Are you doing all the right things but aren’t working in menopause? What is it beyond exercise, hormones and supplements?
I was at a women’s retreat in a sound healing. During the session, I experienced tears and came back to the circle after realizing I thought of my biological father during that session. I hadn’t thought about him over the years much at all.
Is that stored trauma? Is stored trauma something we all deal with on some level? Is it something that could be limiting our ability to reach a physical health or fitness goal. Is it related to what is blocking our ability to lose weight, to heal our gut, or on a bigger level is it putting us at risk for more serious health issues?
We’re unpacking all of this today. If all the right things aren’t working in menopause, it may go beyond hormones and gut health.
My Guest:
Dr. Aimie Apigian is a leading expert in trauma, attachment, and biology, and the founder of the Biology of Trauma™. As a double board-certified physician in Preventive Medicine and Addiction Medicine with a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Dr. Aimie integrates her medical expertise with specialized training in trauma therapy to address the biological patterns that maintain chronic health conditions. After her own health crisis led her to discover how stored trauma was blocking her recovery, she developed frameworks that bridge functional medicine with trauma science. Through her programs and upcoming book “The Biology of Trauma: How the Body Experiences and Holds Pain, Fear and Overwhelm and How to Heal,” Dr. Aimie helps people understand why common health issues persist despite perfect nutrition and lifestyle changes, and provides practical tools for complete healing at the cellular level.
How Trauma Explains Why All the Right Things Aren’t Working in Menopause
Questions We Answer in This Episode:
- [00:06:22] – Do we have to remember something traumatic for it to actually have happened to us?
- [00:07:57] – Are both physical and emotional traumas the same in the way they manifest in the body? What is trauma?
- [00:14:32] – Many women in midlife experience unexplained weight gain, fatigue, or hormone issues despite ‘doing everything right.’ Are you saying past trauma is contributing to these challenges?
- [00:22:53] – Is there a “too late” when it comes to healing the body from these early experiences? What does stored trauma look like inside the body physiologically?
- [00:28:41] – What are the steps to address trauma impacting body composition for women in midlife — like belly fat that “won’t budge” despite good habits?
- [00:33:25] – How do you help strong, independent women recognize that “pushing through” might sometimes be prolonging unresolved trauma patterns in the body?
- [00:35:13] – What attachment patterns from childhood can affect our health into adulthood?
- [00:41:04] – If you could tell every 50-something woman one thing about the link between her past experiences and her future vitality, what would it be?
What is Trauma?
- Our capacity against the demands placed against us.
- When something feels too much for our capacity.
Two Reasons for Trauma Response
- Too much too fast
- Too little for too long
Everyone carries some degree of stored trauma.
Three levels that need repair for stored trauma:
- Mind
- Body
- Biology
Trauma repair creates resilience, breaking cycles for daughters and granddaughters.
Key Takeaways Why All the Right Things Aren’t Working in Menopause
- Your body holds the record. You don’t need to remember trauma for it to affect you.
- Trauma is not just emotional. It imprints on hormones, mitochondria, metabolism, and immune system.
- Stored trauma explains why “all the right things” (diet, exercise, gut health) might not work during menopause.
- Healing is not just one dimension. It requires repairing the mind, body, and biology.
Connect with Dr. Aimie:
- Book – Biology of Trauma
- Facebook Group – Biology of Trauma
- Instagram – @draimie
Other Episodes You Might Like:
- Previous Episode – 5 Ways to Measure & Improve Your Menopause Fitness At Home Right Now
- Next Episode – 5 Things I Do When I Need a Reset or I’ve Had a Fitness Plateau
- More Like This – Turning Your Personal Drama and Trauma into Transformation
Resources:
- Join the Hot, Not Bothered! Challenge to learn why timing matters and why what works for others is not working for you.
- Don’t know where to start? Book your Discovery Call with Debra. Leave this session with insight into exactly what to do right now to make small changes, smart decisions about your exercise time and energy.
- Join the Flipping50 Insiders Group in Facebook to connect with Debra and other podcast listeners.
