Understanding Trauma Responses: Why They Matter and How to Support Healing
When people think of trauma, they often imagine a major event — but trauma is really about how our nervous system responds when we feel overwhelmed, unsafe, or unable to cope. Our bodies and minds are wired to protect us during these times, often through automatic trauma responses.
Understanding these responses is a powerful step in healing. When we recognise what’s happening, we can meet ourselves (or others) with more compassion and choose supportive strategies to restore balance.
What are trauma responses?
Trauma responses are the instinctive ways our nervous system tries to keep us safe when it perceives a threat. These responses are not conscious choices — they are survival mechanisms that happen automatically.
Most people are familiar with fight or flight, but there are other important responses too:
Fight
You might feel angry, irritable, defensive, or ready to confront the threat.
Why it’s important: This response is about creating safety through action or control.
Support strategies:
Grounding techniques like feeling your feet on the floor.
Movement to release tension — walking, shaking out your arms, or gentle exercise.
Breathing practices to soften intense energy.
Flight
You might feel restless, panicked, or have a strong urge to escape.
Why it’s important: Flight aims to remove you from danger.
Support strategies:
Rhythmic movement (e.g. walking, cycling).
Slow, lengthened exhalations to calm the nervous system.
Safe visualisation (imagine a peaceful, secure place).
Freeze
You might feel numb, stuck, disconnected, or unable to act.
Why it’s important: Freeze is about “playing dead” — the body’s way of trying to avoid harm when escape feels impossible.
Support strategies:
Gentle sensory input (touching a soft object, holding something warm).
Slow, mindful breathing.
Small, safe movements to reconnect (wiggling fingers, rolling shoulders).
Fawn (or appease)
You might feel the need to please, appease, or over-accommodate others to avoid conflict.
Why it’s important: Fawning seeks safety through connection and approval.
Support strategies:
Journaling to explore your own needs and boundaries.
Practicing saying “no” in small, low-stakes situations.
Working with a practitioner to build confidence in setting limits.
Why understanding trauma responses is important
It reduces shame.
When we understand that trauma responses are natural survival mechanisms, we can stop blaming ourselves for how we’ve reacted.
It helps us meet ourselves with compassion.
Recognising these patterns allows us to respond with kindness rather than judgement.
It gives us tools for healing.
When we know what’s happening in our nervous system, we can choose strategies that support balance, regulation, and safety.
Final thoughts
Your trauma responses are not signs of weakness — they are signs of how deeply your body has tried to protect you. With awareness and the right support, it’s possible to gently shift these patterns and create a greater sense of calm, connection, and resilience.
At Evolved Mind Body, I work with clients to identify their unique trauma responses and provide tools to help release stored stress, restore balance, and support healing at every level.