TRAUMA & MEDIATION: Trauma and Neurobiology

In the following three articles, Amelia Nice  considers how trauma impacts conflict, mediation and resolution and what trauma informed tools might be adopted.  Whilst the focus is on the adaptation of mediation processes to ensure they are trauma sensitive, understanding trauma has important implications for legal work generally and the development of trauma informed practises.

Trauma is not only a psychological state or experience —it is a physiological experience that alters the brain, body, and nervous system. Understanding the neurobiological foundations of trauma is crucial for those working in conflict resolution. It helps reframe intense or seemingly extreme or intense  behaviours as the body’s natural attempts to survive overwhelming experiences. This awareness fosters compassion and equips mediators to respond effectively.

When someone experiences trauma—whether through a single event like an assault, sometimes referred to as “acute trauma”, or a prolonged experience such as childhood neglect, sometimes referred to as a type of “chronic trauma”,  the brain's threat-detection and response systems adapt to prioritise survival. These adaptations, however, come at a cost. Three brain structures play a central role in this process: the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.

The amygdala, often referred to as the brain’s “alarm system,” becomes hyperactive after trauma. It constantly scans for danger and can trigger intense emotional reactions even to non-threatening stimuli. 

The hippocampus, which helps differentiate between past and present and organize memories, may shrink or become less effective. This can lead to difficulties recalling a chronology of events, or “time stamping” particular incidents. It can also lead to intrusive memories or flashbacks that feel as if the traumatic event is happening again. 

The prefrontal cortex, responsible for logic, planning, and impulse control, often goes offline during stress making it difficult to think clearly or make rational decisions in the heat of the moment. This can happen whenever the amygdala is activated which might be because of the original experience as survival responses take over or might be prompted by the stress of recalling that original experience. 

In addition to these brain structures, the autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a key role. It governs our fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses. Trauma can leave the ANS stuck in high-alert mode (sympathetic dominance) or in states of collapse or numbness (dorsal vagal shutdown). These patterns become the default especially if the trauma occurred during early development when the brain and nervous system were still forming.

Importantly, trauma is not limited to physical violence or major catastrophes. Emotional abuse, systemic oppression, racism, ongoing stress, or medical trauma can have similar neurobiological impacts. What matters is not the event itself, but how the person’s system experienced and processed it.

These neurobiological shifts affect how individuals engage in conflict. A raised voice might be interpreted as a threat; a firm boundary might be felt as abandonment. A trauma-informed perspective sees reactions which might reflect these interpretations or perceptions  not as overreactions, but as expressions of a system that has learned, often through pain, how to protect itself.

For mediators, this understanding can have a significant, sometimes profound impact on the approach to the mediation itself. There might be a greater focus, for example, on   fostering safety and co-regulation. Recognizing trauma’s neurobiology enables professionals to create environments that are less threatening, more supportive, and ultimately more conducive to productive conflict resolution.

The next article will consider What Conflict Feels Like for Someone with Trauma or PTSD.