Why can trauma make a memory from decades ago feel like it happened yesterday, while wiping other events out entirely?

In this episode of Relational Practice: A Social Work Podcast, private practice social workers Dr Jodie Park and Rose Mackey dive into the neurobiology of trauma and memory. They break down how the brain processes information normally versus how it shifts into survival mode under extreme stress.

This conversation is for everyone, whether you are a clinician, case manager, or anyone working directly with trauma, or if you are a survivor, love someone who is, or simply want to understand how the brain works. Jodie and Rose unpack the difference between explicit narrative memory and implicit "body memories". They explore the unique impacts of childhood adversity and how early trauma shapes a developing brain.

This episode sheds light on universal experiences of disclosure dynamics, dissociation, and betrayal trauma. Finally, they share the hope of neuroplasticity, spotlighting evidence-based pathways to healing like EMDR, CPT, and memory reconsolidation

What We Cover:

• The Brain's Team: How the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex fracture under stress.
• The Reshaping Window: How the brain strengthens threat cues and weakens the broader picture within 24 hours of an event.
• Time-Stamping & Triggers: Why the brain struggles to mark trauma as "past tense," causing survivors to relive rather than just remember.
• Somatic Memory & Dissociation: Understanding body memories, behavioural re-enactment, and the survival logic of "betrayal blindness".
• Defining Recovery: Why healing means gaining the confidence to manage your feelings and narrative, not forgetting the past.

Connect With Us:

• Webpage: relationalpracticeasocialworkpodcast.com.au
• Email: Relationalpractice01@gmail.com
• Socials: Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Please subscribe, rate, and review!
• Editing by Angus Pinkstone
• Music by Hannah Park

Support Services (Australia):

• Lifeline: 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
• 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Please listen in a way that feels safe. Take care of yourself first.