity and Lyme disease can affect not just the body but the mind as well? Listen to Episode 113: Hidden Triggers: How Mold and Lyme Create A Sensitive and Reactive Personality with Dr. Neil Nathan   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.  

Are you ready to unlock your brain's hidden power? Today, Dr. Aimie will be taking a closer look at the key takeaways from her conversation with Dr. Greg Kelly. She will be going into the biology behind the brain's capacity and what you can do to improve yours. She'll talk about: Removing stressors that are taking up brain capacity  Why creating more brain capacity is key long-term  Simple tools to increase your capacity   If you want to know more about how you can reduce stressors and increase mental bandwidth, listen to Episode 111: Unlock Your Brain's Hidden Power: Reduce Stress and Stop Burnout   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Of all the different aspects of trauma biology, brain inflammation is the one that will hold you back when it comes to the therapy, trauma work and personal development you're trying to do. In this short episode, Dr. Aimie will share her top takeaways and action steps from episode 110 with Dr. Datis Kharrazian. She'l go into the biology behind brain inflammation in therapy and trauma work.  You'll hear more on: How brain inflammation shuts the body down The 3 levels that keep your body stuck The necessary repair tools for brain inflammation Ready to clear your mind of brain fog? Listen to Episode 110: Clear Your Mind: How to Reduce Brain Fog & Mental Fatigue Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Is your biology making it easier to fall into addiction? Today, Dr. Aimie is taking a closer look at this question and other key takeaways from her conversation with the late Dr. Charles Gant  around addiction.  You'll hear more on:  Biological factors that may push someone towards addiction The role of the freeze response in addiction The 3 main biochemical imbalances that are seen in addiction Want to hear more about the connection between your biology and addiction? Listen to Episode 109: End Your Addiction Now: How Pioneer Work Outperforms Traditional Treatment   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Did you know your body's connective tissues might be trapping trauma and toxins? In this short episode, Dr. Aimie is sharing valuable insights from her episode with Dr. Christine Schaffner. She talks about the biology behind how trauma manifests in the body through the extracellular matrix, fascia, and lymphatic system.  You'll hear more on: How these connective tissues work The healing sequence to follow to start your healing journey Which system to address first when looking at stored trauma If you want to more fully understand this topic, head over to Episode 108: How The Body Stores Emotional Trauma in the Fascia and Lymphatic System with Dr. Christine Schaffner   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.  

“ In order to think about grief, first you have to think about love and bonding, because that is what gets lost. That is what gets broken.”  Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor Understanding why grief feels so physical, why someone still reaches for the phone to call someone who's gone, or why certain memories can trigger intense emotions years after a loss can provide valuable insight for those helping others who are experiencing grief or for those who want to know more about grief. And today, we're diving into the neuroscience behind grief. In this episode, Dr. Mary-Frances O'Connor joins Dr. Aimie to discuss how grief isn't just an emotional response but a complex learning process as our brains adapt to a fundamentally changed reality. She introduces the critical distinction between grief and grieving, highlighting how our attachment patterns influence our grief journey. Her fascinating research on yearning reveals that this powerful sensation activates the same brain regions involved with other basic survival needs, explaining why the feeling can be so intense and overwhelming  The conversation also goes into how avoidance and rumination can interfere with natural healing, and that the intensity and frequency of grief waves will change over time as part of the grieving process.   You'll learn: The brain regions that activate when you yearn for someone who has died Why yearning is more like hunger or thirst than addiction The difference between grief (response) and grieving (adaptation process) How rumination and avoidance can interfere with natural healing The importance of staying grounded and connected to the present  How to prepare your brain and support systems for future grief experiences The crucial differences between depression and grief, and why they require different approaches   Whether you're currently navigating grief, supporting someone who is, or simply preparing for inevitable losses, this episode will help you understand why healing isn't “getting over” a loss, but an ever evolving process that fundamentally changes our reality.   Connect with Dr. O'Connor: Website Related Podcasts: Episode 42: Unlocking The Role of Disguised Grief in Health  Episode 76: Navigating the Grief Journey: The Polyvagal Way To Become an Active Operator of Your Nervous System   Guides, Tools & Resources: The Essential Sequence - A free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.   Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast. Comment Etiquette: I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Please share your constructive feedback by using personal name or initials so that we can keep this space spam-free, and let's keep the discussion positive!  

