How Mindfulness Supports Trauma Recovery
Trauma and The Continuum of Healing
Trauma recovery isn’t about “getting over it” or arriving at some perfect, pain-free version of ourselves. Healing is a continuous, layered process—one that unfolds over time, with cycles of growth, reflection, and self-compassion. Some days may feel light and free; others might bring up old pain you thought was long gone. Both are valid parts of your journey.
Every moment of awareness, regulation, and self-kindness is a sign that healing is happening—even when it doesn’t feel linear. Healing is not about reaching a finish line. It’s about building the capacity to live, love, and feel more fully, again and again.
Trauma, in its many forms, disrupts our connection to the present moment. It anchors us in the past, often keeping us in states of hyperarousal (feeling constantly on edge) or hypoarousal (feeling numb or checked out).
“Trauma is not the story of something that happened back then, it’s the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside people.”
Bessel Van Der Kolk (Author of: The Body Keeps The Score)
Why Mindfulness Matters in Trauma Work
Mindfulness, at its core, is the practice of gently guiding ourselves back to the here and now—not to forget the past, but to reclaim our agency in the present.
When we’ve experienced trauma, our nervous system learns to anticipate threat—even when the danger has passed. The body may stay tense, the mind hypervigilant, and moments of stillness may feel unfamiliar or unsafe.
Mindfulness helps us reconnect with our body, emotions, and internal sense of safety—without judgment, by:
Creating a sense of safety: Mindfulness can help rebuild internal safety by encouraging us to notice our thoughts, emotions, and sensations without judgment. Over time, this reduces the intensity of trauma responses.
Developing emotional awareness: Through mindfulness, we learn to identify what we’re feeling as we’re feeling it—making it easier to respond to emotions instead of reacting from a place of overwhelm.
Regulating the nervous system: Gentle, body-based mindfulness practices like breathwork or grounding exercises can calm the body’s fight/flight/freeze response, helping us feel more stable and centered.
Empowering self-compassion: Mindfulness teaches us to meet our experiences—especially painful ones—with kindness, patience, and curiosity. This can shift the internal narrative from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to me, and how can I care for that part of myself?”
The Paradox of Mindfulness
For those who have experienced trauma, mindfulness can feel unsettling at first. Many of us have learned to disconnect from our bodies and emotions to survive overwhelming experiences. When asked to turn inward, this can trigger anxiety, flashbacks, or dissociation.
The goal here isn’t to push through discomfort, but to approach awareness gradually and with care—allowing us to build tolerance for presence, bit by bit. Grounded, choice-based practices that emphasize safety, consent, and body autonomy can help mindfulness become not a retraumatizing experience, but a reparative one.
Off The Page: Actioning The Insights
Mindfulness based strategies to support trauma healing
The following strategies can soothe your nervous system, ground you in moments of distress, and gently process stored emotions.
Remember that your mindfulness practice is just that, a practice. This means that some might experience the immediate benefit of these practices while others might feel no shift in the moment. Be kind, gentle, and loving with yourself as you navigate these practices and when in doubt, seek the support of a professional.
Grounding Techniques
Focus on your senses to reconnect to the present moment. For example, notice three things you can see, two things you can touch, and one thing you can hear. This helps interrupt overwhelming thoughts or flashbacks.
Breath Awareness
Practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing. Breathe in for four counts, hold for four counts, and exhale for four counts. This activates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system, promoting calm.
Safe Space Visualization
Create a mental image of a peaceful and secure place. Spend a few minutes there in your mind, using all your senses to make it as vivid as possible. This can be a mental retreat when feeling triggered.
Focused Attention Meditation
Use an object, image, or sound to focus your attention. This practice helps to anchor your awareness, keeping you in the present and preventing your mind from drifting into trauma-related thoughts.
Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta) (Click here to practice)
Send well-wishes to yourself and others, starting with phrases like “May I be safe, may I be happy, may I be healthy.” This helps to foster compassion and emotional resilience in the face of suffering.
Introducing — The Library
I have recently published The Library on charanbashir.com, a collection reads that have cultivated inspiration, joy, curiosity, insight, discovery, and self reflection.
Feel free to explore the reads of my personal bookshelf and take what resonates with you — including my current read: The Courage to Be Disliked
Thank You
Thank you for joining me this week! I’m excited to keep sharing insights from my work, research, and personal journey with you.
Did something resonate with you? Curious about applying these strategies in your life? Or know someone who might benefit?
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