Have you ever wondered if you’re truly “chill”  or if you’ve just stopped feeling altogether? In this episode of The Hardcore Therapist Podcast I breaks down the difference between emotional calm and emotional numbness a trauma response that often masquerades as being easygoing, detached, or “unbothered.”

Drawing from the work of Bessel van der Kolk, Pete Walker, Stephen Porges, and Peter Levine, Sarah explores the neuroscience behind numbness, why your body shuts down emotional signals, and how to start reconnecting with your feelings safely.

You’ll learn:

• Subtle signs you’re emotionally numb (not grounded)
• How trauma and chronic stress rewire your emotional responses
• Somatic and relational tools to help you “thaw” and feel again
• What real emotional regulation — not avoidance — actually looks like

If you’ve ever said “I don’t know” when asked how you feel, or if joy just doesn’t hit the way it used to, this episode is for you.

Trigger warning: Discussion of trauma and emotional disconnection.
 Want support? DM Sarah on Instagram @thehardcoretherapist

REFERENCES & SOURCES

• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Penguin Books.
• Walker, P. (2013). Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving.
• Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.
• Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation.
• Menakem, R. (2017). My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies.
• Harvard University Center on the Developing Child. (2019). Toxic Stress and Brain Development.
• American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Emotional Numbing.