“If you have a new onset of anxiety or depression that doesn't even make sense to you, think of a more physical cause.” - Dr. Neil Nathan   Do you have issues with focus, concentration, or even finding the word you want to use? If so, you might be dealing with the hidden effects of mold toxicity and Lyme disease.  In this episode, Dr. Aimie sits down with Dr. Neil Nathan to discuss how mold toxicity and Lyme disease can create a "biology of threat" in the body that can trigger and maintain a state of hypervigilance and reactivity. This is not the only issue  mold toxins and Lyme infections can cause. They can create unique inflammatory responses that affect the brain, nervous system, and immune function, often manifesting as unexplained anxiety, depression, cognitive issues, and physical symptoms that are often misdiagnosed as mental health disorders. Dr. Nathan also introduces "the big three" factors keeping the body stuck in threat mode: limbic activation, vagal dysregulation, and mast cell activation. He'll share how these become dysregulated when faced with mold toxicity and Lyme disease, causing the body to shut down as a protective mechanism. This explains why you may experience seemingly inexplicable sensitivities and reactions despite doing all the "right" emotional and psychological work for trauma recovery. Join them as they break down the science behind the body's response to mold toxicity and Lyme disease, if it's possible to reverse it, and actionable steps you can take to start the healing journey. You'll learn more about: [05:05] How “out of the blue” anxiety, depression, or other symptoms might actually be caused by mold or Lyme [10:00] What makes the inflammation associated with these internal stressors unique [16:46]  Why the “big three” need to be addressed together in sensitive patients [17:38] How mold toxicity and Lyme can lead to chronic neurological and autoimmune conditions [20:33] The internal trauma response that can be created by mold toxicity and Lyme And more!   Dr. Neil Nathan is a Board Certified Family Physician who has been practicing medicine for over 50 years. As he studied and learned a wide variety of alternative concepts, his practice gravitated into primarily helping to diagnose and treat those patients who have not been helped by conventional medicine. He's worked with thousands of patients with complex medical illnesses such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, mold toxicity, chronic Lyme disease, autism, and chronic pain.    Related Podcasts: Episode 105: How Anxiety, Depression & Trauma Reactions May Be From Mold and Heavy Metals Episode 106: How Mast Cell Activation, Histamines & Mold Toxicity Place You in a High-Risk Trauma Category   Guides, Tools & Resources: The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response. Foundational Journey - a guided 6 week journey into your inner world with a structured sequence of somatic and parts interventions with live online classes. One of the things that happens in just the first 21 days of the Foundational Journey is that people experience a 26% decrease in daily physical pain, speaking to what Dr Schubiner was just talking about, these neural secret pains, can turn off and on, and it's not actually necessarily due to the the injury the body itself. It is a neural circuit and we're managing the pain just by working with the nervous system, looking at the habitual component of it and continuing with essential parts work.   Connect with Dr. Neil Nathan: Website   Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast. Comment Etiquette: I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Please share your constructive feedback by using personal name or initials so that we can keep this space spam-free, and let's keep the discussion positive!  

Have you ever felt like your body is stuck in survival mode, holding onto stress and tension no matter how hard you try to let it go? What if this instinct to survive is also what drives chronic inflammation, emotional pain, and even long-term illness?   Today, Dr. Isaac Eliaz joins Dr. Aimie to explore the concept of the survival paradox.This process is what keeps your body on high alert and affects everything from your energy levels to your ability to heal and can keep your body stuck in a freeze response. Together, they'll discuss the survival paradox's deep connection to trauma, the protein, Galactin-3, that can either drive health or inflammation, and more.  You'll hear more about: What the “Survival Paradox” is and how it shapes your body's response to trauma and stress. The connection between chronic inflammation and unresolved trauma  Simple ways to start healing your body from the inside How acceptance can unlock your healing potential And more! Our guest, Dr. Isaac Eliaz, is a pioneer in integrative medicine, a world-renowned expert in trauma healing, and the author of The Survival Paradox. For decades, Dr. Eliaz has been bridging the gap between ancient healing wisdom and cutting-edge science, exploring how our biology and emotions are deeply intertwined. His work focuses on the biochemical pathways of trauma, including the role of survival proteins like galectin-3, and how they impact inflammation, healing, and overall health. If you've been wanting to reduce your stress levels, overcome your chronic health issues or start healing yourself, then this episode is a must listen to! Let's dive in!   For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/  

