The Forgotten Hormone: Why the Mind & Body Can’t Heal Without Oxytocin with Dr. Sue Carter

Jun 10, 2025

Dr. Sue Carter, a world-renowned expert on oxytocin, dives into the critical role this hormone plays in healing trauma and fostering safety in relationships. She explains how oxytocin serves as nature's anti-inflammatory and helps regulate the nervous system. The discussion highlights why traditional therapy alone may not suffice, the influence of early life attachments on our capacity to connect, and practical strategies for boosting oxytocin levels. Learn how nurturing relationships can transform survival into thriving.

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INSIGHT

Early Life Shapes Oxytocin System

Early life experiences epigenetically shape the oxytocin system, affecting lifelong safety and connection capacity.
The mother-child relationship, supported by others, is vital to develop a sense of safety essential for bonding.

INSIGHT

Oxytocin and Vasopressin in Trauma

PTSD is often linked to low oxytocin and high vasopressin, the latter promoting hyper-arousal or shutdown.
Vasopressin mobilizes stress responses differently than oxytocin's calming effect, influencing trauma symptoms.

INSIGHT

True Safety Enables Exploration

True safety allows exploration with a secure base to return to, unlike false safety from mere familiarity.
Safety means being able to adventure out and come back, fostering growth rather than staying frozen.

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Many people spend years in therapy and still struggle to feel truly safe in relationships. But why is this?

The answer lies in the body. You can understand your trauma, but still feel unsafe. Oxytocin helps turn that understanding into actual feelings of safety in your body. Known as nature’s most powerful anti-inflammatory, oxytocin plays a vital role in regulating the nervous system, forming secure connections, and shifting the body out of survival mode.

In this episode, Dr. Aimie is joined by world-renowned oxytocin expert Dr. Sue Carter to discuss how this hormone holds the key to healing trauma, creating genuine safety, and forming secure connections. Dr. Carter has studied oxytocin for over four decades and reveals why this hormone is essential for moving from survival to thriving.

In this conversation you hear why traditional talk therapy alone often falls short, how early life experiences program our capacity for connection, and practical tools for naturally increasing oxytocin to create a felt sense of safety in your body.

You’ll learn more about:

How early attachment experiences shape your nervous system and relationships
The difference between vasopressin and oxytocin in the stress response
How trauma and chronic stress disrupt your ability to feel safe, even in loving relationships
Why oxytocin is nature’s “fire extinguisher” for inflammation and chronic illness
Practical tools to support healing and regulate your nervous system
And more!

Whether you're a practitioner or someone navigating your own healing journey, this episode offers evidence-based insights into how your body creates its own pharmacy of healing hormones and why safety in relationships is the biological foundation for all healing

Helpful Links Related To This Episode:

Want to know more about the Safe and Sound Protocol mentioned in the episode? Go here to find out more.
Biology of Trauma book - how the body experiences and holds fear, pain and overwhelm, and how to heal. Pre-order now and, at the time of this recording, you’ll get over $400 in bonuses included! Those bonuses are only for the pre-order window which goes until Sept 22, 2025. When you’ve already pre-ordered it on Amazon head over here to receive your bonuses.
The 21 Day Journey - If you're ready to create a felt sense of safety in your body and experience the benefits of 26% decrease in daily physical pain, 28% decrease in sleep issues and digestive issues, 30% decrease in anxiety, depression, or want to learn how to do this for those you help - join me for your 21-Day Journey, a structured sequence of gentle, somatic-based self-practices walking you through The Essential Sequence to safely open up stored trauma in the body.

Related Podcast Episodes:

Timestamps:

[02:21] How Early Life Affects Oxytocin and Building Strong Bonds
[06:07] How Oxytocin Helps People Feel Safe and Connected
[07:51] What PTSD and Trauma Do to Oxytocin Levels
[09:59] Why Vasopressin, Not Cortisol, Is the Main Stress Hormone in Trauma
[12:29] How the Body Shuts Down During Trauma and Dissociation
[14:05] Why Loving Early Relationships Are Important for Emotions
[16:48] The Difference Between Fake Safety and Real Safety for Growth
[20:02] Simple Ways to Increase Oxytocin
[30:58] The Hypothalamus: How It Controls Oxytocin and Safety

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