Wired for Survival: How Trauma Rewrites Your Nervous System
People often seek therapy not just because of a traumatic event, but because of how that experience continues to live in their nervous system — shaping thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and relationships long after the original event has passed.
Trauma doesn't always come from one identifiable moment. It can stem from developmental experiences like emotional neglect, inconsistent caregiving, or growing up in an environment where it wasn’t safe to express your needs. These early experiences can wire the nervous system for survival, not connection.
Many people carry the imprint of trauma in the form of nervous system responses, such as:
Chronic freeze: Feeling emotionally shut down, numb, stuck, or unable to take action.
Fawn response: Automatically people-pleasing or appeasing others to stay safe.
Fight or flight: Experiencing chronic tension, restlessness, irritability, or anxiety.
Shutdown/dissociation: Disconnecting from the body, emotions, or surroundings as a protective response.
You might not always connect these responses to past experiences, but they often develop as ways to survive environments that felt overwhelming, unsafe, or invalidating.
Common trauma-related difficulties include:
Emotional flashbacks or sudden overwhelm
Intrusive thoughts or mental images
People-pleasing, avoidance, or emotional shutdown
Anger outbursts or difficulty regulating emotions
Low mood, persistent anxiety, or emotional numbness
A strong inner critic or chronic feelings of shame
Self-harming behaviours or suicidal thoughts
Disordered eating and body image concerns
Fear of abandonment or difficulty trusting others
Dissociation or a sense of disconnect from body or emotions
Conflicting inner voices or parts of the self
Substance use as a way to cope
Struggles with identity, boundaries, or relationships
A deep sense of being “broken” or fundamentally flawed
These are not signs of weakness. They’re adaptations — strategies your system developed to protect you. Even now, they may still be trying to keep you safe.
In trauma therapy, we don’t pathologise these responses. Instead, we bring curiosity and compassion to them. We gently explore how they formed, and help your system begin to feel what safety, connection, and trust can be like — at a pace that feels respectful and right for you.
Whether you're dealing with recent stressors or long-standing patterns, therapy can offer space for integration, nervous system regulation, and a deeper sense of self-understanding.
