Are you or those you work with struggling with chronic fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, or emotional numbness, even when lab tests come back “normal”? In this episode, Dr. Aimie looks at how unresolved trauma stored in the nervous system can drive physical and emotional symptoms which are often mistaken for depression, anxiety, or autoimmune issues.

Through the real life story of Michelle, a teacher who no longer felt like herself, you’ll learn about the five-step trauma response everyone follows, and why conventional approaches often miss the mark.

Whether you’re a practitioner seeking deeper insight into trauma-informed care, or someone navigating your own healing, this episode reveals why trauma is not just psychological, but biological. You’ll gain a fresh perspective on your or your clients  symptoms and allow you to begin exploring more effective, long-term paths to healing.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How stored trauma leads to chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and gut issues
• Why emotional disconnection and brain fog are signs of a stuck trauma response
• What your body does in the first moments of threat
• The biological difference between stress and trauma
• Why antidepressants may not work for trauma-driven conditions
• And more!

Guides, Tools & Resources:

• Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma: A Roadmap for Healing - Find out what trauma is, how to recognize it, and get simple steps to help you heal in this 23-page guide. It’s great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey
• The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.
• Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal - at the time of this recording, The Insider’s Circle Book Club is open and pre-orders are going live soon. 

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 29 : What Is The Physiology And Neurobiology Of The Trauma Response?
• Episode 32: What Are The Ways The Body Communicates Stored Trauma?

Related Youtube Videos: 

• Understanding Trauma Response in Your Body | Dr. Aimie Apigian

Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.

Timestamps:

• [05:45] Why your labs might look "normal" even when you feel terrible
• [07:20] Three ways your body protects itself during trauma
• [09:40] The five-step trauma response everyone's body follows
• [11:55] What happens in the body in the first moments of danger
• [13:10] Why adrenaline, not cortisol, is the real stress hormone
• [15:25] The specific turning point where stress becomes trauma
• [17:00] What happens when your body hits the gas and brakes at the same time
• [19:40] How your body saves energy during trauma and why this causes chronic symptoms like fatigue 
• [23:35] How trauma becomes chronic and creates physical symptoms 
• [27:50] The science connecting brain inflammation, gut health and mental health
• [30:15] Why people with fibromyalgia and IBS often have anxiety and depression too
• [32:45] Why addressing the stored trauma is essential for healing long term

How can a single moment impact your life? Can that moment still affect you not only emotionally but physically years later?

In this mini-episode, Dr. Aimie dives into the biology behind how trauma gets physically stored in the body, expanding on her conversation with Gregg Ward from Episode 119. She unpacks Greg's story of accidentally causing a fatal car accident at age 18 and how this moment shaped his entire life path and physical health.

You’ll hear more on:

• How trauma physically show ups in the body during the freeze response
• The 3 defense strategies that are triggered by trauma 
• What moral injury is and how it affects the nervous system 
• Practical steps for moving through grief and regret
• And more!

If you're carrying regret, grief, or trauma that is staying in your body, this episode offers hope and practical insights for moving through these experiences toward healing.

To hear the full episode listen to Episode 119: Transforming Trauma into Joy & Purpose with Gregg Ward

What happens when a single moment changes the direction of your entire life? Can regret become a force for good? 

In this episode, we’ll hear one man’s journey through the aftermath of accidentally causing his high school sweetheart's death in a car accident at 18 years old and how that trauma has shaped his entire life.

Dr. Aimie is joined by Gregg Ward who shares how this terrible accident caused his greatest pain while also pushing him to become a better person. He describes how the trauma showed up in his body, his methods for trying to cope, and the path that eventually led him toward healing and purpose.

This conversation goes deeper into how trauma lives in the body, how moral injury can affect someone, and how finding purpose can eventually transform regret and grief into meaning, purpose and joy.

