Understanding Trauma

 What happens when we experience trauma?

• Our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is activated.

What is the autonomic nervous system?- 

• The ANS is the most primitive part of our body that powers our involuntary functions like our heartbeat, breathing, and fight, flight, or freeze. We have no control over these responses; they are meant to keep us alive. The brain stem, located at the base of our neck, is where the ANS communicates with the brain to the rest of the body. 

Where are emotions stored after trauma?

• The Limbic Brain is where emotions are processed, and it is the part of the brain that is crucial to processing trauma. Our brain can store emotions of traumatic experiences and can act as triggers in our day-to-day lives. Some may feel like they are in survival mode due to unconscious emotional trauma running in the background. 

How does trauma impact our decision-making?

• The Pre-Frontal Cortex helps make conscious decisions. Conscious decisions become difficult when a person's limbic brain has unconscious emotional trauma running in the background.