Have you ever felt like stress is draining your energy, focus, and resilience—no matter how much you try to manage it? What if stress isn't just about what's happening around you, but about how your brain and body process it behind the scenes?   In this episode, Dr. Greg Kelly joins Dr. Aimie to dive into the hidden biology of stress and uncover how it consumes your mental bandwidth, disrupts your brain's energy supply, and impacts your ability to think clearly and recover from challenges. You'll discover how your brain's prediction systems influence your stress response—and, more importantly, how to work with them to prevent burnout and build lasting resilience.   Dr. Kelly is an expert in integrative and functional medicine with years of experience researching how the brain and body handle stress. He has worked extensively on strategies to enhance resilience, combining his deep knowledge of neurobiology, nutrition, and the body's natural stress-response mechanisms.   If you're ready to stop feeling like stress is always one step ahead of you, this conversation will give you the tools to take back control and create more space for clarity, focus, and well-being in your life.   In this episode, we will be talking about  "The last straw" concept as it relates to stress  The 2 biggest contributors to feeling stress overload (hint: it's not physical) Why predictability is key to managing stress levels How building resilience starts with addressing the brain's energy needs and reducing oxidative stress. How the right supplements, like Ashwagandha, can support resilience and reduce stress And more!   For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Are brain fog, fatigue, and mental exhaustion holding you back?  These symptoms aren't just stress-related or signs of aging. They're often caused by hidden brain inflammation! In this episode, my guest, Dr. Datis Kharrazian, and I discuss neuroinflammation – What it is, what causes it, and how it affects brain function, mood, and overall health. You'll discover how factors like stress, diet, gut health, and past head injuries contribute to brain inflammation and what you can do to reduce it. You'll learn practical lifestyle changes, nutrition tips, and brain-boosting strategies to improve focus, energy, and mental clarity. You'll hear more on: How brain inflammation starts—and why it's often caused by everyday factors like stress, diet, or past injuries What you can do to calm inflammation naturally, including dietary changes, supplements, and specific lifestyle shifts Why understanding your triggers —from food sensitivities to emotional stress — is the key to protecting your brain from long-term damage How to optimize your brain health using tools like intermittent fasting, anti-inflammatory diets, and proper sleep routines  Whether you've experienced brain fog, recovering from an injury, or just want to preserve your brain function for the future, this episode will give you the tools and knowledge to take control of your brain health!   For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Is our biology predisposing us to addictive tendencies? Addiction isn't just about willpower—it's deeply rooted in biology.  Today, we dive into how our own biology can make it easier to fall into an addiction and make it harder to break free. Why is that though? Because it gives us leverage points to both prevent or treat addictions. Similar to trying to treat trauma just with therapy and not including the biology, addictions is a mind-body and biology condition and will require such an approach for the best outcomes. The late Dr. Charles Gant, who was our guest for this episode, achieved an 83% success rate in addiction recovery—far surpassing conventional methods that have less than a 50% success rate. By targeting neurotransmitter imbalances, detoxifying the body, and optimizing nutrition, his method offers a revolutionary path to true healing beyond traditional treatment. To honor him, this conversation highlights his outstanding efforts in understanding and overcoming addiction.   You'll learn more about: Why relapse is more often a result of unaddressed biological imbalances How genetic vulnerabilities and neurotransmitter deficiencies contribute to addiction and coping patterns What you can do to naturally to improve mood and focus How detoxification can accelerate recovery and create long-term healing   For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

