Sometimes healing begins in the smallest moments. Like when someone listens without trying to fix us, or when we finally feel safe enough to exhale. I’ve been thinking a lot about that kind of support lately, which is what led me to look into Trauma and the Embodied Brain, an online course created by Bonnie Badenoch, PhD, LMFT.
While I haven’t taken the course myself, I’ve reviewed the publicly available curriculum, structure, and course description. What immediately stood out to me is how deeply it’s rooted in relational neuroscience, an approach that views healing not just as an individual journey, but as something shaped through connection, presence, and the nervous system’s ability to feel another human being nearby.
In this post, I want to share what stood out to me as I reviewed the course materials, what resonated with me personally, and the aspects that I think may be meaningful for anyone interested in trauma healing or mindful support work. Whether you’re a therapist, a trauma-informed practitioner, or simply someone exploring healing and embodiment, this course offers a perspective that feels both grounded and heart-centered.
What This Course Is About
Trauma and the Embodied Brain is an eight-week online training that explores how healing happens through connection, presence, and the nervous system, not just through techniques or theory.
At its core, the course is built on relational neuroscience, a field that looks at how our relationships literally shape the brain and body. Instead of viewing trauma only as an event, this approach highlights something much more human:
Healing often depends on who is with us, and how deeply we feel supported.
Bonnie Badenoch guides the course with this idea at the center. Over eight sessions, she invites learners to explore:
- How safety and presence create healing conditions
- Why trauma is deeply relational
- How the body stores and expresses past experiences
- What it means to be an embodied, grounded helper
- How therapists and caregivers can co-regulate with others
- Practices to sense our own nervous system and support others
What I appreciated as I reviewed the course outline is that it doesn’t rush into “fixing.” Instead, it encourages a felt sense of connection, which aligns beautifully with mindfulness and body-based awareness.
Learners aren’t just presented with concepts. Instead, the course invites them to explore how the heart, mind, and nervous system work together in real relationships.
What Stood Out to Me
Even though I explored this course from the outside, a few themes genuinely caught my attention. These are the parts that felt meaningful, surprising, or especially relevant for anyone interested in trauma work or mindful presence.
1. The focus on relationship over technique
One idea that stood out to me as I reviewed the materials is how strongly the course emphasizes relationship as the center of healing.
Not more tools.
Not more protocols.
But the quality of connection.
It reminded me that sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer another person is simply a grounded, steady presence.
2. The body is treated as a wise partner
I really appreciated seeing, in the course description, that the body isn’t a problem to solve, it’s a source of truth. The course weaves in practices involving the skin, muscles, belly, and heart. This made the material feel less academic and more embodied, which I think many people (including beginners) will appreciate.
3. Trauma is framed as a relational experience
This perspective came through clearly in the way the course is presented. Instead of focusing only on “what happened,” the course invites us to look at who was with us, or who wasn’t. It shifts the conversation in a way that feels compassionate and less pathologizing.
4. Stillness and presence are seen as active forms of support
There’s a quiet strength in how Bonnie talks about stillness, receptivity, and nonjudgment.
The way it’s described reminds me of mindfulness practices, not in the sense of meditation instructions, but in how being steady for someone else can be healing in itself.
5. “Co-regulation” isn’t treated as a concept, it’s treated as a lived experience
The course materials emphasize how healing often happens when two nervous systems meet with trust. This approach, as described, comes across as both grounding and hopeful because it gives people permission to be human, not perfect.
6. The language is compassionate without being overly theoretical
Some neuroscience courses can feel heavy, but this one is described in a way that feels human-first, then science. I found that balance comforting.
Who This Course Is For
What I liked about this course is that it doesn’t feel exclusive to any one type of learner. The material is grounded in neuroscience, but the teaching style is gentle and human, which makes it accessible to a wide range of people.
This course may be a good fit for:
• Therapists and counselors
Especially those who want to bring more embodiment, presence, and relational awareness into their sessions.
• Trauma-informed practitioners
Yoga teachers, meditation facilitators, social workers, coaches, and others who support people emotionally or somatically.
• Beginners who are trauma-curious
Even if you’re not a professional, the course offers simple explanations and reflective practices that help you understand how the nervous system responds to connection.
• Caregivers and loved ones
Anyone supporting a child, partner, or family member through stress, overwhelm, or healing may find the relational lens very helpful.
• People on their own healing journey
If you’re exploring your relationship with safety, connection, or the body, you may appreciate the compassion woven throughout the teachings.
• Mindfulness and meditation practitioners
The emphasis on presence, stillness, and nonjudgment fits naturally with mindfulness-based approaches without requiring a formal meditation background.
Module-by-Module Breakdown
Each week of this course builds on the last, slowly expanding your understanding of how the nervous system, relationships, and the body shape the healing process. Here’s a simple overview of what each session explores.
Session 1 – Introduction to Relational Neuroscience
This opening session lays the foundation for the entire course. You explore:
- What interpersonal neurobiology is
- Why presence and safety matter more than techniques
- How we influence one another’s nervous systems
- The idea of an “inherent treatment plan” already inside each person
What stood out to me in this session’s description is how gentle the approach feels. It’s an invitation to slow down, listen, and reconnect with the basics of human connection.
