The Neuroscience of Trauma and Shame *

Program Description

Our brains have one main job: to keep us safe. Trauma can alter the structure and function of the brain.

When a person experiences something traumatic, the brain shuts down all nonessential systems, signals the release of stress hormones, and moves you into survival mode: flight, fight, freeze, or fawn. When the threat has passed, your brain resumes normal functioning so you can rest and digest what has happened. However, for some, this switch back does not occur and in essence, the brain stays in survival mode all the time, unable to relax, so the person can’t tell the difference between a threat then and now. The person remains in a constant state of hypervigilance or strong emotional reactivity.

In this interview, Dr. Montgomery explains how the brain functions during this process.

Learning Objectives

Exhibit knowledge of major regions and normal developmental processes of the brain.

Be able to differentiate between the trauma responses of fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.

Understand how trauma affects small children.

Interviews