Understanding Trauma and How to Recover

What is Trauma?

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is defined as “an emotional response to an extremely negative (disturbing) event”. There are various types of trauma including acute trauma, chronic trauma, complex trauma, developmental trauma, vicarious trauma, and moral wounding trauma. 

The Effects of Trauma

Trauma powerfully affects both the nervous system and the brain. When a person experiences overwhelming stress, the amygdala (the brain’s alarm system) becomes overactivated and signals danger even when no threat is present. At the same time, the prefrontal cortex, which handles decision-making, planning, emotional regulation, and reasoning, becomes less active, making it harder to think clearly, stay focused, or control impulses. Trauma also affects the hippocampus, the region responsible for memory and context. This can lead to fragmented or intrusive memories, difficulty distinguishing past from present, and challenges forming coherent narratives.

In the nervous system, trauma can push a person outside their window of tolerance, activating fight, flight, or freeze responses. Chronic trauma keeps the body in a prolonged state of stress, producing high cortisol and adrenaline levels that alter heart rate, breathing, digestion, immune function, and sleep. Over time, the system becomes sensitized, making everyday stress feel overwhelming.

Because of these changes, trauma survivors may swing between over-activation (hypervigilance, anxiety, reactivity) and under-activation (numbing, shutdown, dissociation). These patterns are not character flaws—they are adaptive survival responses. With support and regulation-focused practices, the brain and nervous system can heal and regain balance.

Post Trauma Reactions

Common signs and symptoms of trauma often show up emotionally, physically, cognitively, and behaviorally. Many people experience overwhelming fear, anxiety, irritability, or emotional numbness, along with mood swings or a sense of disconnection from themselves or others. Physically, trauma can trigger headaches, muscle tension, digestive issues, sleep disturbances, fatigue, or a constant feeling of being “on edge.” Cognitively, individuals may have trouble concentrating, experience intrusive memories or flashbacks, worry excessively, or feel confused or foggy. Behaviorally, trauma can lead to avoidance of reminders of the event, withdrawal from relationships, hypervigilance, startle responses, difficulty relaxing, or relying on coping behaviors such as overeating, overworking, substance use, or emotional shutdown. Many people also alternate between overactivation (fight-or-flight responses such as anger, perfectionism, or restlessness) and under activation (freeze responses such as numbing, procrastination, or lack of motivation). These symptoms are not signs of weakness—they are natural survival responses of a nervous system trying to stay safe after overwhelming experiences. 

Addressing Trauma Through Coaching

 Beginning work with a trauma client begins with creating safety, predictability, and nervous system regulation before exploring any history or emotions. Trauma often narrows a person’s window of tolerance, disrupting executive functioning, planning, memory, and emotional stability, so early coaching focuses on helping the client stay regulated through grounding, breath awareness, and simple sensory practices. At the same time, the coach normalizes the client’s defensive patterns—such as hypervigilance, perfectionism, withdrawal, or emotional numbness—as adaptive responses formed in environments of chronic stress, not personal weaknesses. This helps reduce shame and builds trust. Psychoeducation about the nervous system and the effects of trauma provides clients with language to understand their reactions and increases their sense of control. As stability grows, coaching shifts into a strength-based, salutogenic approach, emphasizing small, manageable improvements that build hope and confidence. Clients begin creating predictable routines, practicing self-regulation outside sessions, and exploring supportive relationships and values-based actions. Because trauma impacts follow-through and decision-making, coaching introduces goals in small, achievable steps. Only when a client demonstrates consistent regulation and safety do we begin deeper work such as boundaries, emotional expression, somatic awareness, and relational healing. This foundation allows transformation without overwhelm and supports long-term resilience. 

Our Holistic Approach to Trauma Recovery

 A holistic approach to trauma recovery recognizes that healing occurs across the entire mind-body system and that trauma affects every domain of life. Recovery begins with restoring nervous system regulation through grounding, breathwork, movement, and somatic practices that reconnect a person to their body. Nutrition supports healing by stabilizing blood sugar, reducing inflammation, and supplying the brain with essential nutrients that regulate mood and energy. Consistent, high-quality sleep repairs the nervous system, improves emotional regulation, and strengthens resilience. Movement—whether gentle walking, yoga, strength training, or stretching—helps release stored tension, improves vagal tone, and rebuilds a sense of agency and safety in the body. Financial and career stability also play a major role; creating routines, setting realistic goals, and improving financial security reduce stress and support a sense of empowerment and future orientation. Social and relational healing includes building safe, supportive connections, practicing healthy boundaries, and slowly re-engaging in meaningful community, which counteracts isolation and restores trust. Spiritual practices—whether prayer, meditation, nature, or personal meaning-making—help individuals reconnect to a sense of purpose, hope, and inner grounding. Together, these domains create a comprehensive foundation that strengthens safety, resilience, agency, and long-term well-being, supporting the whole person as they heal from trauma.