From a trauma therapist's perspective, trauma has a profound and lasting impact on the nervous system. When a person experiences a traumatic event, the body instinctively reacts to threat through the activation of the autonomic nervous system, which includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the fight or flight response, which prepares the body to either confront danger or escape it. Heart rate increases, muscles tense, and stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline surge through the body.

If the individual is unable to fight or flee, the body may default to a freeze response, governed by the parasympathetic nervous system. This can lead to dissociation, numbness, or a sense of disconnection from the body and environment. For some people, these responses become stuck in the nervous system, especially when trauma is repeated or unresolved.

Over time, this dysregulation can manifest as hypervigilance, chronic anxiety, emotional numbing, or a persistent sense of danger, even in safe environments. The nervous system becomes conditioned to anticipate threat, leading to exaggerated startle responses, sleep disturbances, and difficulty with emotional regulation.

Healing from trauma involves helping the nervous system regain its flexibility. Through therapeutic approaches such as somatic experiencing, trauma-focused strategies, polyvagal-informed therapy, mindfulness, and specific techniques like the butterfly hug and the rewind technique, clients can begin to develop awareness of their bodily responses, build tolerance for distress, and slowly restore a sense of safety and connection within themselves. These methods help integrate traumatic memories in a way that reduces their emotional charge and supports the nervous system in returning to a regulated state. Understanding that trauma is stored not only in the mind but also in the body is essential for creating a compassionate and effective path toward healing.