Episode 30 - The connection between Trauma and Disease

Redefining Trauma: Trauma is not just major events like war or abuse. It is anything the body processes as traumatic, even small moments like losing a toy as a child.The Body Keeps Score: Unprocessed trauma remains in the body and does not leave on its own. It affects livelihood, relationships, and social function.Nervous System Link: Unprocessed trauma keeps the nervous system in a chronic "fight, flight, freeze, or fawn" state, leading to a constant flood of cortisol and adrenaline. Over time, this manifests as illness (autoimmune conditions, IBS, chronic fatigue, mystery pain).Identity Connection: After trauma, people often unconsciously adopt negative "I am" statements (e.g., "I am hopeless") that become their core identity.Repression as Survival: The nervous system encapsulates trauma and stores it in the body (liver, shoulders, etc.) to allow survival.The Healing Path: Moving from survival to coaching involves three steps: Acknowledge, Accept, and Appreciate. It requires releasing trapped emotions, often through breathwork and imagination.Responsibility: While you didn't cause the traumatic event, you are responsible for your response to it. You created the internal weight, so you have the power to uncreate it.Quotes & Gems:"Trauma is anything your body processes as trauma.""The body keeps score.""Unprocessed trauma remains in the body. It doesn't leave of its own accord.""You didn't create the problem, but you created the problem because of your response to the situation. You've got to take responsibility for it.""It's not an age thing, it's a work thing."Mindset Shifts / Reframes:From "Big T" to "Little t": You don't have to have a "major" trauma for your body to be impacted. Small experiences can be just as impactful if the body processed them as traumatic.From Thinking to Feeling: Healing isn't just about changing your thoughts. It’s about releasing the trapped energy from the nervous system. If you only change your thinking, you'll still react when triggered.From Victim to Creator: You may not have caused the event, but you created the ongoing internal response. Taking ownership of that response is the key to releasing it.