Somatic Intelligence and Trauma Recovery in Modern Times with Dr. Christy Gibson

In This Body

Join Ailey Jolie and Dr. Christy Gibson, physician, trauma educator, and author of Modern Trauma, on this rich and timely episode of In This Body. Together they explore how trauma lives not just in our minds but in our bodies, and how the pressures of modern life—from the climate crisis to constant digital exposure—shape our nervous systems in ways both visible and hidden. Dr. Gibson shares her vision of trauma as an adaptive response rather than a pathology, highlighting the importance of creativity, interoception, and somatic awareness as tools for personal and collective healing. The conversation weaves through the power of language, the necessity of flexible approaches to care, and the hope that arises when we reclaim agency in our healing journeys. We hope you enjoy the episode.

In this episode:

01:48 – Redefining Trauma as an Internal Process

03:29 – What is Modern Trauma? Collective Exposure and Overuse of the Term

07:16 – The Body’s Memory: Amygdala, Triggers, and Stuck Responses

09:34 – How Trauma Shapes Core Beliefs About Safety and Worth

13:28 – Finding Safety Inside When the World is Unsafe

17:40 – Creating an Island of Sanity: Somatic Practices and Grounding

19:23 – Personalizing Your Pathway to Post-Traumatic Growth

23:40 – Challenging Dogma: Flexibility Over Prescriptive Trauma Modalities

27:45 – Creativity, Community, and Ancient Ways of Healing

41:17 – Collective Trauma, Hope, and Changing Systems

You can read the show transcript here: https://in-this-body.com/episode-transcripts/episode-39

To find out more about Christy:

• Find: Website
• Follow: Instagram
• Explore: Toolkit
• Explore: Safer Space Training
• Follow: TikTok

Learn more about Ailey Jolie:

• Find: Website
• Follow: Instagram
• Explore: Substack
• Experience: Insight Timer
• Email: [email protected]

To follow along with the In This Body podcast:

• Follow: Instagram
• Find: Website
• Email: i[email protected]