We'll discuss:

• What happens to the body right after trauma occurs
• What moral injury is and its role in trauma   
• How trauma can disrupt your life but also give it new direction
• Finding purpose by honoring what was lost instead of just trying to feel better
• How trauma stays in your body for years
• Connecting with others who have experienced similar traumatic events
• Why physical movement helps heal trauma when talking about it isn't enough
• How finding happiness after trauma is possible – even when you think it’s hopeless
• And more!

Whether you're living with regret, supporting someone through their grief, or working professionally with those carrying hidden pain, this episode shows you how one can move through seemingly unbearable experiences and eventually find peace, joy and purpose on the other side.

Gregg Ward is the founder of the Center for Respectful Leadership, an award-winning best-selling author, TEDx Speaker, executive coach, and master facilitator & culture change consultant.

Guides, Tools & Resources:

• Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma: A Roadmap for Healing Trauma - Find out what trauma is, how to recognize it, and get simple steps to help you heal in this 23-page guide. It’s great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey.
• Biology of Trauma book - How the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. At the time of this recording, you can join us in The Insider’s Circle Book Club and pre-orders are now available!  
• Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices.  

Related Podcast Episode: Episode 117: Movement for Healing Stored Grief and Emotions with Paul Denniston

Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Are you a practitioner struggling to balance patient care with your own health needs? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie looks at the biology behind the Spoon Theory and how practitioners can manage their own health while helping others heal. She answers a listener’s question about why she feels drained after certain client sessions and the actionable steps she can take to keep her energy levels up. 

Dr. Aimie’s will build on her conversation with Helga Byrne from Episode 118, where they discussed navigating professional responsibilities while managing personal health challenges.

You’ll hear more on:

• What the Spoon Theory is 
• How trauma impacts the body’s mitochondria
• What happens to the your cells when you go into overwhelm 
• Why practitioners experience brain fog and fatigue while helping others
• How your nervous system sends signals to either boost or reduce your energy levels throughout the day
• Practical ways to manage your “spoons” of every daily 

If you're struggling to manage your energy while caring for others, this episode will provide insights on how to maintain energy levels while still being an effective practitioner.

If you’d like to go deeper into this topic, listen to the full conversation with Helga Byrne on Episode 118: How Practitioners Can Navigate Their Own Chronic Illness & Healing Journey.

Are you trying to work caring for others while navigating your own chronic health symptoms? In this episode, we’ll take a look at one woman's decade-long battle with a chronic illness and the actions she took to build and maintain her practice. 

Helga Byrne, worked years in corporate, but wanted a more meaningful life. Becoming a licensed therapist, she spent years struggling with a chronic health issue without having an answer. Eventually, it was discovered it was chronic Lyme disease, but that didn’t bring an overnight solution. 

How do we manage being a professional in the healing field when we have our own chronic health issues? What happens when our physical health issues get triggered by long days or difficult clients? 

In this conversation, Helga joins Dr. Aimie to share the struggles and strategies Helga implemented to effectively run her business while navigating brain fog and extreme fatigue. She’ll also share insights on common identity challenges, the challenge of finding practitioners who believed her symptoms, how to identify what gives you energy, and changes you can make to your life, relationships and work.

They’ll discuss:

• How trauma can be created by medical rejection
• How chronic illness can create isolation
• Using the "spoon theory" for managing energy 
• Creating different ways to earn income when you can't see clients full-time
• The healing power of accepting your illness instead of waiting to "get better someday"
• Why working with clients can be energizing even during chronic illness
• Why learning to say "no" can protect your limited time and energy
• How finding a supportive community can change your outlook on your illness
• How your own health struggles can help you better understand and connect with clients
• And more!

Whether you are a practitioner, parent or other caregiver, this episode will give you great insights into how you can structure your life, work and schedule around your body's needs while showing up for others effectively.

