Trauma is one of the most overlooked drivers of chronic illness and stalled healing, and it's not just psychological, new research is suggesting it is biological, too. In this episode, Dr. Melinda Ring talks to Dr. Aimie Apigian about how trauma reshapes the body and nervous system, drawing from Apigian's bestselling book, The Biology of Trauma. Together, they explore why creating safety in the body is essential to healing and how understanding trauma's biology can unlock a new path forward.

https://youtu.be/WhAfbdEJccY

00:00 – Why Trauma Healing Requires Mind, Body, and Biology

00:00:14 – Welcome to Next Level Health

00:00:45 – Could Trauma Be the Root Cause of Chronic Illness?

00:01:54 – Trauma Isn't Just Big Events—It's Chronic Overwhelm

00:03:04 – Nothing Is Wrong With Your Body: Removing Shame From Trauma

00:04:11 – When Love Feels Unsafe: How Trauma Shapes Relationships

00:07:09 – Burnout Isn't a Failure—It's a Trauma Pattern

00:08:02 – When the Body Finally Says No: Trauma and Autoimmune Disease

00:10:53 – Trauma Is a Biological Survival Response

00:14:53 – Do All Bodies React the Same Way to Trauma?

00:18:00 – The Five Stages of the Trauma Response

00:22:42 – Freeze and Shutdown Are Not Weakness

00:23:52 – How Trauma Gets Stored as Chronic Inflammation and Pain

00:27:38 – Trauma: The Missing Root Cause in Functional Medicine

00:28:31 – Trauma or Gut Health: Which One Comes First?

00:29:30 – Why Pushing Through Trauma Can Make You Sicker

00:31:23 – Healing Begins With Nervous System Safety

00:34:53 – Your Nervous System Is Always Listening

00:36:57 – How Trauma Patterns Get Passed Down (And How to Stop It)

00:41:14 – Simple Somatic Practices That Help the Body Feel Safe Again

00:43:30 – How to Gently Shift Out of Survival Mode

00:43:50 – A Hopeful Path Forward in Trauma and Chronic Illness Healing

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