the Role of Trauma in Your Health Journey
At Optim8 Health and Wellness, we believe true health is more than just balancing labs, improving nutrition, or addressing physical symptoms. Understanding the trauma and physical health connection can be crucial. While those pieces are foundational, many of our clients eventually find themselves facing a deeper question: What if part of the healing I seek requires me to address unresolved trauma?
Let’s start by expanding our definition of trauma, as it’s essential to explore the trauma and physical health connection. It isn’t just one isolated event like an accident or loss. Trauma can also stem from childhood experiences, messaging we absorbed while growing up, and the way we learned to survive in the world. These formative events can create patterns in our nervous system, behavior, and even physical health.
Mind, Body, Spirit and the Gut
We teach that true healing involves integration. Your mind, body, spirit, and microbiome (gut health) are all connected. The trauma you’ve experienced may be stored not just in your memory, but also in your immune system, inflammatory responses, and digestive function. This can lead to nutrient deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, or unexplained plateaus in your health progress. Sometimes, no matter how clean your diet or consistent your fitness routine, unresolved trauma keeps you stuck. Recognizing the trauma and physical health connection might be the key to moving forward.
Books like The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and The Mind Body Prescription by Dr. John Sarno explain how repressed emotions and chronic stress can contribute to pain, inflammation, and even autoimmune responses. This is why understanding the trauma and physical health connection is important for your wellness journey.
Your Inner Critic Is Not the Boss of You
In Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving, Pete Walker explores the concept of the “inner critic” that voice that tells you you’re not enough, not doing enough, or can’t change. He provides ways to challenge and reframe those toxic thoughts. Some examples include:
- “I don’t need to be perfect to be loved.”
- “Feeling guilty doesn’t mean I am guilty.”
- “I am a human being, not a human doing.”
- “I won’t scare myself with catastrophic thoughts.”
The trauma and physical health connection often reveals itself in these moments where self-worth is challenged. These reframes allow you to reclaim your self-worth, reduce stress, and soften the impact of trauma responses on your body.
Understanding Your Trauma Type
Walker also outlines trauma response types: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn. Each has both detrimental and positive traits. For example, a “Flight” type might struggle with chronic anxiety and overworking, but also be highly industrious and resilient. Understanding your pattern helps you show compassion to yourself and develop more effective coping tools.
We’re Here to Support Your Whole Health
While we do not currently have a trauma therapist on staff at Optim8 Health and Wellness, we are happy to refer you to trusted professionals for deeper emotional healing. Exploring the trauma and physical health connection with specialists can enhance your wellness plan. We also recommend working with specialists in nervous system support like neuro-tonal chiropractors or acupuncturists alongside your physical wellness plan.
You deserve to heal in every way—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If trauma is part of your story, know that healing is possible, and you’re not alone on the path.
To learn more, schedule your appointment with us.
