The Mother Corp, Trauma-Informed Coaching and Consulting, is a holistic evidence-based service committed to destigmatizing trauma. As such, it is useful to understand how the brain normally and naturally responds to threats and trespasses.
When we understand how the brain’s defence circuitry functions, we can support people impacted by trauma or living with trauma with informed compassion. Knowing more about how our brains function and respond to trauma helps destigmatize trauma experiences.
How the Brain’s Defence Circuitry Responds to Threats
The Government of Canada has written a great document on the Neurobiological Impact of Trauma on the Brain which we will dive into here.
This federal document states,
"In the face of fear and threat, we react automatically. These reflexive reactions include the well-known fight, flight, or freeze responses. These responses register at two levels: conscious cognitive levels and unconscious physiological levels."
Neuroscience is improving understanding of this two-system framework.
As Ledoux and Pine (2016) explain,
"...one set of networks generates conscious feelings of fear and anxiety; a second set controls behavioural and physiological responses to threats...The second operates largely unconsciously because the network is subcortical."
In other words, in the second set, the response to threat come from deep in the brain and can be disconnected from conscious awareness or language. This distinction is critical, as Ledoux and Pine (2016) highlight,
"...threats can present themselves below the threshold of consciousness and can thus trigger the defence circuitry without the person consciously recognizing feelings of fear."
Mobbs et al. (2009) describe,
"When any of our five senses detects a serious threat, the brain’s defence circuitry is activated, and a cascade of stress chemicals is released. When a threat to physical survival is imminent, the human brain, unless specifically trained to do otherwise, will switch to subcortical dominance and the defence responses of fight, flight, or freeze. The defence circuitry dominates brain functioning once activated."
Recognizing the Brain’s Natural Responses
Recognizing that these responses are automatic and deeply embedded in the brain’s survival mechanisms helps us understand trauma without bring our personal biases, judgment or stigma into our understanding of this prevalent experience and normal process. The brain is designed to prioritize survival, and when a threat is detected, it responds in ways that are not consciously controlled.
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Trauma-Informed Support and Destigmatization
Understanding the brain’s defence circuitry allows us to support those impacted by trauma with informed compassion and helps destigmatize trauma experiences. When we understand that these responses are part of a natural and automatic survival mechanism, we can move away from misconceptions. Trauma-informed perspectives foster compassion, create space for healing, and help build supportive environments that prioritize safety and stability.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chavisa Horemans, MES, CDC, CTRC
Chavisa Horemans is a trauma-informed consultant specializing in evidence-based, holistic support for individuals navigating complex challenges.
She holds an interdisciplinary Master’s degree in social sciences and a Graduate Diploma in adult education. Her areas of expertise include Gender-Based Violence, Hidden Abuse, Financial Abuse, and Post-Separation Abuse.
Chavisa is a Certified Divorce Coach (CDC, ICF), specializing in supporting parents involved in high-conflict disputes.
She is also a certified Trauma Recovery Practitioner (CTRC), helping individuals process and recover from trauma. She continues to deepen her knowledge through ongoing training in trauma-informed interventions.
For secure communication, she can be reached at themothercorp@proton.me.
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