Posts by Susan Shehata

I teach about trauma responses in my work—what they are, how to recognize them, how to navigate them, etc. One of the questions that comes up in classes is, “Is (xyz) a trauma response?” So, I want to make something clear… Anything can be a trauma response if it is a response to trauma. In…

One of the more commonly overlooked forms of trauma is the kind of adverse and traumatic situations that take place in the context of school—both on an academic and social level.    This can be in the form of mockery, bullying, being put in the spotlight, being told on-going disparaging comments about your academic or…

Every morning, I make myself a cup of cocoa. Other people have their morning coffee, but I have cocoa. In the cold months, I have it warm. In the warm months, I have it iced. Dedication. Most days, as I mix up the ingredients and carefully measure out my (oat) milk—I’m lactose intolerant, not just…

Are you a canary in our collective coal mine?   Emotions are messengers from our inner world—which includes our mind, body and spirit. Perhaps your joy is communicating that a need has been met: “Yay, tacos!” Or your anger is indicating that a boundary has been crossed: “Boo, misogyny!” While both the head and heart…

Is it too early in the week for a little thought experiment?   Let’s say you’ve just purchased a brand new car, sight unseen. You felt confident doing so, because you have a right to a full refund if there are any issues. The car arrives. There’s an issue. When you reach out to remedy…

As a child, Mr. Rogers made me very uncomfortable.   It was mostly unconscious so I still watched the show, despite my uneasy feelings. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when the film came out, that I ever really considered the reason behind my discomfort. Fred Rogers was gentle and patient. He expressed kindness…

You know all those pesky feelings you’re having? I hope you are paying attention to them. 19 years ago, I began teaching people how our emotions impact our physical health. Many folks looked at me like it was utter nonsense. To be fair, I wasn’t as skilled at communicating the biological mechanisms at play….and I’m…

Have you noticed that it’s been especially difficult to access your creativity the last few years?   If so, you are not imagining it. There is a relationship between stress and creativity.   Your brain and body perceive creativity as optional. So, when we are in a stress response, the body pulls energy away from…