How Structural Trauma Impacts Your Nervous System: From Birth to Collective Healing

We often think of trauma as a deeply personal experience, shaped by our childhood, relationships, and emotional wounds. But what if some of our deepest pain didn’t start with us? What if trauma is embedded in the very systems we’re born into - our medical institutions, cultural ideologies, and societal norms?

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Tayla Shanaye, somatic therapist, scholar, and expert in birth trauma and structural oppression. Tayla joins Elisabeth and Jennifer for a powerful exploration of how ideologies like white supremacy, patriarchy, and ableism don’t just shape policies, they live in our bodies, shaping how we birth, connect, and heal.

Together, they discuss the medicalization of childbirth, the systemic invalidation of birthing bodies, and how trauma is passed down generationally through embodied experiences. This episode invites us to look at birth as more than a physical event, it’s a moment of transformation, a portal, and for many, a site of trauma that is rarely acknowledged.

Tayla also shares deeply personal stories of pregnancy, birth, and healing, highlighting the need for preparation, integration, and community-based support to create a culture where somatic safety and agency are the norm. You’ll hear how nervous system awareness, collective ritual, and somatic abolitionism can radically change how we relate to our bodies and to each other.

If you’ve ever felt broken by birth, silenced in your experience, or curious about how deep healing begins at the structural level, this episode is for you.

Topics discussed in this episode: ● The medicalization of birth and its traumatic impact ● Why trauma is systemic—not just personal ● How ideologies like racism and patriarchy are embodied ● The role of the nervous system in healing generational trauma ● Somatic healing and reclaiming bodily agency ● Historical roots of obstetric violence and experimentation ● The missing rituals of birth preparation and integration ● How voice, safety, and co-regulation shape our healing ● The vision of community-led, embodied care ● Why embodiment is key to creating real culture

Ready to reclaim your voice, your safety, and your power? Join the Neurosomatic Voice Activation Course: https://brookewolfe.com/traumarewired  

Learn more about Dr. Tayla Shanaye’s work at: https://www.embodytherevolution.com

Learn more about the Neuro-Somatic Intelligence Coaching program and sign up for the fall cohort now: https://www.neurosomaticintelligence.com

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Trauma Rewired podcast is intended to educate and inform but does not constitute medical, psychological or other professional advice or services. Always consult a qualified medical professional about your specific circumstances before making any decisions based on what you hear. We share our experiences, explore trauma, physical reactions, mental health and disease. If you become distressed by our content, please stop listening and seek professional support when needed. Do not continue to listen if the conversations are having a negative impact on your health and well-being. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, or in mental health crisis and you are in the United States you can 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If someone’s life is in danger, immediately call 911.

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