Why Your Trauma Responses Stick Around (And How to Finally Move Past Them)
Ever wonder why you still react the same way to triggers, even after leaving a toxic relationship? Dr. Melissa Kalt reveals why trauma responses persist and shares practical tools to reclaim your power.
Dr. Melissa Kalt brings a rare combination of medical expertise and energy healing to trauma recovery. In our second conversation, she unpacked a crucial truth: trauma isn't about what happened to you—it's about the story you tell yourself about who you are because of what happened.
Key Insights
Trauma is personal. Two people can have identical car accidents with completely different outcomes. What makes something traumatic is the story we tell ourselves afterward ("I'm not safe" vs. "I'm so lucky").
Responses vs. reactions. Trauma responses bypass your conscious brain—they're pure survival instincts. The telltale sign? Feeling guilty or ashamed about your reaction afterward.
False beliefs stick around. Just walking away from a narcissistic relationship doesn't erase the "I'm not good enough" programming. Those beliefs stay embedded in your nervous system until actively released.
Your body holds the answers. Dr. Melissa shared powerful examples: chronic neck pain that disappeared when she addressed her "not good enough" belief, severe acne that cleared in 4 days after recognizing boundary violations.
Practical Tools You Can Use Today
Create space between trigger and response. Sleep on that angry email instead of firing back immediately.
Get grounded. When triggered, get back in your body: bare feet on ground, breathe down to your feet, or press feet firmly into the floor.
Try tapping. Emotional Freedom Technique can shift your emotional state in just 3 minutes by tapping acupressure points while processing the feeling.
The Antifragile Difference
Instead of just being resilient (getting knocked down, getting back up), Dr. Melissa teaches becoming antifragile—where every challenge makes you stronger, smarter, and more powerful than before.
Powerful Quote
"When you feel triggered, that's just a message from God, from the universe, that you're believing a lie about yourself." - Dr. Melissa Kalt
Ready to Go Deeper?
Antifragile Academy: Dr. Melissa's transformative program for rapid narcissistic abuse recovery.
June Challenge: The Antifragile Self — Understand Your Trauma Responses!
Subscribe to Dr. Melissa’s Substack Newsletters:
"Standing In The Light" – healing from narcissistic abuse.
"Am I The Problem?" – sassy transformational education for toxic relationships.
More resources: MelissaKaltMD.com
💬 About Me… and What’s Next?:
If you’re holding a quiet ache for something deeper—something more true—I’m here to help you listen, trust, and reclaim your inner compass.
Here’s how I can help:
☕ Make an appointment for a virtual coffee (free). I open 3–4 spots each month for a 20-min chat so we can get to know each other—no pressure, just real connection! 😊
🔍 Book a 30-minute connection call (free). This is for anyone—whether you’re quietly questioning what’s next, making your way through a season of uncertainty, or just needing space to be heard.
📖 Read my 7-part manifesto (free). The soul story behind Unshakeable Mentorship—my journey through perfectionism, fear, and the year I stopped hiding.
💫 Work with me 1:1. Six months of personal mentorship to help you uncover the survival patterns and fears keeping you small. We’ll reconnect you to your truth, clarify your purpose, and build a life led by ease, clarity, and unshakeable self-trust.
Thank you for being part of this community and for your courage in exploring these transformative topics!
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