Therapy in a Nutshell Medical Trauma - How to heal when your body is a trigger w/ Dr. Christen Mullane
Dec 24, 2025
Dr. Christen Mullane, a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in medical trauma, joins for a deep dive into how medical events can leave emotional scars. They discuss the difference between medical trauma and PTSD, and how health anxiety often stems from past experiences. Christen emphasizes rebuilding trust in one’s body and healthcare systems, exploring practical healing methods like somatic exposure therapy. The conversation highlights the importance of patience, self-advocacy, and redefining one's relationship with health after trauma.
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Medical Trauma Versus Medical PTSD
- Medical PTSD requires a sudden, catastrophic medical event and specific PTSD symptoms to meet diagnostic criteria.
- Christen Mullane explains medical trauma is broader and can change beliefs about self, others, and the world.
Trauma Can Accumulate Over Time
- Medical trauma often accumulates from multiple experiences rather than a single event and changes how people enter medical settings.
- Christen Mullane highlights prior bodily experiences and identities come with patients into exams and shape reactions.
Medical Events Have Wide Ripple Effects
- Medical events create cascading life impacts like job disruption, role shifts, and medical debt that amplify trauma.
- Mullane notes financial and social consequences often become secondary crises that worsen distress.