Session 2 – Considering Trauma Through a Relational Lens
This session shifts the focus from “what happened” to “who was there.”
Key topics include:
- Trauma as a relational experience
- How to let your own nervous system stay open to others
- Working with both brain hemispheres as supportive partners
- Viewing all emotions as signals rather than problems
This framing comes across as very freeing because it reframes trauma in a way that is compassionate and less clinical.
Session 3 – Deepening Awareness of Trauma’s Roots
Here, you look at where trauma lives in the body and how it develops over time.
- Visible and invisible traumas
- Sudden vs. cumulative experiences
- How different life stages shape our responses
- Neural streams and their role in trauma and integration
The way it’s presented serves as an insightful reminder that not all trauma is obvious and the body holds more stories than we realize.
Session 4 – The Embodied Brain in Trauma & Healing (Part I)
This session explores how the body adapts, protects, and tries to heal.
- How trauma embeds in the body
- The rupture-repair process
- Practices for sensing the skin, muscles, belly, and heart
- Why helpers need to be embodied too
I appreciated how practical this section appears to be based on the curriculum. It’s not only about clients, it’s about us learning to stay grounded.
Session 5 – The Embodied Brain in Trauma & Healing (Part II)
This module goes deeper into the nervous system and memory.
- Polyvagal theory and neuroception
- Recognizing shifts from ventral to dorsal states
- Explicit vs. implicit memory
- A practice for sensing attachment rhythms
It’s described as a blend of science and felt experience.
Session 6 – Implicit Memory Change
This session explains how past experiences living “under the surface” can change.
- Understanding implicit, explicit, and autobiographical memory
- “Touched vs. triggered”, a helpful distinction
- How implicit memories can be repaired
- Strengthening positive implicit memories for support
The ‘touched vs. triggered’ concept seems especially useful, it feels very human and accessible.
Session 7 – Pathways of Healing
This is where the course brings together presence, attachment, and relational trust.
- Cultivating stillness, contact, and nonjudgment
- Learning when to lead and when to follow
- Attachment repair through simple yet powerful relational gestures
- Creating a space where suffering can be safely held
It serves as a reminder that healing often begins with attunement rather than action.
Session 8 – A Sacred Space Opens
The final session explores the deeper, more spiritual dimension of relational healing.
- Co-suffering and co-regulation
- Trusting the client’s inner healing intelligence
- Seeing the therapeutic relationship as sacred
- Closing review of all core principles
It’s presented as ending on a grounded, heartfelt note. Almost like returning to the essence of what connection really means.
Pros & Cons
Every course has strengths and areas to consider. Here’s a clear, supportive overview of what stood out to me while reviewing the course.
Pros
• Compassionate, heart-centered teaching style
Bonnie Badenoch’s approach is presented as warm, grounded, and deeply human. The material doesn’t overwhelm you with theory, it invites you into connection.
• Strong grounding in relational neuroscience
If you’re curious about how relationships shape the brain and body, this course offers a thoughtful, accessible introduction.
• Emphasis on embodied learning
The inclusion of practices for the skin, muscles, belly, and heart helps you move from “thinking about trauma” to feeling and sensing what’s happening in the body.
• Accessible for beginners and experienced practitioners
The explanations are simple enough for newcomers, yet rich enough for therapists and trauma-informed professionals.
• Supports both personal and professional growth
Whether you’re supporting clients, loved ones, or yourself, the relational lens offers insights that apply beyond formal therapy settings.
• Aligns beautifully with mindfulness and presence-based work
If you’re already drawn to mindfulness, meditation, or somatic awareness, the course feels like a natural extension of those practices.
Cons
• Not a step-by-step “technique-driven” program
If you prefer structured methods or specific trauma protocols, this course leans more toward presence, attunement, and relational awareness than technique.
• Requires emotional openness and reflection
Because the material is relational and embodied, it may feel intense at times, especially for those who prefer purely cognitive learning.
• Some topics may feel abstract for absolute beginners
While accessible, ideas like “neural streams” or “co-regulation” may take time to fully absorb if you’re new to trauma theory.
• More conceptual than practice-heavy
There are reflective exercises, but the focus is more on understanding and sensing than on doing lengthy guided practices.
Final Thoughts
Even though I reviewed this course from the outside, its heart-centered approach came through clearly and it reminded me how much our nervous systems shape one another, often without words.
What stands out most from the course description is that it doesn’t promise quick fixes or dramatic breakthroughs. Instead, it guides you toward a slower, more relational way of understanding trauma. The emphasis is on safety, attunement, gentleness, and embodied awareness, qualities that feel just as important in everyday life as they do in a therapeutic setting.
If you’re someone who resonates with mindfulness, relational healing, or the idea that the body holds wisdom, this course may feel like a meaningful companion. And if you’re a professional or caregiver, the teachings offer a supportive framework for being with others in a way that feels respectful and grounded.
Whether you’re new to trauma work or already familiar with it, Trauma and the Embodied Brain invites you to slow down, listen differently, and trust the healing potential that unfolds through genuine connection. And in a world that often rushes us through our own experiences, that felt like a refreshing reminder.
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