Trauma is a vast concept. In this two-part episode, we try to understand it with both simplicity and depth. Here we anchor ourselves in the idea of trauma as whole-person wound.
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Re-Creation is a podcast about trauma, faith, and mental health from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Hosts Nicole Roccas, a trauma-informed coach and author, and Eleni Opperwall, a registered therapist, explore what it means to be human after trauma through honest and hopeful conversations.
In this episode, we talk about:
* Trauma as whole-person wound (τραῦμα)
* Trauma is the experience of an event (or events), not the event itself
* Some terms: complex trauma, acute/single incident trauma, and the role of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
* Trauma as an experience that is “too fast, too much, too little, too soon” (or too long) to process in our nervous systems
* “Bottom up” approaches to trauma work like polyvagal theory and EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Re-Processing)
* Trauma and the body
Relevant resources and links:
* Gabor Maté’s definition of trauma found here and in The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture (2022)
* “Too much, too soon, to little” to process definition of trauma: Duros, R., & Crowley, M. (2014). “The Body Comes to Therapy Too.” Clinical Social Work Journal, 42(3), 238.
* Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (Penguin Books, 2015)
* Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., et al. (1998). “Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
* Straethern, L., et al. (2020). “Long-term Cognitive, Psychological, and Health Outcomes Associated With Child Abuse and Neglect.” Pediatrics.
* Brassard, M. R. (2019). “Is Psychological Maltreatment as Harmful as Other Forms of Child Abuse and Neglect? A Research Review.” APSAC Advisor.
* Mercer, S., et al. (2023). “Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Associations With Personal and Professional Factors in Health and Social Care Workers: A Systematic Review.” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
* Yang, X., et al. (2025). “Associations Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Medical Students’ Interest in Careers: A Single-Setting Study.” Frontiers in Psychiatry.
* All music featured on this podcast is used in accordance with Creative Commons licenses. For a full list of the tracks we use, visit https://recreationpodcast.substack.com/p/music-featured-in-our-episodes
Let’s Connect:
* More about Nicole: https://www.nicoleroccas.com
* More about Eleni: https://www.eleniopperwallcounselling.com/
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Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for professional mental health care.
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