When we think of trauma, we usually focus on emotional pain. But what if trauma is a brain injury? This idea, shared by experts like Janina Fisher, Ruth Lanius, Bessel van der Kolk, and Peter Levine, helps us understand how trauma affects not just our emotions but also the way our brain works.
Trauma changes the brain and the nervous system. The brain is wired to protect us from danger, but when we experience something traumatic, our survival response—"fight, flight, or freeze"—can get stuck. In his book The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk explains that we struggle to feel safe following a trauma, even when we are no longer in danger. We might stay on high alert, have flashbacks, or feel disconnected from ourselves and the world around us.
Peter Levine, one of the founders of Somatic Experiencing, explains that trauma isn’t just emotional; it’s physical. Trauma survivors often hold onto unprocessed energy in their bodies, which can lead to feeling tense, anxious, or numb. Working through the body to release trauma helps people release that trapped energy, allowing the body to move out of the fight-or-flight state and into a place of calm.
Janina Fisher elaborated on how trauma divides us internally. Different parts of us remain stuck in the past, causing feelings of shame, fear, or even numbness. These aren’t signs of weakness—they’re our brain’s way of protecting us from overwhelming feelings. But they leave us feeling stuck and unable to move forward.
Ruth Lanius’s research shows how trauma actually changes parts of the brain, making it harder to manage emotions, remember things clearly, or feel present. The brain can’t always tell the difference between the past and the present, which is why we might feel like the trauma is still happening, even when it’s not.
Understanding trauma as a brain injury changes how we think about healing. Instead of only focusing on talking about what happened, we also need to focus on the body and engage the brain directly. Experts like van der Kolk and Levine remind us that trauma lives in the body, so body-based therapies are key to healing. Practices like EMDR, somatic therapy, mindfulness, and neurofeedback help rewire the nervous system and with time teach the brain to feel safe again.
Healing from trauma isn’t about "just getting over it." It’s about learning to feel safe in your body, calming your brain, and reclaiming your sense of self, little by little. By understanding trauma this way, we can approach recovery with patience, kindness, and the hope that healing is truly possible.