How does trauma impact the “hidden spaces” of our body, making emotions and toxins deeply connected? Welcome to today's episode, where we're diving into a fascinating frontier of healing that might just explain why traditional approaches to trauma and chronic pain sometimes fall short.  Whether you're a practitioner working with clients or patients or someone on your own healing journey, you've likely noticed that trauma and stress seem to leave their mark on the body in ways that talk therapy alone can't always reach. Maybe you've experienced or witnessed how emotional stress shows up as physical pain, or how physical treatments sometimes trigger unexpected emotional releases.  There's a reason for this, and one reason lives in a part of your body that, until recently, has been largely overlooked: fascia and extracellular matrix. Don't worry if these terms are new to you – we're going to break down these complex systems into practical understanding that you can use. What's exciting is that this knowledge bridges the gap between physical and emotional healing. To help us understand this topic, I'm joined by my friend Dr. Christine Schaffner, a board-certified naturopathic physician and an expert in treating complex chronic conditions from her clinic in Seattle, where she uses innovative therapies that focus on the body's natural ability to heal. In this episode, we'll explore: How trauma is stored in the fascia and extracellular matrix How fascia impacts everything from chronic pain to emotional resilience Why lymphatic health needs to be part of trauma recovery  Why a detox can cause emotional reactions  How to safely approach detox  Practical simple steps to support your body's healing process that you can do at home. For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

What are common beliefs we form about ourselves that leave us unable to connect, trust and receive love later as adults? Have you ever wondered why success doesn't automatically translate to feeling fulfilled?  Or why, despite all our achievements, there's still that nagging feeling that we need to prove ourselves? Today's episode sharing an adoption story might just explain why.  Today, JJ Virgin joins me to share a deeply personal story that is part of her reason for her remarkable professional success. In this episode, JJ talks openly about the challenges of growing up feeling like she had to rely only on herself, how those feelings drove her to professional success, and the breakthroughs she's experienced that have helped her heal old wounds, become a proud mom and find love.  Yet, this conversation isn't just for those who have been adopted— though it will help you understand yourself better if you have and help you understand anyone in your life who has been. Rather, this episode is about recognizing the unconscious pain that we carry from our childhood.  In this episode, you'll learn: How early experiences shape our beliefs about love, trust, and self-worth   The conundrum of relying only on ourselves  Simple ways to build trust when we haven't been able to trust others How to better support those in your life who have a history of being adopted  For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Have you ever wondered why you are so reactive - to people, foods, smells, sounds and stress - while other people around you seem completely fine? Y ou are going in overdrive or even going into overwhelm, and think you just must be having a bad day or looking for what triggered you.  The answer might surprise you. A specific cell of your immune system, mast cells, could be actually causing trauma responses in your body, putting you into emotional states, that have less to do with the people around you and more with a compound those cells release, histamine.   Today we're tackling a commonly overlooked underlying reason for anxiety. We will be answering the question, How do mast cell activation and mold toxicity keep us stuck in our responses and triggers to trauma? Before we dive in, I want to dedicate this episode to the loving memory of our guest Beth O'Hara, who passed away in July 2024.  Beth was a pioneering functional naturopath who transformed countless lives through her work with Mast Cell 360, helping people understand and heal from complex cases of Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), mold toxicity, and related conditions. She was a friend to me and I am sad to not have more time and conversations with her. In this episode, you'll discover: How to recognize if histamine is driving your anxiety  Why mold exposure can keep your body stuck in trauma responses long after exposure How mast cells bridge your immune system and emotional overwhelm Why and how mast cells will block your ability to create inner safety  Practical tools to decrease reactivity and build resilience For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

