- Monique Verhoef RTC, MTC
- May 6
- 2 min read
Updated: May 7
When we experience trauma, our nervous system shifts into survival mode — fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. If that system never gets the message that it's safe again, it stays stuck.
According to trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, trauma literally reshapes both body and brain. It affects memory, stress regulation, and how we interpret threats — even long after the danger has passed (van der Kolk, 2014).
That’s why someone might intellectually know they’re safe, but still feel panic, dread, or shutdown. Their body hasn’t caught up with their mind yet.
Trauma in Animals Mirrors Trauma in People
One of the most powerful teachers of trauma I’ve had? Dogs.
Rescue dogs often show signs of trauma: pacing, fear of touch, food guarding, shutting down completely. But when we give them consistent care, boundaries, and kindness — not pity — they slowly learn to feel safe again. People are the same.
I’ve worked with clients who didn’t know their chronic anxiety or people-pleasing came from trauma. They weren’t “being dramatic” or “difficult.” They were surviving.
Healing From Trauma: A Gentle Process
Trauma doesn’t get “cured” — it gets cared for. Here are a few approaches I support:
1. Somatic Practices
Because trauma lives in the body, healing needs to involve the body too. Gentle movement, breathwork, and grounding exercises help signal safety to the nervous system (Levine, 1997).
2. Safe Relationships
Connection is a powerful antidote to trauma. Being around people (or animals) who are calm, consistent, and emotionally safe helps rewire our brains for trust.
3. Psychoeducation
Understanding trauma gives people the language to make sense of what they’re feeling. That alone can be a huge relief.
4. Therapeutic Support
Trauma-informed therapy (like EMDR, somatic experiencing, or IFS) offers real tools for processing and integrating difficult memories.
There’s No Timeline
Healing doesn’t look like a straight line. Some days you’ll feel grounded. Other days something small will knock the wind out of you. That’s normal. Be patient with yourself — or with the person or animal you’re supporting.
Whether it’s a traumatized rescue dog or a person working through childhood pain, the same principle applies:
Safety, not speed, is what heals trauma.
References
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