Understanding Physical and Emotional Trauma & the Body’s Response with Maggie LaRocca

What does true healing from trauma really look like—and how do we reclaim our power in the process?

Maggie LaRocca, Executive Director of Exhale to Inhale, joins Inside the Wellspace with Cathy O’Brien for a deeply moving conversation about trauma, healing, and empowerment. Maggie shares how trauma-informed care and practices like yoga can help survivors of sexual and domestic violence reconnect with their bodies, regain a sense of safety, and begin to heal.

Together, they explore the emotional and physical toll of trauma, including the often-overlooked forms of abuse like coercive control and narcissism. They discuss how trauma lives in the body, not just in memory, and why healing is not linear but deeply personal. Maggie explains how understanding concepts like the window of tolerance and somatic processing can help individuals move through pain with more self-compassion and awareness.

They also touch on the cultural roots of yoga, the importance of language in shaping identity, and how healing can happen even in the midst of ongoing trauma. Maggie emphasizes the importance of community, validation, and reclaiming agency—and why no one should have to go through healing alone.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Healing Trauma Through Body, Mind, and Heart

02:27 The Journey into Trauma-Informed Care

07:37 Understanding the Statistics of Violence

14:00 The Evolution of Abuse Definitions

21:05 Defining Trauma and Its Impact

27:53 Exploring Somatic Processing

36:19 The Importance of Community in Healing

43:27 Empowerment and Choice in Healing

51:11 Language and Identity in Trauma Recovery

01:00:56 Actions for Prevention and Support

01:02:01 Key Takeaways for Healing

Subscribe:

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@UC13tfnPU0OHsNxmMXSs6saw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2TQtov8ByjgieslPS5B1IM

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-the-wellspace-women-wellbeing-wisdom-with/id1812799800

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