How To Deal With Grief and Trauma
You can't go through life without experiencing loss and trauma the question is how do we deal and live with the grief and pain? Join Nathalie Himmelrich, grief expert and author, talking to people who have experienced grief and trauma first-hand. If you want to be inspired by others who traveled through their grief and trauma, found that healing is possible, and came out the other end knowing they can survive and thrive in life after loss. For more info: www.nathaliehimmelrich.com
How To Deal With Grief and Trauma
179 The Many Faces of Trauma | Dissociation: The Mind’s Emergency Exit (Intro-Level)
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Dissociation is often misunderstood, but for many people it’s a protective nervous-system strategy—a way the mind and body reduce overwhelm when something feels too much to stay present for. In this intro-level episode, we explore dissociation as a spectrum: from spacing out and going blank to numbness, unreality, time loss, and feeling detached from the body or emotions. Using simple polyvagal-informed language, we connect dissociation to shutdown protection, discuss common triggers (conflict, overwhelm, feeling trapped, sensory load), and outline what helps—especially gentle, body-first ways to return without shame. We close with a grounding practice using texture and temperature cues to support a soft “coming back.”
In this episode, you’ll learn
- A clear definition of dissociation and how it differs from ordinary distraction
- Why dissociation is a protection strategy (not a character flaw)
- A polyvagal lens on dissociation as shutdown/freeze protection
- Common triggers: conflict, overwhelm, feeling trapped, sensory load, exhaustion
- How dissociation can impact memory, relationships, and self-trust over time
- What helps: gentle return, reduced stimulation, body-first orientation, naming without shame, building safety
- A grounding practice designed specifically for dissociation
Grounding practice (2–3 minutes): “Texture + Temperature Return”
- Touch a textured object (fabric, chair, sleeve)
- Name 3 qualities (smooth/rough/cool/warm)
- Notice one temperature cue
- Press feet into the floor (twice)
- Phrase: “I’m here now. I’m coming back gently.”
Check the website for the free resources offered for both those affected by trauma and those supporting them.
What’s next: How Trauma Can Affect the Body
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