Welcome to Gentle Pathways – Trauma Therapy and Center for Healing

How can Trauma affect us?

Trauma affects us on a deep level, not just emotionally but also physically. The way we respond to a traumatic event often has more to do with our body’s natural survival mechanisms than with our conscious choices. When faced with danger or a perceived threat, our bodies react in specific ways that are rooted in the brain’s wiring for survival. These reactions are often referred to as the fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses—and they are all ways our nervous system tries to protect us when we’re in distress.

But what happens when these responses stay activated long after the trauma is over? Why do we continue to feel on edge, even when we’re not in immediate danger? Understanding these responses—and how we can calm them—can be a powerful tool in healing.

Breaking Down Trauma Responses: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn

When you experience a traumatic event, your body’s survival system takes over. This system, called the autonomic nervous system, triggers one of four primary responses: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. Each response is designed to protect you in different ways, depending on the situation. Let’s break them down:

Trauma – Fight Response:
This is the body’s way of gearing up to confront the threat head-on. When the fight response is activated, you may feel a surge of energy, adrenaline, and heightened awareness, as your body prepares for action. You may experience a sense of anger, frustration, or the desire to push back against the threat. This response is often seen in situations where the person feels they have the ability to physically confront or “battle” the source of danger, whether it’s a person or a situation.

Example: In an abusive relationship, someone might respond with anger or aggression as a way to defend themselves.

Trauma – Flight Response:
This response occurs when the brain perceives that escape is the best option for survival. When the flight response is triggered, the body prepares to run away from the threat. You might experience feelings of anxiety, restlessness, or the urge to avoid certain situations. The body releases stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to fuel the desire to flee, which can result in a racing heart or shallow breathing.

Example: Someone who has experienced an emotionally abusive relationship may avoid certain places, people, or even conversations that remind them of that abuse, hoping to escape the feelings of discomfort.

Trauma – Freeze Response:
The freeze response occurs when the brain assesses that neither fighting nor fleeing is possible. In these situations, the body essentially “shuts down” to try to survive. This can feel like being paralyzed—unable to act, speak, or move. Physically, you may feel numb or disconnected, and mentally, you may experience dissociation or a sense of detachment from reality.

Example: A person who is being physically abused might freeze, unable to move or fight back, because they feel powerless and trapped.

Trauma – Fawn Response:
The fawn response is less commonly known but equally important. It occurs when a person attempts to please or appease the threat in order to avoid harm. This can involve excessive people-pleasing behaviors,
attempting to keep the peace, or avoiding conflict at all costs. Fawn responses often arise when the person feels that their survival depends on winning the favor or approval of the person who poses the threat.

Example: A child who has experienced emotional neglect might become overly compliant, always striving to make others happy in an effort to avoid rejection or anger.

Why These Responses Persist After Trauma?

While these survival responses are incredibly helpful in the moment, they can become problematic when they stay activated long after the trauma has passed. Here’s why that happens:

When a traumatic event occurs, the brain processes it as a threat, activating the autonomic nervous system. This system is designed to keep us alive during immediate danger. However, if the trauma is intense, ongoing, or unresolved, the brain can get stuck in this “high alert” mode. This is because trauma essentially rewires the brain, particularly areas like the amygdala (responsible for detecting threats) and the hippocampus (which helps process memories). When these areas are overactive, it can lead to a constant state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn—even when there is no immediate danger.

This heightened state of arousal can make everyday situations feel overwhelming or unsafe. You might find yourself reacting with disproportionate fear, anger, or anxiety, even when the threat is no longer present. The body’s nervous system remains on edge, ready to spring into action at any moment, even though it no longer needs to.

Empowering Techniques: Calming the Nervous System Over Time

The good news is that there are ways to help your nervous system recover from this constant state of alert. By practicing mindfulness and body awareness, you can start to retrain your nervous system to respond to stress in healthier, more balanced ways.

• Mindfulness and Grounding Exercises
  • Mindfulness techniques help you stay present and reduce the grip of past trauma on your mind and body. Grounding exercises—such as focusing on your breath or doing a mental “check-in” with your
    body—can help interrupt the automatic responses of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. By paying attention to the present moment and your immediate surroundings, you can slowly shift your nervous system out of its survival mode.
  • Try this: Practice deep breathing exercises, focusing on breathing in for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four, and pausing for four. This can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body down.
• Body Awareness
  • Since trauma is often stored in the body, reconnecting with physical sensations can help you release tension and regain a sense of control. Practices like yoga, Tai Chi, or gentle stretching can help you become more attuned to your body’s responses and reduce chronic tension. Noticing where you hold stress (in your shoulders, jaw, stomach, etc.) can also help you release it with intentional relaxation.
• Somatic Therapies
  • Therapies such as Somatic Experiencing or Trauma-Sensitive Yoga are specifically designed to help people release trauma from the body. These approaches work by helping you process physical sensations linked to trauma, allowing your nervous system to reset and heal over time.
• Self-Compassion and Patience
  • It’s important to be gentle with yourself as you work through trauma recovery. Healing isn’t immediate, and there will be ups and downs. Showing yourself patience and compassion will help you navigate the challenging moments when the nervous system feels “stuck” in survival mode.

   

Takeaway: Reclaiming Control Over Your Nervous System

Trauma can leave an imprint on the body and the nervous system, but the good news is that healing is possible. By understanding how your nervous system responds to stress and using techniques like mindfulness, body awareness, and somatic therapies, you can begin to calm your body’s survival mechanisms. Over time, with the right tools and support, your nervous system can shift from a state of constant alert to one of safety, calm, and healing.

If you find that your responses are interfering with your daily life, it might be helpful to seek professional support. Trauma-informed therapists can guide you through understanding your unique responses and provide tools to help you reconnect with yourself and regain a sense of balance. Healing is a journey, but you don’t have to walk it alone.

 

Trauma complicates everything. We help you untangle your trauma.

We understand your struggle. Trauma histories can leave us feeling helpless and confused. At Gentle Pathways – Trauma Therapy and Center for Healing, we specialize in trauma treatment. Our aim is to help you understand your trauma history in a safe and supportive way. We’re here to process your trauma with you and help you develop skills to manage the chaos that often follows trauma.