Episode 138: The Biology of Trauma: Why Your Body Holds On When Your Mind Has Healed with Steven Wright

Listen to Episode 138 with Steven Wright →

A Special Reverse Interview

In this unique episode, my friend Steven Wright from Healthy Gut interviews me. Instead of me interviewing guests as usual on the podcast. Steven understands the somatic work, parts work, biology, capacity, and overwhelm deeply from his own healing journey, making this conversation uniquely insightful.

I share stories I haven't told anywhere else before this conversation. These personal experiences shaped the entire body of work I do now. Including my keto diet disaster during surgery residency that became my first clue. My first clue about the biology of trauma operating beneath awareness.

We explore why I rewrote this book seven times over years. Each version got closer to the truth I needed to express. As I healed more, I saw more clearly what needed sharing. The book had to evolve with me through my own journey.

How I discovered I had all three major biochemical imbalances simultaneously. Undermethylation, pyrrole disorder, and copper overload all at once. Having all three explained so much about my struggles with healing.

And the painful decision to place my adopted son Miguel in a different home better suited to his needs than ours. The grief that ultimately led to my autoimmune diagnosis and discovery. And this entire body of work came from that grief experience.

The Keto Diet Disaster

I was in surgery residency trying keto for brain clarity and focus. Instead, I crashed completely unable to think or function. Couldn't think, couldn't function during demanding surgical training requiring precision.

This made me realize something biological was happening beyond just diet. My body was telling me something important I needed to understand.

Why Seven Rewrites Were Necessary

Each rewrite came from deeper understanding gained through my own healing. I couldn't publish until it was right and captured the full picture. Until it captured how trauma lives in biology affecting everything.

Discovering My Biochemical Imbalances

All three imbalances at once: undermethylation, pyrrole disorder, copper overload. These imbalances kept me stuck in trauma responses despite all my psychological and emotional work being done diligently.

Miguel's Story

We adopted Miguel from foster care with hopes and dreams. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and heartbreaking. Ultimately having to place him in a different home for everyone. This decision broke me and saved us both from continuing pain.

The grief from this decision triggered full autoimmune crisis in my body. My autoimmune diagnosis led me to discover the biology of trauma. This entire body of work came from that grief transforming into purpose.

Beyond ACEs Scores

People fixate on their ACE score explaining everything about their life. "I have a 7, that explains everything" they say repeatedly. But it's more complex than a simple score can capture.

ACEs measure what happened to you, not how your body responded. Two people with same ACE score can have completely different biology. Your nervous system's response to those experiences matters more than events. Your capacity in those moments determines the biology created.

Capacity is Everything

Your capacity changes moment to moment throughout your entire day constantly. Not a fixed trait but a constantly fluctuating state. What you can handle right now depends on your current capacity. Not your general resilience or strength you think you have.

This requires constant awareness, not just daily morning check-ins. You need to track moment to moment how you're doing.

How Biology Blocks Healing

I was doing all the right psychological and emotional work consistently. But still stuck without progress happening despite my best efforts. My biochemical imbalances were creating internal danger signals constantly. My body couldn't feel safe with that biology signaling threat.

Once I addressed the biology, everything shifted dramatically and rapidly. The psychological and emotional work finally took hold creating real change.

The Pain Equation

The pain of staying the same has to become so bad. So bad that we're willing to undergo the pain of change. Until this equation tips, people won't change. The familiar pain feels safer than unknown change ahead of them.

When the current pain exceeds the fear of change, transformation becomes possible and people finally move forward with healing.

Perception Creates Your Reality

Your capacity is not being measured against your reality. It's being measured against your perceptions of what's happening. Your nervous system responds to what you perceive as dangerous. Whether or not it actually is dangerous in reality objectively.

Changing perception changes your nervous system response automatically. Even if external reality stays the same around you completely.

The Healing Timeline

Many believe trauma healing takes decades or a lifetime of work. This isn't true when done properly addressing all aspects together. When addressing all three domains properly, healing happens faster than medication. Faster than medication with only positive "side effects" throughout your system.

Unlike medication with side effects, proper trauma healing only creates benefits. Better health overall in every aspect of your life improving.

Safety Must Come First

Creating safety must come before attempting to process trauma. Otherwise symptoms worsen instead of improving with your efforts. If their body had already felt safe, it would have opened up. It would have already opened up all of this stuff naturally. And let all of these emotions and trauma go by itself.

Safety, then support, then expansion in that specific order always. Following this prevents retraumatization from happening during healing work.

Stress Versus Trauma

"If something makes you sick, that is not stress. Let's call it for what it is actually happening biologically. That is your body having gone into a trauma response."

Stress you have capacity for handling in the moment successfully. Trauma overwhelms your capacity completely leaving you unable to cope. Different problems need different solutions for healing to occur properly.

Stop calling trauma responses "stress" minimizing what's actually happening. This minimizes what's actually happening biologically in your entire system.

The Three-Legged Stool

True trauma healing requires addressing psychological, emotional, and biological aspects together. Psychological understanding, emotional processing, biological support all three simultaneously. One or two isn't enough to create lasting sustainable change. The stool falls over without all three legs supporting it.

When all three are addressed, healing accelerates dramatically faster than expected. This is the key to transformation that lasts over time.

Why Biology Keeps You Stuck

Inflammation, oxidative stress, and biochemical imbalances create internal danger signals. Your biology can signal danger even when external environment is safe. This maintains trauma response operating beneath conscious awareness.

Despite all the therapy, all the understanding, all the emotional work, biology blocks it all from creating the change you need.

Capacity Changes Moment to Moment

Capacity fluctuates based on sleep, stress, blood sugar, connection with others. And countless other factors affecting you throughout your day constantly. Not just morning check-in but moment-to-moment awareness of your capacity.

What you could handle an hour ago might overwhelm you now. Track constantly throughout your day for best results in healing.

This Episode Is For: 

✓ People who've done years of therapy without full healing

✓ Anyone stuck despite understanding their trauma

✓ Those interested in the biology of trauma

✓ Practitioners wanting comprehensive framework

✓ People with chronic health issues and trauma history

✓ Anyone curious about Dr. Aimie's personal story

✓ Those ready to address all three aspects of healing

✓ People wanting to understand why biology matters

What You'll Learn

Listen to this special reverse interview where Steven Wright interviews me. Hearing personal stories never shared before including my keto disaster. Why I rewrote the book seven times and discovering all three imbalances. Miguel's heartbreaking adoption story leading to autoimmune diagnosis and this work. Understanding why trauma healing requires all three aspects working together simultaneously. How biology keeps you stuck through inflammation and internal danger signals. Why capacity changes moment to moment requiring constant awareness throughout day. Why the right sequence of safety first prevents retraumatization during healing. And why fast healing is possible when addressing all domains properly.

Trauma lives in your biology—address all three aspects to finally heal.

Listen to Episode 138 with Steven Wright →

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information shared reflects my clinical expertise and research, but every person's biology and healing journey is unique. Always consult with qualified healthcare providers before making changes to your treatment plan or starting new interventions. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately.

Join the Conversation

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode. What resonated with you? What questions came up?

Please keep comments respectful and supportive. This is a community of people committed to healing. We welcome diverse perspectives and honest questions, but we don't tolerate personal attacks, spam, or content that could harm others on their healing journey.