How does mold and stored trauma in the body create a feedback cycle that makes us susceptible to the other? Studies are confirming that common mental health symptoms, like depression and anxiety, are associated with brain inflammation. I want to share with you some two often overlooked sources of brain inflammation and emotional fragility, toxins from mold exposure and Lyme infection. More importantly, the feedback cycle that they create with stored trauma in the body.  This is important because we have a mental health crisis with unprecedented numbers of anxiety, depression and related effects like, burnout. While we usually assume a person, place or situation is causing us stress, we want to consider the increasing amount of mold exposure and undetected chronic Lyme disease. Many are unaware of the association between the two and without knowing to investigate, get on a recommended mood and sleep medications that cause problems and are difficult to get off of later, and are addressing the real problem.  My good friend Kirkland Newman, is my guest for this episode. She is a journalist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, who faced postpartum depression and couldn't find answers in the traditional healthcare approach. So she did her own research and created Mindhealth 360 an integrative Mental Health website to be a resource on information for others also trying to find mental health solutions. In this episode, you'll learn: How trauma responses from adverse childhood events cause brain inflammation  How brain inflammation can pre-dispose you to a long-haul syndrome with mold or Lyme  What mold does to our nervous system to lead to anxiety and depression How we might know if we have mold or Lyme toxins How to approach our trauma work or therapy when we also have mold or Lyme The different modalities we want to integrate for therapy For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Have you ever wondered if you have an addiction? Maybe you have openly struggled with one or know someone with one? As an addiction medicine physician, there are more people than the studies estimate who live with an addiction, either because they don't know yet or because no one is asking them the questions to have it be documented. People pull me aside at social events and want to ask me if they have an addiction to their prescription pills for sleep, anxiety or pain or to things like work, exercise and adrenaline.  I wanted to share this specific episode on addiction and its antidote connection because the risk for addictions is higher than ever.  Our modern world - with increased isolation, social media dependency, and decreased authentic community - creates conditions that make addiction more likely. The increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and overwhelm in our society mean more people are vulnerable to using addictive behaviors as coping mechanisms. In fact, it is a hidden epidemic. Many people are "functional addicts" without recognizing it because society normalizes various addictive behaviors. This makes it critical for each of us to understand the underlying patterns that drive addiction. Whether it is to be mindful of our own vulnerability or to navigate recovery with better success than the traditional approaches, addiction is something we all need to understand now.  I'm honored to share a powerful conversation with Joe Polish, founder of Genius Network® and Genius Recovery. Joe's journey from nearly losing everything to addiction to becoming one of the world's most connected entrepreneurs offers hope and practical wisdom for anyone touched by addiction - whether personally or through loved ones. We will be answering the question, “How does creating genuine connection and safety accelerate healing from addiction?” In this episode, you'll discover: How addiction is a survival strategy to disconnect from the pain of stored trauma in the body The four essential pillars for sustainable recovery: community, biochemistry, environment, and trauma work Why unlearning harmful patterns is often more important than learning new ones Practical tools to move from shame into courage How to build genuine connections that will buffer us from an addiction and support long-term healing for those in recovery For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

