26 Nov 2024
How Practicing Gratitude Heals Trauma
Hi, I’m Dr. Jodi Aman, and welcome to another episode of Anxiety, I’m So Done With You!
Today, we’re diving into the transformative power of gratitude, especially as a tool to heal trauma and cultivate emotional resilience. While trauma leaves its mark on everyone differently, gratitude practices can empower you to reclaim control over your attention and emotional energy. Let’s explore how gratitude can change your brain, improve relationships, and build a more joyful life.
Episode Summary
In this episode, Dr. Jodi unpacks how gratitude can help heal trauma by refocusing attention away from pain and self-judgment toward joy and connection. She explains the biological effects of gratitude on the brain, from reducing adrenaline to activating the GABA hormone, which promotes calmness. Dr. Jodi also outlines the difference between big T and small t trauma, reminding listeners to approach others with compassion while setting healthy boundaries.
Practical exercises include writing three things you’re grateful for each day and three accomplishments you’ve achieved. These practices amplify neuroplasticity, making positive thought pathways easier to access. Dr. Jodi also shares how gratitude can transform relationships, improve communication, and even reframe negative self-perceptions.
This episode highlights the value of fostering a gratitude habit, not as a quick fix, but as a powerful support in a broader healing journey.
Key Takeaways
Gratitude redirects attention: Shift focus from unsolvable problems to moments of joy, which reduces anxiety and promotes healing.
Daily gratitude practice: Write three things you’re grateful for and three personal achievements to build a stronger sense of self-worth.
Trauma is curable: Healing involves processing emotions and creating new brain pathways to overcome past experiences.
Model gratitude: Acknowledge others’ unique qualities with specific examples to deepen relationships and foster positivity.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Watch the video of this episode at the blog: (https://jodiaman.com/blog/beating-winter-blues/)https://jodiaman.com/blog/practicing-gratitude (https://jodiaman.com/blog/practicing-gratitude)
Dr. Jodi Aman’s YouTube Channel: @DoctorJodi (https://www.youtube.com/@doctorjodi)
Generation Z Mental Health Resource Guide: jodiaman.com/guide (https://www.jodiaman.com/guide)
Redirect Positive Mindset Cards jodiaman.com/order-redirect-flash-cards (https://jodiaman.com/order-redirect-flash-cards)
EnCompass SEL Class Activity jodiaman.com/order-encompass-game (https://jodiaman.com/order-encompass-game)
Anxiety (https://amzn.to/40I0twL), I'm So Done with You! (https://amzn.to/40I0twL) Book
Thank you so much for listening to Anxiety, I'm So Done With You! If you enjoyed today’s episode, please take a moment to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs inspiration or help to heal!
Remember, you can join me live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern on YouTube, @doctorjodi, (https://www.youtube.com/@doctorjodi?sttick=0) where you can ask your questions in real-time.
👉👉Get on the list to get reminders about the show, including the topic for the week, PLUS, receive my Gen Z Mental Health Resource Guide here: jodiaman.com/live (https://jodiaman.com/live) . Let's keep building a stronger, happier generation!
Contact Doctor Jodi:
• Website: jodiaman.com (https://jodiaman.com/)
• TikTok: @doctorjodi (https://tiktok.com/@doctorjodi)
• YouTube: @doctorjodi (https://www.youtube.com/@doctorjodi)
• Instagram: @doctorjodiaman (https://instagram.com/@doctorjodiaman)
About Dr. Jodi:
Jodi Aman is a social work doctor with 28 years of experience in clinical practice. She helps clients heal from trauma, understand the world, and reclaim self-confidence. She created C.O.M.P.A.S.S., an emotional wellness curriculum for middle and high school health classes designed to mitigate symptoms of anxiety and depression.
You can find her live-streamed talk show on her YouTube channel @doctorjodi, where she discusses topics unique to Generation Z. Also, watch her TEDx Wilmington talk, "Calm Anxious Kids," and read her award-winning book, Anxiety… I'm So Done with You! (https://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Done-You-Hardwiring-Happiness/dp/1510751343/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23MZ6LP23HOJ5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.amiY9ss8FasT1yFrfv5tfIcmXG3W6hNM3sw-jTuOBL5hm5w4SPPgN0YHwxykGsil1Ehf7BCfdF4cwPnKJpCEW8VEZPhVgqnaPqSevEVGe2O0Pge2FRmmVL62Y8D51VWeWijseetOYecoQ7haio4mFUZqolAFdl8fBzTe45mIMyL7T7DZuti7bfWuD3S3a-Q-Fwxxu6HVHmuoiLW6uM8i0pRIXNPskoBO9Ds4us6JITk.aP7h_akNFlE63p2Bi2XrbQjUnyhlSKbrsfNnZXiHrYw&dib_tag=se&keywords=Anxiety+im+so+done+with+you&qid=1730986849&sprefix=%2Caps%2C1290&sr=8-1) to learn how to understand and reverse the current mental health crisis. More about Jodi
You’re listening to the Anxiety I'm So Done with You! Podcast with Doctor Jodi.
We hope to ease the minds of “the anxious generation.” To do that, this show will guide emerging adults, their parents, and helpers, galvanizing them to release toxic stress, achieve emotional wellness, and hardwire their brains for a happy and meaningful life.
Ask Dr. Jodi Live
Do you, or does someone you love, have anxiety or ADHD? Do you struggle with motivation and worry about your future? Keep listening.
As a psychotherapist, I have worked with young people for 28 years, and I’ve seen and understood the nuances of Generation Z from this rare perspective.
Guess what I discovered? Your brain is not broken. You are having a regular human response to the context of this crazy world. You don’t have to feel like this; you can feel better!
Tune in live every Monday at 8 PM E on @doctorjodi or binge the recordings. We’ll have relieving conversations, exciting guests, and inspirational stories that will show you how to get rid of worry, recover your energetic bandwidth, and grok a socially conscious life of overflowing joy.
