[Ep. 9] Chronic Pain & Trauma | Dave Berger (Somatic Psychologist)

In this episode, I interview Dave Berger. He is one of my teachers and his work is deeply rooted in the physiology of trauma: how trauma shows up in the body. We speak about chronic pain, the need to relax around the constriction for healing, and how to become embodied so we can listen to our bodies before reacting to things and people.

[bonnie_nelms]

Life and timing are so interesting…frustrating. Just discovered you last week and just finished the 4-hour zoom event today. Not familiar with Dave Berger…regrettably. I, too, was doing grad work in psychology in late 80s and wanted to explore mind-body connection in my research. But I got ZERO support for that from my advisors and had to abandon my interests to follow what was acceptable to them. Complex trauma/somatic experiencing wasn’t familiar to me then, and wasn’t available in my area anyway. I powered through the combined masters/doctoral program…high stress, little sleep, irregular eating… then withdrew short of doing my doctoral dissertation. Soon thereafter, my body crashed and chronic pain began. That was almost 24 years ago. I’ve tried every imaginable approach to healing with only slight improvements here and there. And now I’m 82, still looking and hoping.