Tag: #trauma

Trauma refers to an emotional or psychological response to an event or series of events that are distressing or disturbing, often exceeding an individual’s ability to cope. Traumatic experiences can be diverse and may include situations such as accidents, natural disasters, physical or sexual assault, combat, or the sudden loss of a loved one. Trauma can have a profound impact on an individual’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being, leading to a range of symptoms and challenges.

Chronic dysregulation becoming a long-term pattern of functioning.

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

If these experiences and patterns are left untreated over time, the impact is usually not that they “stay the same,” but that the brain and body adapt around them in increasingly rigid or extreme ways. In Neuroscience and Psychology this is understood as chronic dysregulation becoming a long-term pattern of functioning. It’s important to be clear: this is… Read More Chronic dysregulation becoming a long-term pattern of functioning.

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When Brain and Behaviour Become Dysregulated: Understanding the Signs, the Science, and the Path to Healing

Human behaviour is shaped by a complex interaction between our brain, our life experiences, our environment, and our relationships. In both psychology and neuroscience, we understand that many of our emotional and behavioural patterns are governed by core systems in the brain—systems responsible for emotional processing, reward sensitivity, impulse control, social processing, and stress regulation.… Read More When Brain and Behaviour Become Dysregulated: Understanding the Signs, the Science, and the Path to Healing

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Distorted, underdeveloped, overactive, or impaired

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

When these systems are distorted, underdeveloped, overactive, or impaired, it can affect how a person thinks, feels, behaves, and relates to others. In Neuroscience this can happen because of genetics, development, injury, chronic stress, trauma, or learned patterns. In Psychology it shows up as patterns in personality and behavior. Important: “missing” is usually not literal—these systems… Read More Distorted, underdeveloped, overactive, or impaired

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The “abusive pattern” in the brain (psychology + neuroscience)

1. Control is used as emotional regulation Many abusive behaviours function as a way to manage internal discomfort. Brain systems involved: Pattern: So control becomes: a regulation strategy, not just behaviour 2. Reward system reinforces dominance When controlling behaviour “works” (the other person complies, stays, or becomes fearful), the brain can reinforce it. Pattern: This… Read More The “abusive pattern” in the brain (psychology + neuroscience)

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🧠 Why trauma bonding is so sticky (neuroscience + psychology)

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment

Trauma bonding and coercive control are hard to break because they don’t just sit in “thoughts” or “choices” — they get wired into reward systems, threat systems, and attachment systems in the brain at the same time. That combination creates a powerful loop that feels emotionally convincing even when it’s harmful. 1. Intermittent reinforcement = strongest… Read More 🧠 Why trauma bonding is so sticky (neuroscience + psychology)

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What’s happening in your brain during therapy

1. The threat system starts to settle At the beginning of therapy—especially if someone is anxious or traumatised—the brain often has a more active: As you speak in a safe, structured environment, something important happens: the brain starts to detect “this is not danger” This reduces hypervigilance over time. 2. The thinking brain comes back… Read More What’s happening in your brain during therapy

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Why people have therapy (neuroscience + psychology)

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

1. Emotional overload (the nervous system is stuck “on”) From a neuroscience view, chronic stress keeps the amygdala overactive (threat detection system), while the prefrontal cortex (reasoning, regulation) becomes less effective. People come to therapy because: Therapy helps retrain the brain to feel safety again. 2. Trauma and memory processing Trauma isn’t just a memory—it’s a stuck survival response. The… Read More Why people have therapy (neuroscience + psychology)

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“Normal enough to survive.”

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

`The human brain is remarkably good at adapting—even to unhealthy environments. That’s one of its greatest strengths, and sometimes one of its greatest traps. Normalization through adaptation. Habituation When something happens repeatedly—criticism, control, emotional coldness, instability—the brain starts to treat it as:“normal enough to survive.” Not because it is healthy.Because it is familiar. 1. The… Read More “Normal enough to survive.”

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