Trauma Responses: Signals, Not Failures

When your inner child speaks

Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

Ever find yourself reacting to something in a way that feels... a little too much? Maybe it caught you off guard… like the response came out sideways, faster, or louder than you'd expect. Or perhaps it’s a pattern you’ve seen before. It’s so familiar it feels normal. But deep down, it doesn't quite feel like it’s coming from your most grounded, effective self.

This may be a trauma response. We have all dealt with them to a greater or lesser degree depending on the intensity of events that may have shaken or threatened the safety and flow of our lives. Sometimes, the act of living life smooths these rough-edged responses on their own as we organically discover a safer world and our power in it. But, at other times, they need very intentional interventions, ideally with support from others.

Trauma responses, more often than not body-driven, are automatic emotional, physical, or behavioral reactions to situations, cues, or ‘vibes’ that echo past traumatic…