As parents, few things feel more challenging than knowing how to talk to our children about difficult or traumatic experiences.

For many of us, especially those who have experienced trauma or learned early that showing our true selves isn't safe, vulnerability can feel like the most dangerous thing we could do.

Your body remembers what your mind might forget. Long after a traumatic experience, your nervous system may continue to hold onto protective responses that once kept you safe but now interfere with your daily life.

When we think about trauma, we often focus on its devastating effects—the sleepless nights, the flashbacks, the ways it can shatter our sense of safety and self. This focus is important and valid because trauma's impact is real and profound.