What does it mean that our behaviors, conscious and unconscious, serve as state propellers, actually giving us exactly what we need in the moment, whether energy or numbing and disconnecting? By answering this question in this episode, you will not only come to understand yourself better, and why you reach for that second or third cup of coffee or binge watch T.V. shows, but it will give you  new eyes to understand addictions and their recovery.  It will be a window into your own inner world and felt sense of safety or danger.  We will explore emotional regulation and the states of the nervous system through the lens of addictions. One of the reasons I chose to become an addiction medicine physician was because of what I would be able to learn about trauma and the nervous system, and how the body adapts to survive and function despite inner pain.  That is why it was important for me to bring you this episode with my friend and guest, Dr. Janet Winhall, an author, teacher and psychotherapist. Author of ‘Treating Trauma and Addiction with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model.  In this episode, you'll learn: Why current pathologizing model for treating trauma and addiction is failing The important distinction between neuroception and interoception How behaviors and substances can be state regulation strategies  Why it's important to include body-mind connection in addiction recovery treatment  How to connect with your body and allow yourself to feel without numbing or disassociating How chronic conditions may be treated with the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model Practical strategies on how to apply the Felt Sense practice in everyday life For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Why are empaths more susceptible to experiencing trauma than most? Are you a sensitive person? Are you an empath with a more sensitive and perceptive system? What is happening is that our nervous system is more sensitive, receiving information that others don't, feeling things that others don't, which means having an uncontrollable body response to imperceptible changes in the environment. Like being in a noisy crowd and not able to turn it off, our sensitivity can lead to overwhelm. Which leads to the hard truth, while being sensitive may be a superpower sometimes, it more often than not is overwhelming for our system and causes a trauma response in our body. Pretty soon we can be having emotional meltdowns, or physical health symptoms that are embarrassing or ones that we think are random. In this episode, I chat with Dr. Judith Orloff to explore the ways in which this can lead to a greater susceptibility to trauma, as well as how to embrace the unique gifts that heightened sensitivity brings. Dr. Orloff is a UCLA trained psychiatrist and has been called “the godmother of the empath movement”. She synthesizes traditional medicine with cutting-edge knowledge of intuition, energy, and spirituality, and believes in the power of integrating this wisdom. In this episode, you'll learn: Why highly sensitive people are more prone to trauma  The different types of overwhelming situations an empath might encounter  The hidden needs of empaths Why empaths are more vulnerable to physical health symptoms  How this level of sensitivity can actually be a superpower Practical strategies for empaths, like sensory inventories and boundary setting, to not just survive but thrive For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

What can we do about the brain inflammation that holds us back in fog, fatigue and trauma responses?  To help answer that question and share brain inflammation with you is my guest, Dr. Austin Perlmutter, is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, published researcher, and the executive director for Big Bold Health, a food-as-medicine company focused on helping people rejuvenate health through better immune function. In the evolving field of trauma therapy, we're increasingly recognizing that healing isn't just about processing memories or changing thought patterns. The application of The Biology of Trauma lens is that it is just as much about addressing the impact trauma has had on our biology, which now keeps us stuck in our trauma responses.  One crucial aspect of this biological impact is brain inflammation. It is one of the most common yet most overlooked gatekeepers of trauma healing. Brain inflammation creates many of the symptoms that people attach to their trauma responses, yet often is what is triggering those trauma responses. Yes, you heard me right. It is not just people, places that can trigger our trauma response. It is also a specific immune cell in our brain - microglia.  In this episode, you'll learn why: Good insights from therapy seem to fade by the next day Small stresses feel overwhelming to your brain What you eat affects how well you can process emotions Relationship conflicts leave you mentally exhausted Your diet can dysregulate you just as much as your partner Your mind feels clearer in nature than in therapy For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

As you know, this is a very special episode. We're both at the two year anniversary and the 100th podcast episode, and what a milestone. I'm even surprised and shocked at how much content I've been able to put out into the world through this podcast, and I'm very grateful and humbled and honored that I get to do that. To celebrate this special episode, I wanted to bring in some amazing women around the world who have really been doing this inner journey and work with their nervous system. And I invited these three because they are both so unique and different from each other, and yet, they've all had incredible shifts and insights as they have learned about their nervous system and learned how to work with it, develop a very different relationship with their body and have tools for repair that has allowed them to experience more regulation in their life, and we're going to hear about how that's opened things up for them. For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Why should medicine consider trauma as a diagnosis of inclusion and not just when nothing else is found wrong? The failure to recognize and treat the stored trauma that drives many patients' health challenges has profound and far-reaching consequences. It perpetuates a cycle of ineffective care. It worsens patient outcomes and undermines the overall effectiveness of the healthcare system. As a medical physician and also one who has been this type of patient, this episode and the Trauma-Informed Medicine Project coming out of this was really important to me.  One of the key problems is that trauma manifests in diverse ways across multiple bodily systems, making it difficult to identify as the common thread. Patients may present with a range of symptoms such as migraines, chronic pain, digestive issues, sleep problems, and mood disorders.  Rather than recognizing these as interconnected signs of nervous system dysregulation stemming from trauma, the medical system often compartmentalizes the symptoms, referring patients to various specialists to treat each one in isolation. This leads to a "medical merry-go-round" where patients bounce from one provider to the next, undergoing test after test, without ever getting to the root of their issues.  Which is why I bring in Dr. Jorina Elbers, a board certified physician in neurology with a masters in epidemiology and former assistant professor and pediatric neurologist at Stanford University. She has authored over 25 research articles and book chapters, and really focuses on what's going on in the nervous system in regards to stress and trauma and how to recognize it. She is currently the director of the Trauma Recovery Project at the Heart Math Institute and runs her own trauma sensitive neurology clinic.  In this episode, you will hear Dr. Elbers journey of how she discovered the critical link between trauma, stress, and neurological disorders. You will hear how she started asking better questions of her patients, uncovering stories of family trauma from her patients and just what to do especially when labs and tests show nothing wrong. In this episode, you'll learn: How to ask better questions that lead to discovering the true causes behind seemingly inexplicable diagnoses What tools can healthcare practitioners integrate into consultations to uncover patient's trauma history and why this is so important  The importance of including trauma in differential diagnoses, especially when conventional medical tests don't reveal a clear cause. How to move away from treating symptoms on a neurotransmitter level and into treating the whole nervous system The autonomic nervous system and heart rate variability Medical trauma from procedures and treatments that actually contribute further to symptoms and chronic conditions For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

