Dessa Bergen-Cico, Ph.D.: Healing Trauma with Meditation | Self-Improvement Atlas #61

Trauma is an unfortunately common experience that can leave deep scars on both the psyche and spirit. However, there is hope for healing, and meditation has emerged as a powerful tool in the journey towards recovery.

Meet Dessa Bergen-Cico, Ph.D

Dessa Bergen-Cico, is a Professor of Public Health, Graduate Director and Coordinator of Addiction Studies Programs at Syracuse University. She also a Professor at Syracuse University (SU) and teaches in Public Health, Addiction Studies, and Neuroscience.

She is the Coordinator of the Addiction Studies programs at SU, an Affiliated Investigator at the U.S. Veterans Administration Center for Integrative Healthcare, a Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS), and a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher.

Her areas of teaching and research focus on traumatic stress, addictive behaviors, mindfulness-based practices for prevention and recovery, and geo-politics of drug policy. She has authored more than 55 scholarly publications, including the book “War and Drugs: The Role of Military Conflict in the Development of Substance Abuse.”

About the episode

Before delving into how meditation can help, it’s important to understand the effects of trauma on mental and physical health. Professor Dessa outlines several key symptom clusters associated with traumatic stress:

Hypervigilance: Hypervigilance manifests as a constant state of alertness, where the mind and body are always on guard for potential threats or dangers. This can make it difficult to focus and relax in everyday situations.
Rumination: Trauma often leads to persistent rumination – repeatedly revisiting past traumatic events or worrying excessively about potential future threats. This cycle of negative thoughts can be exhausting and interfere with daily functioning.
Emotional Dysregulation: Trauma can result in difficulty regulating emotions, which may manifest as explosive anger or aggression, emotional numbness and shutdown, and cycling between high-energy and low-energy states.

These symptoms stem from dysregulation of the nervous system, keeping trauma survivors stuck in fight, flight or freeze responses.

The journey of healing trauma through meditation is a gradual process that necessitates regular practice. This journey often begins by starting small, with initial meditation sessions lasting just 5-10 minutes. Gradually, the duration can increase, but the focus remains on consistency rather than length in the early stages. These shifts are a sign of progress on the healing journey.

With ongoing practice, individuals begin developing greater insight. Meditation fosters heightened self-awareness and the capacity to observe thoughts and sensations without becoming overwhelmed. This shift in perspective is crucial in managing trauma.

Additionally, meditation contributes to the rewiring of neural networks. Consistent practice enhances neuroplasticity, enabling the brain to form new, healthier neural pathways that replace trauma-driven patterns.

As this awareness deepens, integration becomes more attainable. The ability to integrate past trauma and respond to triggers with greater skill, rather than reactively, becomes more natural, promoting a sense of healing and empowerment.

In conclusion

Meditation offers a powerful, accessible tool for healing from trauma. Cultivating present-moment awareness and strengthening the mind-body connection helps regulate the nervous system and process traumatic experiences. While the recovery journey takes time and patience, even short, consistent meditation practice can lead to meaningful changes. Combined with appropriate support and complementary practices, meditation can play a vital role in reclaiming wellbeing after trauma.

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