Today’s episode is about trauma and healing. We’ll explore science, lived experiences, and expert wisdom including insights from books like My Grandmother’s Hands, The BodyKeeps the Score, Trauma and Recovery, It Didn’t Start With You, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, Healing the Shame That Binds You, No Bad Parts, and No Racial Elephants in the Therapy Room. We will discuss what trauma is or what experiencing trauma can look like, how it may develop, as well as explore what clinical treatment options are available for trauma-based concerns.

As always, due to the nature of today’s episode there may be information that is distressing for some listeners. Please feel free to skip this episode and return to the a following one if you experience any symptoms of distress while listening tothis episode.

Resources:

Adonis, M., Loucaides, M., Sullman, M.J.M. et al. The protective role of self compassion in trauma recovery and its moderating impact on post traumatic symptoms and post traumatic growth. Sci Rep 15, 8145 (2025).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91819-x

Bradshaw, J. (2015). Healing the shame that binds you. Health Communications, Incorporated.

Dana,D., & Porges, S. W. (2020). Polyvagal exercises for safety and connection: 50 client- centered practices. W.W. Norton & Company.

Haeyen S. (2024). A theoretical exploration of polyvagal theory in creative arts and psychomotor therapies for emotion regulation in stress and trauma. Frontiers in psychology, 15, 1382007.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382007

Herman, J. L. (2020). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence - from domestic abuse to political terror. BasicBooks.

Menakem, R. (2021). My grandmother’s hands: Racialized trauma and the pathway to mending our hearts and Bodies. Penguin Books.

Schwartz, R. C., Morissette, A., & Mechling, C. (2024). No bad parts: Healing trauma & restoring wholeness with the internal family systems model. PublishDrive.

Shapiro, F. (2014). Getting past your past: Take control of your life with self-help techniques from EMDR therapy.

Van der Kolk, B. A. (2015). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma: Key takeaways, Analysis & Review. Instaread.

Walker, R., & Waltman, S. H. (2024). No racial elephants in the therapy room: An unapologetic approach to providing culturally affirming mental health care to black and African American clients. PESI Publishing, Inc., PESI.

Walker, P. (2021). Complex PTSD: From surviving to thriving. Azure Coyote.

Wolynn, M. (2022). It didn’t start with you the international bestseller - how inherited family trauma shapes who we are and how to end the cycle. Ebury Publishing.

Yehuda R, Lehrner A. Intergenerational transmissionof trauma effects: putative role of epigeneticmechanisms. World Psychiatry. 2018 Oct;17(3):243-257. doi: 10.1002/wps.20568.