Trauma Healing Accelerated

Have you ever noticed this?

Your reflux gets worse during stressful seasons.

Better on vacation.

Worse after conflict.

Worse after grief.

Worse after weeks of poor sleep.

If you’ve experienced that, it isn’t because the reflux is “all in your head.”

It may be because your nervous system is part of the story.

Most people are taught to think about reflux as an acid problem.

But your nervous system influences digestion long before food reaches your stomach.

When the body shifts into protection, digestion is one of the first systems it sets aside. The stomach empties more slowly. The lower esophageal sphincter becomes less effective. Over time, the gut reflects the state your nervous system has been living in.

One of my favorite lines from this conversation is:

The gut doesn’t just respond to what you eat. It responds to the state your body is living in.

That is exactly what this week’s Biology of Trauma® Podcast explores with registered dietitian Molly Pelletier.

We talk about:
• Why reflux often flares after stress or trauma
• The vagus nerve’s role in digestion
• Why some people lose hunger and fullness cues
• The connection between people-pleasing and digestive symptoms
• Simple somatic practices that can help calm the gut

⬇️ Want the episode?

Comment 180 and I’ll send you the link.

And I’m curious…

Have you noticed your digestion changes during stressful seasons?

What a beautiful morning in San Diego.

There is something special about coming together in person. These women gathered for an intimate workshop at my home, creating space to learn, connect, and be present together.

What I appreciated most was simply being together. The conversations over coffee, the thoughtful questions, the shared learning, and the chance to slow down and fully engage in the moment.

There is something refreshing about gathering face-to-face, making room for deeper learning, meaningful connection, and time well spent together.
I am grateful for this group of women and the warmth they brought to our time together.💜

You've been calling it stress because that’s the polite word.

Because stress is the word that lets you keep going. Stress is acceptable. Stress is something you push through.

So that is the word we reach for, even when the body is telling a bigger story.
Here is what I want you to know. Stress and trauma are both your body's response to danger.

They are real, and they are different states. And a trauma state needs a different intervention than stress does.

So when the heaviness sits on you, when the fog rolls in, when you are flat and going through the motions, that is your body in a trauma physiology. It powered down to protect you.

The breathing and mindset work do not reach it, because they were built for stress. Your body has been asking for something else.

This is why it matters. Every time you call it stress, you minimize what your body has actually been carrying. And you keep reaching for tools that were never meant for the state you are in.

It hasn't just been stress. Your body has likely been holding more trauma than you realized.

Comment STATE and I'll send you the short 4-page guide that walks you through how to tell which one your body is in. ❤️