Guides, Tools & Resources:

• The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.
• Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices.  
• Brain Inflammation Protocol – The complete protocol for if you have anxiety, depression, prior head injuries and want to address the brain inflammation that’s keeping you stuck.
• Tackling Brain Inflammation [Video Library] – 27 videos from experts on how to recognize brain inflammation, how to get tested and what nutrients and supplements can support you

Related Podcast Episodes for Practitioners:

• Episode 67: Healing Trauma and Chronic Illness Through Connection with Gabor Mate
• Episode 99: Stress In The Body: Trauma-Informed Medicine & Why Dysregulation Should Be Included In Assessments

Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Can your body be stuck in trauma or grief? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie is answering a listener’s question about why her physical symptoms are still bothering her a year after a loved one’s death. She dives into why the normal approach to self care won’t work and how creating safety can allow the trauma and grief to move through the body instead of staying stuck.

Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind why movement is needed for overwhelming grief and trauma, building on her conversation with Paul Denniston from episode 117. She shares more on why “emotions need motion” and how movement practices work on a physiological level to release the trauma and grief trapped in the body.

You’ll hear more about:

• How grief pushes the body from a stress response into a trauma response
• The three coping strategies triggered by grief
• Where grief and trauma get stored physically within the body 
• The action steps you can start taking today to move through your own trauma or grief 
• And more!

If you feel like you’re ready to let go of the trauma and grief that your body has been holding onto, then this episode is a must listen to!

For more on this topic, listen to the full conversation with Paul Denniston in Episode 117: Movement For Healing Stored Grief & Emotions

Check out The Essential Sequence which is a free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.

“Emotions need motion” - Paul Denniston

Grief is an emotion that many of us try to avoid. But what happens when we don't let it out? In this episode, we explore how hidden grief can get stuck in the body, causing tight shoulders, stomach pain, and nonstop anxiety.

Paul Denniston, founder of Grief Yoga, joins Dr. Aimie to explain that grief doesn't simply disappear when ignored. Instead, it hides in our muscles and body, making them hurt or feel uncomfortable.This conversation sheds light on how movement and even laughter can let the feelings out of our bodies in a safe way.

We'll talk more about:

• How grief physically manifests in the body
• Why movement is essential for trauma healing
• How to recognize if what you're feeling is grief (even if it looks like anxiety or anger)
• The power in creating dedicated time and space for grief expression
• Learning how to sit with grief safely so it doesn't feel too overwhelming
• How laughter can be used to access deeper grief
• How practitioners can hold space for others' grief without becoming overwhelmed themselves
• The physical and emotional benefits of moving grief through the body 
• And more!

Whether you're a practitioner working with grief, someone supporting a loved one through loss, or navigating your own healing journey, this episode shares insights into transforming pain through movement practices that incorporate breath, sound, and embodied awareness.

Paul Denniston is the founder of Grief Yoga®, which uses yoga, movement, breath, and sound to release pain and suffering and connect to love. His intention with Grief Yoga is to combine many different forms of yoga in order to help heal grief.

Guides, Tools & Resources:

• The Essential Sequence - free guide that shows you the difference between stress and trauma states of our nervous system. In just 3 steps, it walks you through what your body needs when it has stored trauma or is in a freeze response.
• Biology of Trauma book - How the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. At the time of this recording, you can join us in The Insider’s Circle Book Club and pre-orders will be going live soon. 
• Foundational Journey - If you want to be guided through The Essential Sequence laid out in the guide and the book, join me and my team for this 6 week journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices to lay your foundation to do the deeper work safely. These are the daily practices I have found that change one’s biology and health symptoms the fastest.

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 74: Why Stored Trauma Becomes Syndromes & Their Somatic Solutions
• Episode 114: Grief: The Science Behind Why We Can’t “Get Over” Loss and How to Grieve

Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Preventing people from moving when something terrible happens is what makes trauma a trauma.

In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie dives into the biology behind why not being able to move (either physically or internally) can create trauma. She looks more closely at the moment in the trauma response that she calls "hitting the wall" - the pivotal point where we feel powerless and our physiology shifts from a stress response to a trauma response.

Dr. Aimie also explains that our neuroception (nervous system's perception) determines whether we take action or shut down, and this process isn't based on reality but on our perceived capacity against perceived danger. So when we feel overwhelmed, our nervous system prevents movement as a way to protect us.