In this episode, I want to teach on an important topic that is either commonly misunderstood or just missed, muscle bracing patterns that have their origins in our attachment style.  I am teaching on how to recognize attachment bracing adaptations to answer the one question How does our attachment create bracing patterns in our body to protect us from pain?  This is important because these same bracing patterns will affect both our breath and our freeze response - our shut down in the face of certain emotions.  In this episode, you'll learn: How to recognise bracing patterns Which emotions bracing helps protect us from How bracing patterns developed during our attachment years to protect our physiology How bracing patterns affect the breath The relationship between bracing patterns and the freeze response For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

How do we restore the gut microbiome that has been affected by trauma, stress and nervous system dysregulation? In this episode, we'll focus on how we can get our gut and nervous system back into a space where they can feel safe enough to relax and process the trauma and stress our body is carrying. Steven Wright is my guest for this episode. Because of his story and life experience with trauma, stress and nervous system dysregulation since infancy affecting his gut, he has had to learn solutions to fight for his health. He is truly a health engineer to understand nervous system and gut connection and solutions. and founded a business based on what he has learned.   I really wanted to have Steven on because he really had to go to a deeper level than most have ever needed to in order to find solutions for a gut impacted by trauma and nervous system dysregulation. Being born with a birth defect that resulted in something called visceral hypersensitivity, he has experienced anxiety, panic attacks and depression, obesity and IBS… and is here to share his story and what he learned that can help us with our gut and nervous system connection.  In this episode, you'll learn: How early life experiences program survival mechanisms into our nervous system  How those survival programs become health dysfunctions The 3 nutrients that are power houses for the gut-nervous system connection The optimal ways, types and dosages for the body to absorb these supplements properly Why you still may be struggling with gut issues despite a clean diet  How to choose properly functioning digestive enzymes  For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Does the overwhelm and experience of trauma create a pre-existing state in our nervous system that sets the stage for chronic pain conditions? In this episode, we will be talking about chronic pain as a message from our body. Part of an unconscious protective response learned by nerve pathways rather than a physical abnormality. While chronic pain can be traced back to an injury or event, the science suggests  chronic pain is caused by our brain's attempt to protect us from unbearable emotions. In fact, this purpose of protection is at the root of many common complaints, including back pain, sciatica, migraines, fibromyalgia and many other symptoms.  I have an incredible guest for this episode, Georgie Odlfield, a physiotherapist and chronic pain specialist, who has been a real leader in this space. Georgie is a TEDx speaker and the author of Chronic Pain: Your Key to Recovery. She is a woman, steady and strong in her leadership in trauma-informed care for chronic pain.  I first came across her work when I sought out training in psychosomatic medicine while in preventive medicine residency. I had just switched out of general surgery and knew that I wanted to lean in more into the root cause of conditions that I had only previously been taught to treat with a pill or surgery. This is how I came across these leaders in the space, and have been happy to see Georgie provide such value and community for those with chronic pain and practitioners who work with chronic pain. In this episode, you'll learn: How chronic ongoing pain or recurring symptoms can actually be neuroplastic mind body symptoms How to ask questions that will help you get to the root of your chronic pain symptoms and release them  Why somebody is more likely to develop chronic pain after having an acute injury and the predisposing factors for this How chronic pain can be the body's protective response to keep us from falling apart emotionally How to communicate with your body, and not just hear but also understand the answers it's giving you For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Does trauma affect our methylation process and our body's capacity to detox? Trauma doesn't just live in our minds; it resides in our cells, influencing fundamental biological processes. One of these processes is detoxification, our body's natural ability to eliminate harmful substances. When trauma is stored in the body, it affects the biology of our detoxification pathways, making it harder for us to rid ourselves of toxins. A build-up of toxins can impede our progress in trauma therapy and healing. It's a two-way street: trauma affects our ability to detoxify, and toxins affect our ability to process and release trauma.  I am very excited about our guest today since he has been a leader in implementing mental health nutrition at the clinical level. It is hard to be a leader, and I want to acknowledge the effort he has put in to create a different experience for his patients. Albert Mensah has been a family practice physician for over twenty years now. He received his medical degree from Finch University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, and then completed his residency at Swedish Covenant, leading him to follow a very different path than conventional medical, making his approach to body and biochemical imbalances very unique.  In this episode, you'll learn: The science behind trauma-toxin connection and provide practical insights on what to do about it  Learn to recognize methylation imbalances and its health issues Understand how to support your body's detox pathways Learn nutritional and diet tools For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

