What Is a Trauma Response And Why It Matters

Episode 2 — What Is a Trauma Response (And Why It Matters)

Welcome back to Soul Recovery: Breaking Free from Perfectionism.In today’s episode, Gary hits pause on the perfectionism conversation to lay down something foundational: trauma.

✨ Why? Because if we don’t understand what trauma really is—and how it shapes our nervous system, our relationships, and our perfectionist patterns—we can’t fully understand ourselves.

🔍 In this episode:

A heartfelt update on the podcast’s growth and what’s coming next

Why trauma isn’t what you think—and how Gabor Maté’s definition changes everything

The viral quote that gets it wrong (“You are not your trauma”) and what we need to say instead

How trauma lives in the body, not just the mind

Why perfectionism is often a trauma response—not a personality trait

A powerful real-life story about Navy SEAL Commander Mark Divine and what it taught Gary about emotional survival

The difference between “big T” and “little t” trauma—and why both can change the way we live

🧠 Takeaway:

Perfectionism might look like discipline on the outside. But inside, it’s often fear, shame, and the need to feel safe.Understanding your trauma responses isn’t self-indulgent. It’s self-liberating.

🗓 Upcoming Series:

Breaking the Spell of Shame

Quieting the Inner Critic

Waking Up from the Noise

You won’t want to miss these.

New episodes every Sunday at 4 PM and Wednesday at 6 AM.If this episode resonated with you, leave a review, share it with someone who needs it, or just sit with it quietly and let it work its way through.

Thanks for being here. And as always—be gentle with yourself.