Treating Medical Trauma

With Nervous System Regulation and Compassionate Support

Whether you are supporting a child through a medical journey or healing from your own experiences, our somatic-based approach helps you regulate your nervous system, process trauma, and feel more grounded.

What is Medical Trauma?

Medical trauma occurs when medical experiences—such as invasive procedures, life-threatening diagnosis, hospitalizations, medical neglect or distressing healthcare experiences—overwhelm the nervous system, leaving lasting emotional and physical effects. Medical trauma symptoms can include anxiety, panic attacks, dissociation, hypervigilance, sleep disturbances, intrusive memories of the event, chronic pain or fatigue and an overall feeling that you aren’t safe.

Both adults and children with medical trauma may struggle with finding a sense of safety and trust in medical settings, leading to avoidance of necessary care. By understanding medical trauma and its impact, you can begin the journey to restore a sense of safety in your body and regain trust in yourself and others.

Medical trauma treatment is often necessary and should be unique to your needs. At Medical Trauma Support we share practices and resources with a focus on restoring a sense of safety through nervous system regulation, somatic practices, and peer support. Approaches such as somatic practices for anxiety and peer support for medically induced trauma can help you to rebuild your resilience.

If you or a loved one have experienced trauma in medical settings or are seeking coping skills for trauma triggers, you are not alone. With compassionate support and tools for nervous system regulation, it is possible to reclaim a sense of safety, self-agency, and well-being.

Get a free guide: Reclaim a Sense of Calm After Medical Trauma

I have created this simple and easy to use guide that offers five practices to soothe your nervous system. When we experience medical stress and trauma it takes a toll on our nervous system. The good news is that there are research backed practices to help you start to feel better and to heal your nervous system. These five simple somatic practices will help you feel more grounded, safe, and at ease.

Medically Induced Trauma Support Services

Individual Trauma Informed Peer Support

Healing from medical trauma can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our peer support sessions provide a safe and compassionate environment where you can share your experiences with others who truly understand. Peer support offers a unique kind of healing—rooted in connection, validation, and shared understanding—helping to reduce feelings of isolation and provide a sense of belonging.

Using a trauma-informed approach, we create a space where you can process your emotions at your own pace while learning practical tools for nervous system regulation. These sessions offer education about how trauma affects the body, gentle somatic practices, and discussions to help you regain a sense of stability and control. Whether you’re coping with past medical trauma or seeking support for ongoing challenges, our peer support sessions empower you to build resilience and feel more grounded in your healing journey.

Medical Trauma Support Group

Our Medical Trauma Peer Support Group offers a compassionate, trauma informed peer support space for individuals who have experienced medical trauma. Navigating the emotional and physical effects of medical stress and trauma can feel isolating, but healing is possible through shared experiences and mutual support.

In this group, participants connect with others who understand the challenges of medical trauma, fostering a sense of validation and belonging. Discussions focus on coping strategies, support for upcoming medical appointments, and tools for nervous system regulation.

Whether you're processing a difficult medical procedure, ongoing treatments, or past hospital experiences, this peer support group provides compassion, encouragement, and practical resources for healing. You don’t have to go through this alone—join a compassionate community where you are heard, validated and supported, and your healing journey is honored.

Medical Trauma Online Course: Nervous System Regulating Techniques

Our seven-session online course provides essential nervous system regulating techniques to help you to find a sense of safety in your body and supports healing from medical trauma. Each session includes somatic practices, cognitive coping skills, goal setting, daily check-ins, and journal prompts to help you build resilience and process trauma.

What You’ll Gain

  • Somatic Practices for nervous system regulation

  • Cognitive Coping Skills to manage trauma triggers

  • Daily Check-Ins & Journal Prompts for self-awareness

  • Goal Setting for integrating healing into daily life

Designed for individuals recovering from medical PTSD, childhood medical trauma, or medically induced trauma, this course helps you reconnect with your body and regain a sense of safety.

Helping Parents Support Children Through Childhood Medical Trauma

Childhood medical trauma can have lasting effects on a child’s emotional and physical well-being. Parents and caregivers play a vital role in providing comfort, stability, and support during and after medical experiences but who is supporting the parent during this time? We understand the incredible impact that a child’s medical trauma has on their parents, it can be terrifying and overwhelming when your child has a medical diagnosis and medical treatment.

We share resources and practical ideas for parents so that you can take care of your nervous system and take good care of yourself during this stressful time. With these practices and simple tips you can show up in a more regulated and attuned way for your child.

Birth Trauma Support

Birth trauma can have lasting effects on both the body and mind, often leading to medical trauma symptoms, perinatal mood disorders, and nervous system dysregulation. It may result from medical interventions, unexpected complications, or feeling unheard and invalidated during childbirth.

A dysregulated nervous system can contribute to hypervigilance, emotional numbness, and chronic pain. Recognizing these responses can help in the healing journey.

Supportive resources for birth trauma include:

  • Nervous system regulating practices like breathwork, movement practices and grounding techniques

  • Connected community

  • Journaling and self-reflection for emotional processing

  • Educational materials and books on birth trauma treatment and nervous system regulation

  • Finding a therapist who specializes in birth trauma and the perinatal period.

Accessing these tools can help restore balance and peace in your nervous system, foster self-compassion, and support recovery from birth trauma.

