A trigger is anything—an event, a memory, a sound, a sensation—that activates a strong emotional or physiological response. Triggers don’t always come from major trauma; they can be shaped by past experiences, chronic stress, or even patterns from childhood that taught us what is “safe” and what isn’t.

Our brains don’t differentiate between past and present threats as well as we’d like them to. A trigger can make your nervous system react as if you are in real danger, even if you are perfectly safe in the moment.

We can't eliminate all of our triggers but we can learn how to be with them. Listen to find out more.