You’re so welcome – I’m really glad this clicked for you. What you’re describing makes so much sense. When you’ve lived with trauma, the nervous system learns to stay on high alert, scanning for danger even when there’s none. That “I must have done something wrong” feeling is a survival response, not who you really are.

The fact that you can see this pattern now is powerful – awareness is the first step in loosening its grip. And you’re not alone in this at all. Many survivors share the exact same reaction to those everyday triggers like mail, calls, or knocks at the door.

Everything I do is customized for each individual, so I like to have a complimentary session so I can better understand where you’re at in your journey and then determine what resources/programs will be best. One way or another – we can find something that works for you! So definitely fill out the form and we’ll get you on the calendar 🙂

What you’re describing is actually a very common trauma response. Your nervous system has learned to associate urgency or certain tones with danger, so it kicks straight into fight-or-flight the moment you hear them. That surge of adrenaline, the racing thoughts, the assumption that something terrible happened – all of that is your body trying to prepare you for impact.

The good news is: this is something you can work with. A few things you can start practicing:

Pause before reacting – notice the adrenaline rush and name it: “This is my nervous system responding, not necessarily the truth.”

Grounding – plant your feet, take slow breaths, or name five things you see in the room. That can help your body downshift before you call back.

Reality check – remind yourself that most calls don’t carry bad news, and that tone of voice doesn’t always mean danger.

With repetition, you can retrain your nervous system to not jump to worst-case-scenario!

I’m so glad this connected with you. It makes a lot of sense that it felt like procrastination – but really, your nervous system has just been working hard to protect you. Now that you have a new lens for it, you can meet yourself with more compassion instead of blame! 💛

Thank you for this post.
I have been struggling with this issue but didn’t know it was from trauma. I just always thought I was procrastinating.

Ahhh thank you so much! I’m so glad this one landed with you. And yes – voicemails… whew, that’s a whole other level of scary! I love your idea of transcribing them into text first – such a smart workaround to take the pressure off. And you’re so right, giving ourselves grace along the way makes such a difference. I’m cheering you on as you find little ways to make things easier and gentler for yourself. 💛 I’d love for you to come join us here as a great place to share & connect further https://www.facebook.com/groups/realtalkwithrachel