“Medical trauma is emotional and physical responses to pain, injury, serious illness, medical procedures and frightening treatment experiences.” - ISTSS

It is possible to feel better

Medical trauma can significantly impact lives but it is possible to feel good again. Through support, connection, education and nervous system regulating practices you can feel better!

Experience Support and Connected Community

Our peer support and groups help you to feel connected to others and realize you aren’t alone in the struggle. Our nervous system regulating resources help you to feel better and strengthen your nervous system to become more resilient.

Medical Trauma Resources

Healing from medical trauma requires support and practical tools. Our resource library offers nervous system regulation videos, yoga resources, and educational materials to help you navigate recovery. Learn about medical trauma symptoms, how trauma impacts the nervous system, and techniques to foster regulation, grow your nervous system capacity and increase your resilience.

Explore medical trauma resources to understand common experiences and gain insight into effective coping strategies. Our guided exercises support nervous system regulation, while mindfulness practices help restore a sense of safety and connection with your body. Whether you're seeking information or practical healing tools, these resources empower you on your recovery journey.

Access free resources for your healing journey. Explore our tools and guides now!

Testimonials

  • “I have been attending the medical trauma support group now for a little over 6 months and I find the peer support from all those in the group to be like a healing breath of fresh air. Medical trauma is so complex with levels of physical, mental and emotional pain, disturbance and disorientation. This group has helped me to find my true north with coping and comprehending my trauma and the complexities around it and this in turn has helped me navigate my path to healing and empowered me for my future interactions with the medical system. If you have experienced medical trauma and are looking for a group where you can be believed, validated and learn coping skills from others with medical trauma, then I would recommend this group without reservation.”

    - Medical Trauma Support Group

  • “This was the only group I found on the topic of medical trauma. I have felt alone in my experience prior to joining, but now I feel connected to people that understand, validate, and have ideas to help work through it all. I am very thankful for this."

    - Medical Trauma Support Group

  • "I thought it was extremely informative and very helpful. I think your discussion of how medical debt can impact the patient and their family was very important. I feel in addition, navigating insurance coverage as well as having to appeal insurance denials can be challenging. This is especially difficult when you are not feeling well physically as well as mentally. I thought the daily homework and resources were helpful too."

    - Online Course

  • "Sarah's approachable manner and warm, calming presence made it feel safe to engage with some difficult experiences. I'd recommend the course to anyone who has felt unheard by doctors, or confused and unsupported in a medical situation."

    - Online Course

  • "Well organized and content-rich, without feeling overwhelming. A virtual Go-Bag for managing stress."

    - Online Course

  • "I especially liked the "experiential practices" which are easy to do and can be used to calm day to day anxiety, not just medical trauma."

    - Online Course

  • "A great addition to my wellness toolkit. I find myself returning to the course materials again and again - if this were a book, it would already be dog-eared and worn from use."

    - Online Course

FAQs

What is medical trauma?

Medical trauma refers to the emotional and physical distress caused by medical experiences, including surgeries, chronic illness, emergency treatments, or difficult interactions with healthcare providers. It can lead to symptoms like anxiety, hypervigilance, and nervous system dysregulation.

How do I know if I’ve experienced medical trauma?

Common medical trauma symptoms include fear of medical settings, panic attacks before or during appointments, emotional numbness, trouble trusting doctors, and persistent distress related to past medical experiences. They may also include headaches, sleep disturbances and dissociation among other experiences.

What is birth trauma, and how can I heal from it?

Birth trauma refers to distressing childbirth experiences that can impact both parents and infants. A big part of healing comes from accessing resources like support groups, therapy, trauma-sensitive yoga and mindfulness techniques. Each person will have their own unique healing journey.

How can somatic practices help with medical trauma?

Somatic practices focus on body-based healing techniques, such as breathwork, movement, and mindfulness, to regulate the nervous system and befriend the body. These methods help restore a sense of safety and empowerment.

What resources do you offer for healing from medical trauma?

We provide self-regulation videos, movement and mindfulness exercises, educational materials on medical trauma, referrals to medical trauma aware resources, individual peer support and peer support groups to help individuals navigate their healing journey.

Is your online course right for me?

If you’ve experienced medical trauma and want to heal, our seven-session online course provides education, self-regulation tools, daily check-ins, and goal-setting exercises to support your recovery. If you are someone who likes to work at your own pace this could be a great resource for you. Having some additional support can be helpful as well.

Do you offer support for parents of children experiencing medical trauma?

Yes. We provide resources and support options for parents to help themselves as well as understand and guide their child through medical trauma, including tools for emotional regulation and fostering resilience.

How does the Medical Trauma Support Group help?

Our peer support group offers a compassionate and authentic space to connect with others who have experienced medical stress and trauma, share coping strategies, and learn about nervous system regulation in a compassionate, understanding environment.

How do I start my healing journey?

Begin by exploring our free resources, joining a peer support group, or enrolling in our online course. Small, consistent steps—such as practicing nervous system regulating techniques or showing up to be in supportive community —can help you regain a sense of safety and agency.

Ready to start your healing journey?

Group Support

We offer weekly group peer support for people who have experienced medical trauma as well as for parents and caregivers who care for children who have experienced medical trauma.

One on One Support

We offer one on one support for people who have experienced medical trauma as well as for parents and caregivers who have children who have experienced medical trauma.

Resources

We offer resources so you can learn more about medical trauma as well as movement and mindfulness videos to use to help with self regulation practice.