"Healing Trauma" by Heather Wright, who I collaborate with for the From Surviving to Thriving Series

Healing trauma: how meditation rewires your nervous system for lasting peace.

Life's toughest moments leave lasting marks on our nervous system. Trauma isn't just a memory; it's a deep impact on your nervous system. The body is designed to automatically shift into survival mode when something truly frightening happens. Or sometimes it's just the perception of something frightening that can trigger this response. Your body's trauma response: a rapid switch to flight, fight, freeze, or fawn is designed to protect you from harm. The longer the trauma event is drawn out, or the more intense the experience, the more ingrained this response becomes in our system. It can literally rewire our nervous system responses.

Even after the trauma event has passed, many people face tough challenges. They may struggle with constant anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or feel emotions. Swing wildly. Things like hyper-vigilance, where you're always on edge, and an easy startle response, are common too. These reactions are not signs of weakness; they're your system working hard to keep you safe, even when the danger has passed.

In order to understand and heal our trauma response, it's important to understand where it comes from, and how it impacts our body.

A traumatic event activates our sympathetic nervous system. This is the part of our regulatory system that manages our response to perceived threats. It's the “fight or flight” response. Our body is flooded with stress hormones and blood is pulled to our extremities to ready them for action. Our hearts pound and muscles tense. When this response gets stuck ‘on’, we become dysregulated, leading to disruption of other body systems. Our parasympathetic system is the rest and digest mode. It calms our body down after stress. Allowing it to rebalance. Trauma can throw this balance off making it hard to relax and let go of the tension caused by stress and trauma.

Trauma impacts the brain by actually reshaping our automatic responses. These changes happen in parts that control fear, memory, and how you handle feelings and emotions. These areas try to protect you, but sometimes they get stuck in overdrive. When this happens, we may start seeing threats everywhere, even when none exist. We find ourselves being constantly vigilant, always on edge. We may start to make poor choices, or act impulsively. Our memory of the event could become fragmented or we may have vivid flashbacks making it tough to process

what happened. Our trauma response may show up in many ways, affecting our feelings, actions, and even our physical health. You recognize these signs, but you are not alone in these struggles.

Emotional symptoms often include quick temper, deep sadness, or a numb feeling. You might find it harder to feel Joy or connect with others. Mood swings are also very common. You may also find yourself avoiding places or people that remind you of the past. You may withdraw from friends or family, or stay hyper aware of your surroundings. Trouble sleeping is also a frequent sign. Physical symptoms can include sleep disturbances like nightmares or insomnia, digestive issues or chronic pain without a clear cause. Your body holds stress and memory, too.

Meditation offers a powerful way to bring your body and mind back into balance. It's more than just relaxing. It's a skill you build for your own healing.

The core of trauma-informed meditation is present-moment awareness. It teaches you to be fully present, noticing what's happening now without getting caught up in it. It's a workout for your brain, building inner strength. You learn to observe thoughts, feelings and sensations as they come and go. This helps you create a little space between you and your reactions. You are not your thoughts; you are the observer.

The right kind of meditation can help you heal from trauma through changes in your body and mind. It supports your nervous system in finding a way back to calm. This means your brain can actually change and adapt. It helps calm an overactive nervous system, making it easier to manage fear and to think clearly.

Mindfulness Meditation helps you reconnect with your present experience safely. It teaches you to anchor yourself in the here and now, allowing the release of anticipation that leads to anxiety and review of past events that leads to depression. Adding breathwork to the meditation, supports your body's physiological reconditioning to a more restful state. Meditation can help build emotional regulation by teaching you to watch your thoughts and feelings without

judgment. This increased self-awareness helps you better manage distress. Instead of being swept away by emotion, you gain a sense of control putting yourself back in the driver's seat of your nervous system.

It's important to note, meditation can trigger an emotional response. Finding a gentle, trauma-informed meditation guide can make all the difference. Adding meditation to other therapies can support healing on a deeper level. Meditation is not a one-and-done method to reduce the impact of trauma, it's a practice. Regular and consistent participation teaches you the skills to manage the emotional events of life in a more healthful way.

Trauma can make you feel like you're stuck in a loop of fear and stress. Meditation offers a gentle but powerful way to find regulation and Foster healing. It guides your system back to balance. Developing a practice of meditation, particularly trauma-informed guided meditation, helps to build resilience in your nervous system. You hold the power to gently reshape your internal landscape. By embracing meditation as a path toward a more peaceful and grounded life, you can reclaim your sense of safety, presence, and overall well-being.

By Heather Wright

Heather Wright is a Massage, Energy and Shamanic Healing Practitioner with over 16 years of experience in the healing arts. She owns Soul Body Connection in Asheville. Her heart centered guided imagery meditations are designed to support participants in balancing their energy. With the use of breath and movement, we will open space for the natural flow of emotional, spiritual, and physical healing. 

You can learn more about Heather and her work at https://www.soulbodyconnection.net/

And come to our From Surviving to Thriving Series held once a quarter (or so)!