There are too many experiences in life that leave us feeling unsafe. Not all of these experiences are necessarily dangerous in the classical sense of the word, but our body reacts as if there is immediate danger present. When this happens, a cocktail of chemicals (including adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine) is released over our brain and we slip into fight, flight, submit, or freeze mode. Entering this adrenaline-fueled state limits our access to rational thinking and convinces us that only the present moment has importance. This state of functioning often leads to impulsive thoughts and behaviors.

Does this scenario sound familiar? When a trauma response is activated, people tend to act in ways that later (when we can access our rational thoughts) don’t make sense to us and we might feel foolish for reacting how we did. But that reaction isn’t necessarily a mistake on your part! Your brain is trying to keep you safe so it’s acting in your best biological interest. If you are truly in mortal danger (maybe a dangerous animal is running toward you), this response is invaluable to your safety.

The problem is that we might not need this level of security in the moment and our brain is reacting to feelings from a traumatic experience we’ve had in the past instead of appropriately processing our current situation. Healing cannot happen when we are in a state of (perceived or real) crisis.

Finding safety in your own body is the first step toward healing past trauma experiences. This step is not easy, though, as our bodies have adapted as a result of what we have been through and our trauma responses have become automatic.