I believe we all come with a story that shapes who we become in the world, consciously or unconsciously. We never know what brought someone to this day, the trials and triumphs, and for so many, trauma. We have tendencies to judge and react to others when they get avoidant, controlling, emotive, or otherwise. What if we consider that their trauma may be activated, their nervous systems have lit up, and cognition is impaired by nature of being in survival mode? Yes, it happens at work and in life, day-to-day. Whether you notice this in others, or, in yourself, what might need to be tended to?

“Trauma isn’t what happens to you, it is what happens inside you,” says Dr Gabor Maté. He also shares it’s what doesn’t happen that should happen. Interpret as you will in your own context, or considering someone you know in your personal or professional life.

We, and others around us can be activated by any number of lived experiences that impact how we show up in our leadership, with our teams and peers, in our personal lives, and in the world. As The Minds Journal shares in the graphic here, the potential stimuli for activation is extensive.

Growing awareness, discovering new ways of being, learning how to recover and prevent activations that lead to pain and, unintended consequences can be the very basis for trauma-informed healing, coaching, or alternative modalities. There are options. If you want to learn of some, ask me. Or, look for credible partners like me, with trauma-informed credentials.

Consider when activated, might there be some unsuspecting gift in the messages your nervous system is trying to tell you? And how might you support someone you see is suffering?

There is so much discovery, resourcefulness, recovery, and prevention that’s possible, when we come together in safe, informed, trusting spaces.

Yours in healing and fervor, of course,

Eva