Trauma Rewired

Matt Bush, founder of Next Level Neuro and a specialist in emotional regulation, dives deep into how our brain and body interact to influence feelings of safety. He discusses why the common advice to 'fake it till you make it' can harm emotional health and highlights the roles of various brain regions in emotional processing. Matt introduces practical tools like the emotional retrospect journaling practice, while also exploring how modern lifestyles and sensory overload can disrupt emotional regulation. Tune in for a blend of science and actionable insights!

Trauma is not a single moment. It is an ongoing dialogue between your brain, body, and environment. In this conversation, Dr. Mbemba Jabbi explains how neuroplasticity and affective neuroscience help us understand protective patterns like hypervigilance, shutdown, and dissociation. We explore the roles of the insula, amygdala, and cingulate networks in sensing threat, shaping emotions, and connecting brain states with bodily signals such as heart, gut, and breath. Dr. Jabbi also discusses research that associates early childhood trauma, including sexual trauma, with higher inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, while emphasizing that biology interacts with environment and change is possible. You will hear how sensory training, co-regulation, psychotherapy, and supportive practices may help repattern responses over time. This is a grounded, science-informed look at why survival strategies make sense in context and how compassionate, skills-based work can support nervous system health. If you or your clients live with complex developmental trauma, this episode offers language, frameworks, and first steps that respect lived experience and prioritize safety.   Timestamps: 0:00 Protective patterning and repeating environments 1:00 Meet Dr. Jabbi and his research lens 7:10 Brain circuits in emotion and stress 13:20 Insula, interoception, and body-brain links 18:00 Survival values and environmental context 26:00 Adaptive suppression vs. underdevelopment 40:00 Inflammation and childhood trauma (C-reactive protein) 49:00 Treatment implications and tracking biomarkers 56:00 Fast and slow fear pathways, behavior outputs 59:50 Key takeaways for practitioners and individuals 1:02:00 Repatterning for joy and post-traumatic growth 1:03:30 Where to practice the tools in the community Key Takeaways: Emotions are functional survival signals that reflect whole-body states. The insula, amygdala, and cingulate form networks that integrate sensory input with bodily responses. Protective outputs like numbness or shutdown are learned adaptations that supported safety. Studies associate early childhood trauma with elevated inflammation markers, while outcomes are shaped by environment and support. Neuroplasticity means skills, relationships, and practice can help repattern responses over time. Resources Mentioned: BrainBased community: https://BrainBased.com Neurosomatic Intelligence Coaching Certification (NSI) Explore classes and community trial: https://rewiretrial.com Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin Call to Action: If this episode resonates, follow and review Trauma Rewired so more people can find trauma-informed education. Ready to practice the tools we discussed? Start your free trial at rewiretrial.com Disclaimer: 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. We do our best to stay current in research, but older episodes are always available. We don’t warrant or guarantee that this podcast contains complete, accurate or up-to-date information. It’s very important to talk to a medical professional about your individual needs, as we aren’t responsible for any actions you take based on the information you hear in this podcast. We invite guests onto the podcast. Please note that we don’t verify the accuracy of their statements. Our organization does not endorse third-party content and the views of our guests do not necessarily represent the views of our organization. We talk about general neuro-science and nervous system health, but you are unique. These are conversations for a wide audience. They are general recommendations and you are always advised to seek personal care for your unique outputs, trauma and needs. We are not doctors or licensed medical professionals. We are certified neuro-somatic practitioners and nervous system health/embodiment coaches. We are not your doctor or medical professional and do not know you and your unique nervous system. This podcast is not a replacement for working with a professional. The BrainBased.com site and Rewiretrail.com is a membership site for general nervous system health, somatic processing and stress processing. It is not a substitute for medical care or the appropriate solution for anyone in mental health crisis. Any examples mentioned in this podcast are for illustration purposes only. If they are based on real events, names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved. We’ve done our best to ensure our podcast respects the intellectual property rights of others, however if you have an issue with our content, please let us know by emailing us at traumarewired@gmail.com. All rights in our content are reserved.  

In a captivating discussion, Matt Bush, founder of Next Level Neuro and educator in Neurosomatic Intelligence, delves into the often-overlooked topic of alexithymia—difficulty connecting with emotions, especially after trauma. He highlights its neurological roots and the distinction from PTSD-related emotional numbing. The conversation covers the importance of interoception in emotional awareness and offers practical tools for cultivating a deeper emotional connection. Matt shares how understanding and addressing alexithymia can improve relationships and overall health.

Ambivalence isn’t confusion; it’s a sign of your nervous system at work. The hosts explore how joy and grief can coexist, especially when leaving toxic relationships. They delve into the brain mechanisms behind emotions and the importance of emotional vocabulary. Discover how trauma influences attachment and identity, creating a rich tapestry of competing feelings. Learn practical strategies to sit with discomfort, honor both joy and sorrow, and cultivate deeper self-connection for personal growth.

Explore the fawn trauma response as a survival strategy that leads to people-pleasing and self-abandonment. Learn how these behaviors manifest in everyday life and relationships, often at the cost of authenticity. Discover strategies to rebuild trust with your body by tuning into gut feelings and setting boundaries without collapse. The hosts discuss the emotional and physical consequences of fawning, including its impact on consent, and offer healing practices to foster genuine connection and reclaim bodily autonomy.

Explore the nuanced freeze and flop trauma responses, revealing their physiological effects on emotional expression. Understand how functional freeze, often mistaken for laziness, stems from chronic stress and differs from burnout. Delve into the impact of early emotional neglect on adult relationships and the complexities of emotional numbness versus apathy. Learn practical ways to safely reconnect with your emotions through gentle movements and mindful practices, designed to enhance self-awareness and personal safety.

Margy Feldhuhn, an entrepreneur and founder who scaled a multi-seven-figure podcast guesting company, joins to share insights on emotional repression among high performers. She unveils how trauma-driven survival responses like fight, flight, and freeze can lead to patterns of overwork and perfectionism. Margy discusses the hollow feeling of achievement without emotional safety and offers strategies through Neurosomatic Intelligence to reconnect with emotions, enhance joy in relationships, and foster sustainable success.

Discover how the fight response, often seen as a flaw, is actually a survival mechanism shaped by trauma. The podcast reveals the crucial distinction between healthy anger and chronic fight states, and how trauma trains the brain to perceive threats everywhere. Learn about the neuroscience behind emotional regulation and how unresolved anger affects relationships. Unpack the impact of societal pressures on emotional well-being and explore practical tools for reclaiming anger as a force for setting boundaries and promoting personal growth.

Explore the fascinating dynamics of the fight trauma response and how it shapes behavior. Learn how anger is often a misunderstood survival instinct rather than a flaw. Discover the vital role of the brain's structures in regulating emotional responses and how chronic fight states impact relationships. Uncover the health consequences of suppressing anger, and why processing it is key for establishing boundaries. Gain insights on reclaiming anger as a tool for clarity and connection without living in defense mode.

Discover how your brain constantly evaluates safety, influencing emotions and physical health. The podcast reveals transformative techniques using neuroplasticity and sensory training for emotional resilience. Learn about the Inputs–Interpretations–Outputs framework and the Stress Bucket model to manage stress effectively. Explore how sensory deficits can impact emotional regulation and practical strategies for real-time state shifts. Dive into the significance of visual training and the concept of neurotags in reshaping your emotional responses for greater well-being.