The Mental Health Janitors

What Happens in the Brain When You Witness Trauma (And How to Prepare for It)

Aaron Quinonez and Jessica Burgans Season 1 Episode 127

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Trauma doesn’t care if you experienced it or just witnessed it. 


It hits your brain, triggers old fear, old memories, old emotions you didn’t even know were still there. You see something happen, and suddenly your body reacts before your mind can catch up. Fight. Flight. Freeze. It’s chemical. Automatic. Real. And most people have no idea what’s happening inside them.


That’s why preparation, training matters, discipline matters. Because when life hits, when the unexpected happens, you can’t be figuring it out in the moment—you need your mind ready. Your routines in place. Your mental muscles are built. Talk about it. Name it. Feel it. Process it. 


Don’t ignore it. Don’t push it down. That’s how post-traumatic symptoms grow. That’s how fear becomes controlled. And that’s why most people stay stuck.


Start building the neural pathways to respond instead of react. Tune in now and hear how to master your mind when trauma hits.



Timestamps:


 00:00 - Welcome to The Mental Health Janitors
 02:01 — What Trauma Really Means According to DSM-5
 06:39 — Why Shared Experience Is Critical for Healing
 10:03 — How the Brain Reacts Before You Can Think
 14:24 — Why Preparation and Routine Save You Under Stress
 27:18 — How Faith and Community Anchor Trauma Recovery
 28:50 — Using the RAIN Tool to Process Trauma Safely
 33:21 — Education and Community as Trauma Protection 
 34:08 — Daily Routines That Build Resilience Over Time


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🎧 Website: https://thementalhealthjanitors.com/
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