Episode 5: How Genetics & Epigenetics Affect In-Utero Development (Part 1) with William Walsh

Listen to Episode 5 with William Walsh →

Your Trauma Story Began Before Birth

You think your trauma started with what happened to you, with the childhood events, the relationships, and the experiences you remember.

But your Biology of Trauma® doesn't start at birth. It begins in utero.

Genetics loads the gun, and epigenetics pulls the trigger.

In this episode, I talk with William Walsh, founder of the Walsh Institute. His life's work bridges biochemistry and depression. We explore how your mother's biochemistry shaped your developing brain and why this matters for healing trauma now.

The Difference Between Genetics and Epigenetics

Most people confuse these two. They think genetics is destiny and that you're stuck with whatever genes you inherited.

Here's the truth: genetics is what you inherit, and epigenetics is which genes get turned on or off.

You got a set of genes from your parents, but your environment in the womb determined which switches flipped, which genes expressed, and which stayed dormant.

This means your genetic potential isn't fixed, environmental factors shape gene expression, what happened in utero affects you decades later, the same genes can produce different outcomes, and your biology is more changeable than you think.

Walsh and I discuss how this changes everything about understanding mental health, trauma responses, and healing approaches.

What Your Mother's Body Taught Yours

Your nine months in utero weren't neutral time. Your mother's stress, nutrition, and biochemistry became yours.

Her cortisol crossed the placenta. When she experienced stress, your developing nervous system registered it. When she was anxious, your system learned the world wasn't safe before you were born.

Her nutrient deficiencies affected your brain development. The building blocks for your neurotransmitters, your stress response system, and your capacity for regulation were all shaped by her biochemistry.

The in-utero environment programmed your baseline stress response patterns, neurotransmitter production and receptor sensitivity, inflammatory pathways and immune function, nutrient metabolism and utilization, and the foundation of your nervous system development.

This isn't about blaming mothers. This is about understanding biology. Your mother's body was doing its best with the resources and regulation it had.

What This Means for Trauma Healing

Understanding your in-utero development explains patterns that never made sense before. Why you've always been anxious. Why certain interventions don't work. Why your nervous system responds differently than others.

This knowledge helps you stop blaming yourself for biological patterns, choose interventions matched to your biochemistry, understand why standard approaches might have failed, work with practitioners who recognize individual differences, and target the root biochemical causes rather than just symptoms.

Your trauma healing needs to account for your unique biochemistry. One-size-fits-all approaches miss the in-utero programming that's still operating.

This Episode Is For:

✓ People whose depression or anxiety hasn't responded to standard treatments 

✓ Anyone curious about the biochemical roots of their patterns 

✓ Those who've tried everything and nothing seems to work 

✓ Practitioners looking to understand individual biochemical differences 

✓ Parents wanting to understand how pregnancy affects development 

✓ Anyone interested in personalized medicine approaches to mental health 

✓ People ready to go beyond the serotonin narrative

What You'll Learn

Listen to understand how your Biology of Trauma® was shaped before you were born. Discover why biochemistry matters for healing. Learn why your depression might need a completely different approach than someone else's.

Your genes aren't your destiny, but understanding them changes your healing path.

Listen to Episode 5 with William Walsh →

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.