Welcome back to The Trauma Safe Lab! In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, host Jennifer Nanda sits down with Dr. Johanna Lynch - accomplished family physician, author, and trauma healing advocate, to explore the foundational concept of safety in trauma care. Jennifer opens up about her own unexpected struggles with dissociation during their initial conversation, highlighting just how profound and triggering the topic of safety can be, even for those familiar with trauma work.
Dr. Lynch, drawing from her unique experiences as a refugee and clinician, delves into the layers of sensing safety, from our environment and relationships to our inner emotional world. Together, they discuss why building a true sense of safety is not just about avoiding harm, but about fostering environments where agency, belonging, and growth can flourish. Expect to hear a rich exploration of what "safe enough to grieve, safe enough to grow" looks like, how our nervous system mediates our perception of safety, and why our voices and cultural histories matter.
Tune in for practical grounding tools, a reframe on trauma language, and compassionate advice for anyone journeying toward healing. Whether you’re a professional, a survivor, or someone supporting a loved one, this episode offers profound insights, and a gentle reminder that healing begins with finding the places and people where you truly feel safe.
Timestamps:
00:00 "Unexpected Recording Surprise"
10:00 "Non-Pathologizing Healing Approach"
12:27 Navigating Historical and Social Barriers
18:55 Redefining Trauma: Prioritizing Safety
24:35 Safety in Presence and Connection
28:48 "Building Safety Through Connection"
34:48 Integrating Psychological and Physical Health
40:31 Community Provides Safe Stillness
46:06 Internal Dialogue and Self-Healing
53:02 Healing Spiritual Relationships
55:29 Grounding Techniques for Emotional Safety
59:14 Kaleidoscope Learning for Growth
1. Introduction & Host’s Personal Experience
Host's preparation for the interview and being unexpectedly triggered
Realization about dissociation and the episode’s emotional impact
Discussion of trigger warnings specific to the topic of safety
2. Introducing Dr. Johanna Lynch
Dr. Lynch’s background as a family physician, author, and founder of a trauma clinician center
Her personal journey from Uganda to Australia and its influence on her work
3. Defining Safety in Trauma Care
Frameworks of safety: Environment and internal sense of safety
The goal of trauma therapy: Helping people feel safe enough to continue the healing journey
Stages following safety: Remembrance, grieving, reconnecting
4. The Role of Voice and Accents in Safety
How voice tone and accent impact perception of safety and belonging
Personal and cultural experiences with accents and their emotional significance
Impact of voice modulation in parenting and relationships
5. Creating Safe Environments: Layers of Safety
External safety: Environment, politics, social climate, culture, and historical context
Social climate and personal relationships
Safe enough to be, belong, and connect
The quality of relationships: Availability, tuning in, affection, and belonging
6. Non-Pathologizing Approaches to Trauma and Distress
Focusing on strengths and well-being versus pathology
Using pattern recognition of strengths in medical settings
The concept of “sense of safety” as an alternative to rigid definitions of well-being
7. Linking Safety to the Nervous System
The relevance of the autonomic nervous system and neuroception (from Stephen Porges’ work)
Understanding the Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress
The impact of lacking safety signals, even without overt traumatic events
8. Expanding the Definition of Trauma
Critique of narrow medical/psychiatric definitions (DSM, PTSD criteria)
Real-life examples where non-traditional traumas (e.g., childhood neglect, emotional abandonment) cause deep wounds
Moving towards recognizing patterns of lost sense of safety as trauma
9. Distress Versus Trauma
The benefits of discussing experiences in terms of distress rather than trauma
Self-validation and reducing stigma/hierarchy in trauma experiences
The role of comfort and buffering in healing from distress
10. The Importance of Comfort, Courage, and Agency in Safety
Safe attachment and “circle of security” in parenting and adult relationships
Spontaneity as an indicator of feeling safe
The balance between rigidity and flow in well-being (referencing Daniel Siegel’s river metaphor)
11. Building and Rebuilding Safety: Practical Considerations
Regulation of the body: Self-kindness, affection, and physical practices for calm
The need for balance between self-focus and social connection
Embracing patience and respecting individual windows of tolerance
Healing as play versus work
12. Cultural Influences on the Experience and Expression of Safety
Frameworks from First Nations/Indigenous perspectives (Australia)
Variation in language and cultural expressions of safety worldwide
Universal and culture-specific elements
13. Deepening Internal Safety
Exploring internal parts, unity, and cultivating affectionate inner dialogue
Addressing internal experiences such as thoughts, flashbacks, and sense of self
Techniques for grounding and managing flashbacks (time anchoring, naming feelings, playful approaches)
The spiritual dimension: Connectedness, meaning, and its impact on safety
14. Grounding and Regulation Techniques
Practical grounding exercises (naming senses, physical objects, music)
The importance of visible, accessible “anchors” in environments
15. The Role of Interdisciplinary and Expressive Modalities in Healing
Dr. Lynch’s transdisciplinary clinic model: Incorporating art, music, yoga, and other therapies
Embrace of a kaleidoscope/multi-modal approach rather than single-provider therapy
The importance of community, pets, expressive arts, and embodied practices (screaming, dancing) in healing
16. Final Reflections & Self-Compassion
Encouragement to seek joy and playfulness in healing outside professional settings
The universality of the need for comfort, regulation, and self-acceptance
Closing thoughts on agency, safety, dancing, and ongoing exploration of well-being
Show Website - https://traumasafelab.com/
Jennifer Nanda - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evansjen/
Media Partner - TopHealth - https://tophealth.care/