Your mind says you’re safe, but your body still feels tense, overwhelmed, and stuck in danger mode. Why does this happen?

In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind why mental and emotional healing doesn’t always translate into physical healing. You’ll learn how trauma gets “stuck” in your nervous system, why your body can keep sending danger signals even when your mind feels better, and practical ways to help your body feel safe enough to recover.

Your nervous system works like a dashboard, constantly checking if you can handle what’s happening or need to shut down. When it stays stuck in survival mode, even after therapy, it can cause chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. The good news is, you can help your body feel safe again and start to heal.

In this episode, you'll find out more about:

• The difference between stress vs. trauma (and why it’s not about the event itself!)
• Why your body creates a personal safety filter based on past experiences
• How inflammation, toxins, and hidden stressors send danger signals to your nervous system
• Why your body’s natural healing shuts down when you’re in survival mode
• Simple ways to track and shift your nervous system state every day

Whether you’re doing your own healing or supporting clients who still feel stuck physically despite mental progress, this episode reveals the missing piece of trauma recovery. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of the body’s signals and walk away with practical tools to help the body catch up with the mind.

🎧 For more on chronic pain and trauma biology, listen next to Episode 130: Why It’s Not Stress That Causes Chronic Pain and What Really Does.

Have you or your clients ever felt exhausted, anxious, or even physically ill after a therapy session? Or wondered why emotional breakthroughs sometimes leave you feeling worse before you feel better?

In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie answers EDMR therapist Rebecca's question about why people sometimes get physical symptoms after making progress in therapy, and shares simple strategies to help prevent this from happening.

She goes into the biology behind how your nervous system is constantly deciding whether you're safe or in danger, and why digging into painful memories or feelings can make your body think it's under attack, even when you're actually healing.

You'll learn more about:

• Why your body thinks feeling emotions is dangerous
• How your "energy bank account" affects what you can handle in therapy
• Why you might feel sick AFTER therapy sessions
• How things like poor sleep and processed food make therapy harder on your body
• Why your nervous system is always checking if you're safe or in danger
• Two simple things you can do after therapy to feel better

Want to learn more? Listen to Episode 129 to find out more!

What if the autoimmune condition you're dealing with today was actually programmed into your immune system decades ago during childhood?

In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie answers a listener’s question about the biological mechanisms connecting early attachment trauma to autoimmunity, and most importantly, what to do about it.

She goes into the biology behind how childhood fear literally programs your immune system at the cellular level, creating a biological foundation for autoimmune conditions that can emerge years or decades later, often triggered by additional stressors like accidents, infections, or major life events.

You’ll learn more about:

• Why fear causes inflammation
• How early fear creates overactive brain immune cells (microglia) that cause symptoms like brain fog and decision fatigue
• The three key immune system pathways that determine whether your body stays in "inflammation mode" or switches to "repair mode"
• Practical actions you can take to rebalance your immune system

Whether you're a practitioner working with autoimmune clients or someone with your own autoimmune journey, this episode reveals the hidden biological connections between early life experiences and immune dysfunction and offers hope through practical interventions that work at the cellular level.

Listen to Episode 128: How Attachment Drives Anxiety, Autoimmunity and Chronic Illness to explore the six core attachment pains and their biological impacts.

Don't forget to pre-order my new book, Biology of Trauma!

Your nervous system’s main job isn’t to make you happy. It’s to keep you safe. That’s why, even after the danger is over, your body can still act like it’s under threat. In this mini episode, Dr. Aimie goes into the biology behind how trauma gets stuck in the body and why it’s so hard to “just move on.”

You’ll learn how something called the body trauma loop keeps your system in survival mode, and how the brain’s ability to learn (neuroplasticity) can actually lock in trauma patterns over time.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• The 3 trauma survival responses: shutdown, disconnection, and freeze
• Why your body keeps flipping between stress and shut down
• How your brain and body learn to repeat trauma patterns automatically
• How things like inflammation and oxidative stress keep your nervous system stuck
• Why just saying “you’re safe” isn’t enough
• A step-by-step process to help your body shift out of survival and into safety
• Simple, body-based tools (somatic practices) you can use daily to calm your nervous system

Whether you're a practitioner or someone who's tired of feeling anxious, frozen, or burned out, this episode will help you understand what’s happening in your body and how to start changing it.

👉 Want the full breakdown? Listen to Episode 127: Why the Body Is Wired for Danger – Understanding Trauma’s Impact on the Nervous System for a deeper look at trauma and nervous system healing.

When was the last time that you truly felt so safe that you had no anxiety, no fear, or insecurity for the future?

Many people feel like they're always waiting for disaster to strike. Their body stays stressed even when nothing bad is happening.

If this sounds like you or those you help, here's why it happens and what you can do about it.

The answer lies in understanding how early life experiences wire our nervous system for survival rather than safety.

When we get overwhelmed and can't find our way back to feeling okay, it’s a sign our bodies get stuck in danger mode. This mode can last for years or even decades, affecting everything from our health to our relationships.

In this episode, Dr. Aimie dives into why the body might feel constantly on edge and explains the 3 key factors that make past experiences stick with us.You'll discover simple methods to calm the nervous system and start feeling more secure in life.

• [2:01] The three key elements that create overwhelming experiences: feeling overwhelmed, powerless, and in disbelief
• [11:54] Understanding the critical line of overwhelm and why we cross it daily
• [15:30] How early childhood experiences and generational trauma patterns contribute to nervous system wiring
• [18:45] The difference between "too much, too fast" and "too little, too long"
• [21:54] How to recognize survival patterns versus safety patterns
• [25:12] The first essential step to rewiring the nervous system
• [28:30] Why creating safety must come before processing difficult emotions
• [32:15] Practical somatic tools you can use immediately when you notice stress and overwhelm

Whether you struggle with constant worry, can't seem to relax, or feel like you're always bracing for impact, this episode will help you understand what's happening in your body and give you practical steps to change it.

Guides, Tools & Resources:

• Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. Pre-order now and, at the time of this recording, you’ll get over $400 in bonuses included! Those bonuses are only for the pre-order window which goes until Sept 22, 2025. When you’ve already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses.
  
• The 21 Day Journey - If you're ready to create a felt sense of safety in your body and experience the benefits of 26% decrease in daily physical pain, 28% decrease in sleep issues and digestive issues, 30% decrease in anxiety, depression, or want to learn how to do this for those you help - join me for your 21-Day Journey, a structured sequence of gentle, somatic-based self-practices walking you through The Essential Sequence to safely open up stored trauma in the body.

Related Podcast Episodes:

• Episode 26: Doing Trauma Work Safely: The One Thing You Need To Do Before Processing Your Past
  
  
• Episode 72 What We Have Missed With Trauma-Informed Care: Boundaries, Attachment and Generational Impact

Related Youtube Videos:

• Body Adapts to Dysregulation: Survival Mechanisms | Dr. Aimie Apigian

Disclaimer:
By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical, psychological, or mental health advice to treat any medical or psychological condition in yourself or others. This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your own physician, therapist, psychiatrist, or other qualified health provider regarding any physical or mental health issues you may be experiencing. This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast. Under no circumstances shall Trauma Healing Accelerated, any guests or contributors to The Biology of Trauma® podcast, or any employees, associates, or affiliates of Trauma Healing Accelerated be responsible for damages arising from the use or misuse of the content provided in this podcast.