How can we better manage anxiety by decreasing adrenaline levels through our food and eating habits? In this episode, we will be talking about the major hormone of stress and trauma - adrenaline.  This episode will help you better understand the important role of adrenaline in stress, dsyregulation and stored trauma. Moreover, it will give you knowledge of how to learn more about your adrenaline levels based on your eating habits and the nutritional tools for balancing adrenaline.  My good friend Luis Mojica, a somatic therapist, nutritionist and a musician is my guest for this episode.  Like me, he started noticing how his biology and nutrition were affecting somatic work, got curious and started asking questions and testing his theories on himself.  Luis came into this work through personal experience, having endured a lot of relational trauma in his personal life, he realized he used to binge eat thousands of calories in one sitting just to suppress his anxiety and social fear, until one day, by mistake, he played the guitar.  This is when he discovered co-regulation and parasympathetic response, and he set off to research other modalities that could also create the same feeling of safety and was led to the type of trauma work he does now.  In this episode, you'll learn: To track cravings back to childhood when we used food for internal regulation  How eating certain types of foods can help us metabolize adrenaline    How compulsive eating helps us regulate our nervous system What foods lead to experiencing perceived threats and chronic PTSD because of their effect on the adrenal glands How can we metabolize excess adrenaline using food Somatic practices that can help with accessing stored trauma in our stomach, managing cravings and digestive issues For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/

Can lithium influence nervous system dysregulation? In this episode, we are looking at lithium's role on the nervous system. You will find that it needs to be central to the conversation for mental health, addiction, and the trauma healing journey, particularly its stabilizing effects on the nervous system. I have brought in a guest whose work I have high respect for and helped me see the possibilities beyond mood medications for myself. Dr. James Greenblatt has been in clinical practice since 1988 and is the founder and pioneer in the field of integrative and functional psychiatry. In this episode, you'll learn the role of lithium in helping a dysregulated nervous system become more flexible, regulated and stable: Lithium's role in impulsivity  The interface between lithium and the immune system The use of lithium for depression, suicidal thoughts and addiction Why you should understand your family's mental health history prior to considering lithium treatment What other symptoms might indicate the need for a lithium treatment How lithium interacts with other minerals like copper and zinc For more information and show notes, please visit our website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/biology-of-trauma-podcast/