First written in 2019, this updated reflection explores what truly helps traumatised people heal. Through compassion, co-regulation, and safe connection, our nervous systems can learn to settle again. Healing isn’t about fixing what’s broken. It’s about remembering what safety feels like and finding our way back to ourselves.

IWe often hear that “a healthy baby is all that matters.” But for many parents, birth can leave deep emotional and physical wounds that don’t fade once they’re holding their baby in their arms.

In trauma-informed massage, we’re not trying to “fix” the body. We’re meeting it where it is. With gentleness. With choice. With respect for everything it’s been holding.

Touch is one of the most fundamental ways we connect with others and ourselves. However, for individuals who’ve experienced trauma, touch...