11/20/2025
DID YOU KNOW?
Trauma doesn’t just shape how we feel — it can reshape how our brain works, how our body responds, and how we interpret safety, connection, and stress. These shifts aren’t flaws or failures. They’re adaptations our nervous system made to help us survive.
In this new graphic series, I’m sharing accessible, trauma-informed education about four key brain areas that are impacted by trauma:
🧠 The Amygdala — may become overprotective and scan for danger even when we’re safe
🕰️ The Hippocampus — may struggle to separate past from present, leading to flashbacks or intense emotional memories
🌊 The Insula — may amplify or mute body sensations, contributing to overwhelm or dissociation
💬 The Anterior Cingulate Cortex — may have difficulty reading safety cues, even in supportive environments
These changes can influence how we relate, how we cope, and how we make sense of the world.
But here’s the hopeful part:
✨ Neuroplasticity means healing is possible.
Our brains are “stretchy,” adaptive, and capable of rewiring toward safety, connection, and self-trust. Through somatic practices, community care, grounding rituals, and culturally rooted healing, the nervous system can begin to reorganize in restorative ways.
If you or someone you love has ever wondered “Why do I react this way?” or “Why is it so hard to feel safe?” — these slides may offer language, validation, and a path forward.
Feel free to share, save, or send to someone who may be navigating their own healing.
Your body and brain hold wisdom — and they also hold the capacity to heal.
