As part of being trained in the Adaptive Internal Relational (AIR) Network Model, I learned a lot about normalizing how we respond to trauma. I think there are some important things that everyone should know about how the human brain and body respond to stress and trauma.
I like to start with a short video by Dan Siegel, who does a beautiful job talking about the brain in an accessible way that even children can understand in about two and a half minutes.
What I love about this explanation is that it's for everyone. Adults are just grown-up children, and flipping our lids because we perceive danger in our environments is a human thing.
Because of my training in complex trauma and dissociation, I like to take the Handy Model a step further in the six-minute video below:
To reinforce these concepts and to give more context on how our autonomic nervous systems respond to trauma, this nine-minute video by The Trauma Foundation shows a comprehensive and accessible way to bring it all together.
It's important to normalize what happens as a result of trauma. Many people think they are broken, damaged, or wrong because of how they respond to the world after trauma - they take it personally. I'm so grateful for the research that asked why this happens and identifies what is universal about the body and the brain's response to trauma.
Therapy can be an excellent tool to add to how you care for yourself. If you're not ready for therapy or haven't found the right fit, try the other ways suggested in the last video to heal your autonomic nervous system. It takes time but healing is possible.