Understanding Trauma
What's Yours?
Trauma.
The very word is charged. It feels tense, heavy, conjuring up images of horrific events that alter the course of a life.
And for some people it is exactly like that.
But trauma isn’t always as dramatic or obvious as we might think.
The Impact of Trauma on Your Nervous System
Sometimes, it whispers instead of shouting. Sometimes, it shows up as a subtle moment that shifts your world, barely noticeable until the effects start to ripple through your life. For many, these ripples turn into waves that impact every part of you - your thoughts, your behaviours, your emotions, your health, your very sense of being - putting your life on a whole new trajectory.
Regardless of its form, trauma leaves a lasting imprint on the nervous system, creating dysregulation that manifests as chronic pain, fatigue, anxiety and other health issues.
The Many Forms of Trauma
The truth is, trauma isn’t reserved for “other people.” It’s universal. Every single one of us carries some form of it.
It might be:
1. Direct, Conscious Experiences
– those events that you remember clearly and know have impacted you such as violent attacks, abuse, loss, serious injury or accidents.
2. Early Experiences at Birth
– stress and trauma from the birth experience, complications, sudden change of environment.
3. In the Womb
– absorbing the stress or emotions from our mother when in the womb or direct trauma through gestational complications such as lack of oxygen.
4. Inherited Trauma
– the emotional scars passed down from parents, grandparents, trauma passed through the generations in our cells and DNA.
5. Absorbed Trauma
– taking on the pain or energy of those around us, particularly prevalent when very young from our mothers.
6. Collective Experiences
– traumatic experiences that affect and involve entire groups of people, communities, or societies such as the Covid 19 pandemic or 9/11.
Asking the powerful question…
These forms are often unrecognized or misunderstood, yet they shape how we feel, think and respond to the world. If they’re not processed, the body holds onto these experiences, creating patterns of tension, pain or disconnection that may seem irrational and unexplainable.
If you’re living with health challenges, chronic pain or unrelenting anxiety, it’s worth pausing to ask yourself a critical question:
What’s my trauma?
Healing your Mind & Body
Acknowledging your trauma helps you start to release the grip it has on your life. It’s not about dismissing your symptoms or struggles or pretending everything is OK, but about uncovering the root causes underlying your issues.
As a coach specializing in chronic pain and trauma, I know just how powerful the connections between our minds and bodies are. I’ve witnessed incredible transformations when people take this first courageous step - when they start to join the dots and create a space where they can begin to truly heal.
Healing isn’t about about placing blame or reliving the past; it’s about rewriting your present and future. Together, we can work to address the nervous system dysregulation that trauma causes and unlock your body’s natural capacity to heal and thrive.
If you’re ready to start your healing journey or simply curious about how past events might be affecting your life, I’m here to offer guidance, support and tools tailored to your unique story.