Triggers, Trauma & the Body: What ADHDers Need to Know About Somatic Healing with Brittany Piper

Content Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault, suicidal ideation, and eating disorders. Listener discretion is advised.

In this deeply impactful episode, I sit down with the incredible Brittany Piper—international speaker, author, somatic experiencing practitioner, and founder of the Body First Healing program. Brittany shares her powerful story of overcoming trauma and explains how misdiagnoses like ADHD can sometimes mask deeper trauma responses.

We dive into the science of the nervous system, the power of somatic healing, and how trauma lives in the body long after the mind thinks it’s moved on. Brittany shares how her journey led her from survival to recovery, and how she now helps others understand their body’s language to reclaim safety, connection, and joy. If you or someone you love struggles with trauma, anxiety, ADHD, or PTSD, this episode offers real hope, powerful insight, and practical tools for healing.

Episode Highlights:

[0:49] Meet Brittany Piper and a glimpse into her work and background in trauma-informed care.

[3:05] Brittany opens up about her early life and how trauma impacted her mental health.

[5:56] Grinning and bearing it: how unresolved trauma showed up as ADHD, anxiety, and depression.

[8:41] The exhausting toll of a two-year trial process and its re-traumatizing effects.

[12:08] Rock bottom: the jail cell moment that sparked Brittany's healing journey.

[13:49] Introduction to somatic experiencing and how Brittany began healing her nervous system.

[17:47] Why talk therapy alone wasn’t enough—and how polyvagal theory changed everything.

[22:10] Understanding nervous system responses and how to rewire for safety.

[24:20] Trigger vs. activation: decoding what your body is really telling you.

[28:56] How repeated exposure through the body can neutralize trauma responses.

[31:49] Real-time somatic work: what healing looks like on a body level.

[35:15] How somatic IFS and nervous system awareness help you lead from your most regulated self.

[42:53] Why trauma recovery requires slowing down and building foundational safety.

[44:47] The truth about regulation: it's not about "fixing" yourself—it's about changing how you relate to your emotions.

Guest Bio:

Brittany Piper is a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, author, and international speaker specializing in trauma-informed care and nervous system healing. She is the founder of the Body First Healing program and author of Body-First Healing: A Revolutionary Guide to Nervous System Recovery.

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about Brittany's work: bodyfirsthealing.com
• Follow Brittany on Instagram: @healwithbrit

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