Recovering from trauma is deeply rooted in healing and regulating the nervous system. This is because traumatic experiences override the nervous system’s ability to regulate itself. In response to trauma, you might feel paralyzed and shut down or experience a hypervigilant fight or flight mode. Trauma responses may be necessary for survival, but the body is not designed to live in survival mode long-term. If a dysregulated nervous system is left untreated and survival mode becomes the default state of being, the ripple effect on mental, emotional, physical, and relational well-being can be debilitating.

Polyvagal Theory explores the impact of trauma on the nervous system and provides us with a clear framework for understanding how to help our nervous system recover from trauma. To understand Polyvagal Theory, it’s helpful to know how the nervous system works.

The topic of trauma is a big one, a personal one, and a challenging one, so before exploring this big, personal, challenging topic, let’s create a secure mental space – an observational place where we can feel safe while learning about this complex topic together.

There is healing power in learning about how our brains and bodies work, and how what happens to us impacts what is currently happening to us. The goal of this article is to demystify trauma and provide you with a complete, non-triggering overview on:

·        What trauma means

·        Types of trauma

·        Symptoms of trauma

·        The impact of trauma

·        Healing trauma