Trauma-Related Physiological and Neurobiological Changes: Implications for Ethical Treatment

This chapter will examine the physiological changes within the body and brain, jointly and separately, resulting from the trauma an individual experiences and how it may impact ethically informed supervision decisions. The biological shifts are broken down into digestible moments as they pertain to the behavioral expressions being witnessed by the provider. Changes are discussed from a biological perspective and then through a case study. The case study contrasts theory and realistic implementation to support the connection between learning and implementing. Ethical implications are noted along the way, as well as possible navigational options at each point. Mitigating the impacts of already incurred trauma with ethical decisions in care is highlighted as a path to healing the nervous system’s threat detection and safety-seeking processes.