You'll hear more about:

• The five steps of trauma response and why "the wall" is the most significant
• How our nervous system can block our own movement
• The biological factors that influence our capacity to respond vs. shut down
• And more!

If you're interested in understanding why you might "hit the wall" in everyday situations and how to support your body's capacity to respond differently, then this episode is for you!

For more on this topic, listen to the full conversation with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk in Episode 116: The Body Keeps Score: How Trauma Rewires Your Nervous System

In response to overwhelm, the body tries to keep one safe in different ways. Sometimes our body feels so shaken and shocked that it makes our mind need to disconnect from the pain of it. This is called dissociating. 

Yet, the body still remembers what happened. The impact to our biology doesn’t go away just because we don’t understand or remember something. The impact is how the body keeps track of everything from out past. When we understand that our body is reacting because it is still holding onto something from the past, it can help us uncover what needs to be healed.

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk joins Dr. Aimie in this episode to explore the profound nature of trauma - how it affects the body in ways that make it keep score. He explains why trauma is not just about the events but about how those experiences become engrained in our biology, creating patterns that persist long after the danger has passed. This in turn can make trauma something that is truly "unbelievable, unbearable, and overwhelming." Our bodies are built to move when we're in danger. When we can't move during traumatic events, it changes how our brain works. This conversation looks at why this happens. It also explains how difficult experiences in childhood create patterns in our minds - like an inner roadmap - that shape how we see the world and connect with people as adults.

They’ll talk more on:

• Why trauma leaves people unable to articulate their experiences
• How dissociation works as a way to survive during overwhelming events
• Why the lack of movement during an event is what makes it traumatic
• The physical toll of living with a dysregulated nervous system
• Why healing must address the basic housekeeping functions of the body
• How trauma blocks our capacity to experience pleasure and worthiness
• And more!

If you're working with trauma professionally, supporting someone on their healing journey, or navigating your own recovery, this episode is excellent for understanding how the body keeps score while offering practical actions to reclaim agency, embody healing, and create a life worth living through curiosity and collaboration.

Guides, Tools & Resources:

• Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma: A Roadmap for Healing Trauma - Find out what trauma is, how to recognize it, and get simple steps to help you heal in this 23-page guide. It’s great for anyone who wants to understand trauma better or support others on their healing journey.
• Biology of Trauma (the book) - How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It. With the foreword written by Dr. Gabor Mate, it is a book intended to change the conversation about how to heal on the deepest level, not just our mind, not just our body, but also our biology. Please join me for The Insider’s Circle where you can pre-order your copy and receive monthly readings with Dr. Aimie.  
• Foundational Journey - If you want to be safely guided through The Essential Sequence, and lay your foundation of regulation in this online 6 week course, join me and my team of mentors for this journey into your inner world with practical somatic and parts self-practices.  

Related Podcasts:

• Episode 7: Identifying And Treating Cooper Excess To Reserve Postpartum Depression With William Walsh
• Episode 90: Beyond Talk Therapy: Addressing the Biochemical Basis of Behavior & Changing Our Response

Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use of the podcast.

Are you or someone you know feeling stuck in trauma patterns despite years of therapy and personal work? In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie is answering a question about whether there might be a biological component hindering a persons attachment repair progress.

Dr. Aimie will buliding off of her conversation with Dr. Jason Loken in Episode 115. She'll be diving deeper into the 3 common biochemical imbalances that can keep people trapped in nervous system dysregulation.

You'll hear more about:

• How under-methylation works and it's symptoms
• How a copper excess can create a toxic environment for the nervous system and is strongly connected to postpartum anxiety and depression
• How pyroluria makes the nervous system hypersensitive and reactive 

Ready to discover if biochemistry might be holding back your healing journey? Listen to the full conversation with Dr. Loken on Episode 115: 3 Biochemistry Findings Behind Mood & Mental Health Struggles.

Other resources mentioned in this episode: 3 Most Common Biochemical Imbalances - Discover the common biochemical imbalances that are frequently at the core of mood and trauma patterns. Learn how these imbalances are identified and addressed to help improve emotional well-being.