The body really does keep score: Trauma, Regulation and the Nervous System
Relational Practice: a social work podcastShow Notes
"Stop asking, 'What is wrong with you?' Start asking, 'What happened to you?'
In our new episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey dive deep into applying a Trauma Lens to Emotional and Behavioural Regulation. Think about an Iceberg: the behaviour you see is just the tip. Beneath the surface are protective, biological responses rooted in trauma.
Key takeaways for practitioners: ✅ Definition: The shift from being 'trauma-informed' to 'trauma-responsive' (SAMHSA). ✅ Neurobiology: Understanding the Polyvagal Theory (Ventral Vagal, Sympathetic, Dorsal Vagal) and why a body gets 'stuck on alert.' ✅ Strategy: Why we must prioritize co-regulation (Regulate-Relate-Reason) to promote individual healing. We advocate for a focus that promotes using a reparative relationship in an intentional way.
Whether you work with children, families, individuals or groups, this discussion will fundamentally change how you view 'challenging' behaviour.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and our new YouTube page for more content!
Send any practice stories, episode suggestions, or anything social work related to [email protected].
If you like our podcast, please take a minute to rate, review, and subscribe. This helps others find us and helps us continue to create valuable content.
Music by Hannah Park Editing by Angus Pinkstone
More from Relational Practice: a social work podcast
In this episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, hosts Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey welcome back Dr. Adam McCormick, Professor of Social Work at St. Edward’s University, trauma expert, and author, for an in-depth conversation on reframing how practitioners connect with boys.
Ever wondered why a supervisor’s quick "got a second?" sends one co-worker into a full-blown existential crisis, while another completely ignores the email? It turns out our early attachment templates follow us straight through the office doors and sit right at our desks!
Ever wonder why a delayed text message or a slight shift in tone can send an adult's nervous system into absolute freefall? It's because the body never forgets the quiet relational ruptures of childhood.
In this episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, hosts Dr. Jodie Park and Rose Mackey sit down for a deeply honest conversation with Dr. Adam McCormick, Professor of Social Work at St. Edward's University and author of Healing the Helping Professional: The Unfinished Business of Childhood Trauma.
Let’s dismantle the most common misconception in social work: that boundaries are about keeping people out. Boundaries aren't about building fortresses; they are about managing the gate.