Shay Seaborne, CPTSD 🧠 #TraumaAwareAmerica

For me, healing is more than personal growth; it involves building a world that supports our collective health. Our nervous systems are designed for connection, safety, and co-regulation, yet societal systems often undermine these needs. Inequality and disconnection in today’s world make it harder to live fully regulated lives. Consequently, our nervous systems and bodies require a cultural shift toward greater empathy, equity, and mutual support.

I’ve learned that trauma is not an isolated event but a relational and systemic challenge. Recovery is not determined by individual efforts alone, but by environments—families, communities, and society—that support our nervous system’s innate capacity for homeostasis. I focus on empowering individuals and communities to recognize and nurture these connections, creating spaces where people feel safe, understood, and capable of making meaningful change.

My worldview expands IPNB beyond individual well-being to societal systems. A regulated nervous system depends on the individual’s health and a culture that supports health, equity, and connection. Systemic inequality and the hoarding of resources are direct barriers to well-being, creating environments that hinder self-regulation. I see the roles and expectations imposed by society, family, and institutions as shaping behavior and well-being, often undermining autonomy and connection. Therefore, for true healing and regulation to occur, cultural and systemic change is necessary, as individual well-being is inseparable from  the collective health of society.

Via TraumaAwareAmerica.org and Trauma Aware America on Facebook, I address both individual trauma and the need for a complete overhaul of cultural and systemic structures that perpetuate inequality and disconnection. By framing well-being as interconnected with social, economic, and political systems, I call for a more transformative change than typical mental health treatments or trauma recovery. I challenge the idea that individuals are solely responsible for their healing, emphasizing that systemic change is essential for individual and collective health.

In addition to my work in Relational Neuroscience, I express these themes through art, translating complex IPNB concepts into visual form. My pieces explore resilience, trauma, and the nervous system’s search for safety, making these ideas more tangible and accessible. My art reflects the same principles I teach, inviting curiosity, emotion, and connection. Explore my work here.

Through Relational Neuroscience, I am committed to helping others understand how their nervous systems function, how they can regulate stress, and how they can build stronger, more supportive relationships that promote health and resilience. My work isn’t just about learning new techniques; it’s about reimagining how we live together, ensuring that every person has the chance to heal, grow, and thrive.

Visit TraumaAwareAmerica.org, a comprehensive resource hub for anyone seeking to understand and engage with neuroscience-based approaches to trauma and chronic conditions. It offers educational materials, articles, and advocacy tools that challenge outdated narratives and promote neuroscience-based, relationally grounded healing. Visitors can explore research, policy initiatives, and community-driven solutions that center survivor voices and systemic accountability. Whether you’re a professional, survivor, or advocate, the site provides valuable insights and actionable resources to support trauma-aware change in healthcare, education, and beyond.

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YouTube: Trauma Awareness with Shay Seaborne, CPTSD