Have you ever been doing something completely normal like driving or walking and suddenly an old emotional memory hits you out of nowhere?

In this episode of the Bite-Sized Brilliance Podcast, Dr. April Darley explains what emotional flashbacks really are, why they show up during calm or neutral moments, and how the brain pulls old memories forward without your conscious permission.

You’ll hear how the logical brain, emotional brain, and survival brain interact, what triggers the hippocampus and amygdala to retrieve old files, and why your brain often confuses past pain with present circumstances.

April also breaks down the difference between rumination and reflection and how to shift your brain into healthier processing patterns.

You’ll learn:

If you have ever felt hijacked by old thoughts or stuck in painful loops, this episode will help you understand what is happening in the brain and how to take back your emotional agency.

To schedule a free consultation to discuss your thought/emotion loops, go to www.aprildarley.com

🕒 Episode Breakdown with Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to emotional flashbacks and why they appear

01:00 The three levels of the brain and how memory tagging works

02:00 Why the amygdala and hippocampus pull up old emotional files 03:00 Removing a trigger vs. removing your response

03:30 How subconscious stimuli activate old pathways

04:30 The brain’s filtering system and hidden triggers

05:00 Why emotional flashbacks feel like “now” even when they are old

05:30 How thought emotion loops form and why they feed themselves

06:00 Breaking loops with awareness, redirection, and self-talk

06:30 Rumination vs. reflection and how to shift into curiosity

07:00 Why healing can trigger flashbacks due to new pathways

08:00 Sabotage patterns and why the brain pushes old habits

08:30 Editing emotional files so they stop hurting you

09:00 Closing invitation to work with April and build emotional resilience