There’s something I’ve been noticing lately, and maybe you have too. It’s the rise of healing that looks good but doesn’t necessarily feel good. It’s shiny. Branded. Empowering on the surface. But if you tune in closely, especially through the body, something’s off

As trauma-informed clinicians, we hear this kind of language often, especially from clients with complex trauma histories. What looks like infatuation, or even addiction, is often something deeper: limerence. A potent cocktail of longing, fantasy, fear, and unmet need, limerence isn’t about love. It’s about survival.

About ten years ago, before I delivered my first TEDx talk, I decided to take a speaker training course with a world-renowned speaker. At the time, I was a rookie, a nervous, unsure, and self-critical aspiring speaker. Though my glossophobia (fear of public speaking) had improved, I still felt vulnerable and not good enough. But I hoped this seasoned professional would boost my confidence and help me refine my skills.

There’s no question that nervous system intelligence is having its moment, and thank goodness. For too long, we’ve tried to address emotional pain, leadership struggles, burnout, and breakdowns without understanding the state-based systems that shape them all. I deeply respect the pioneers in this space. The nervous system lens is not a trend, it’s a vital return to the wisdom of the body, the breath, the present moment. In my work, I use it every day. But I also want…

Why even trauma-informed spaces must evolve beyond pathologising language Intro “What if the problem isn't that you're broken, but that you've been buried under diagnoses, descriptions, and labels that never belonged to you?”We are living in an age of increased awareness around trauma, and that’s something to celebrate. At long last, people are beginning to name the impact of abuse, neglect, violence, and emotional abandonment. But alongside this shift, another quieter danger has emerged:We’re replacing one set of clinical labels…

Reclaiming the truth about trauma so we can finally begin to heal A quiet revolution is happening, and it starts with how we define trauma. For far too long, trauma has been misunderstood as something that only happens in war zones, natural disasters, or because of harrowing events. It’s been boxed in, categorised, and often dismissed unless it fits into a neat clinical criterion. But if we really want to change the world and I mean really change it, then…