Many studies show that trauma significantly increases our risk of chronic health issues. In fact, it’s one of the greatest contributors. Leading trauma expert Gabor Maté says trauma is the invisible force that shapes our lives. It influences the way we live, the way we love, and the way we make sense of the world. It is the root of our deepest wounds. He also emphasizes that trauma is not what happens TO you; rather, it is what happens INSIDE you as a result of what happened to you. This distinction is critical to understand.
Trauma is the lasting response that often results from living through one or more distressing events. It doesn’t have to be a significant event like experiencing death or abuse; it can be small and may seem benign. Trauma isn’t solely about the event itself but how you interpret it. For some, the event may be small, but the meaning has significant and lasting effects.
So, how exactly does trauma make us sick? Trauma triggers a “fight or flight” response, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Prolonged exposure to these hormones (unresolved trauma) contributes to nervous system dysregulation, inflammation, immune system dysfunction, and disruptions in various physiological processes, and increasing susceptibility to chronic diseases.
Trauma also leads to changes in gene expression. This can influence the regulation of stress-response genes and contribute to an increased risk of chronic diseases. Research in epigenetics suggests that traumatic events can leave lasting molecular imprints on DNA.
Trauma alters our brain and physiology. This adaptation has a massive impact on our mental, physical, and emotional health. If we do not take an active role in healing our trauma, these undesirable adaptations will continue to erode us and take a huge toll on our health. In fact, new research has shown that healing trauma goes beyond traditional talk therapy and is more effectively treated using a bottom-up approach (treating the body). Traditional talk therapy does not effectively address what trauma does to the body—how it alters physiology.
A body based approach is far more effective because trauma is stored in the body; the body is the unconscious mind. The unconscious mind is responsible for who we are and what we do. Our bodies keep the score, and it’s where these biological reactions take place. Trauma leaves a very lasting effect on our bodies, which is why healing what trauma does to the body is the most effective way to heal.
This made so much sense to me after years of literally doing everything right—eating well, supplementing, trying various gut, healing, hormone, and body protocols, cleansing, detoxing, etc.—only to find that I still wasn’t significantly better. That’s when I knew I was missing something. Unresolved trauma is one of the most common missing pieces in people’s healing journeys. It was for mine, and that’s why it’s a topic I am so unbelievably passionate about.
Once I started working on restoring the function of my own nervous system, I was able to overcome 15+ chronic health issues and have since coached thousands to heal theirs! Healing trauma doesn’t have to be long, drawn-out, or arduous either—healing can actually happen quite quickly!
