Trauma-Informed Care – Compassionate Healing for Mind and Body
The Mind-Body Connection in Healing
At Mid-Valley Chiropractic Allied Health Sciences, we recognize that trauma is not limited by age, background, or experience. It can touch anyone — of any race, religion, nationality, or socioeconomic circumstance — and its effects often extend far beyond the event itself. Trauma can live within the body, influencing posture, muscle tone, pain perception, and even the way we breathe. Our mission is to provide an environment of safety, dignity, and understanding where every patient can begin to reconnect with their body and reclaim comfort in movement.
Historically, medical management of trauma focused primarily on psychological therapy. Yet modern research — most notably by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score — has revealed that trauma is not only emotional or mental, but deeply somatic. He writes: “Trauma is not just a story; it is the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside the body.” Our approach embraces this truth: the body remembers, and therefore, the body must be included in healing.
Touch as a Pathway to Regulation and Recovery
In trauma-informed chiropractic and allied manual therapy, touch is never assumed — it is invited. Both Dr. Marisa Aptecker and Dr. Gabriel Wilson are trained to recognize and support the unique challenges that trauma survivors may face when receiving physical treatment. They understand that for some individuals, manual therapy may initially feel vulnerable, and that compassionate pacing, transparency, and consent are essential parts of care.
Chiropractic and therapeutic massage can play a remarkable role in restoring a sense of safety within the body. Dr. van der Kolk describes this as the process of learning to “live in a body that can move in response to being moved.” Through gentle, guided treatment, patients can begin to re-establish healthy sensory feedback, reduce muscle tension, and rediscover ease of movement — all crucial components of nervous system regulation and emotional stability.
A Clinical and Compassionate Framework
Our providers are deeply educated in the latest trauma-informed care research and industry-leading literature, allowing them to tailor care to each individual’s readiness, boundaries, and comfort level. Treatments are carefully coordinated between chiropractic and medical massage therapy, fostering continuity and trust between clinician and patient.
Interventions may include gentle manual adjustments, interferential or soft-tissue therapies, rehabilitative movement, and guided breathing or posture retraining. Each session is designed not only to address structural pain and dysfunction but also to promote a sense of grounding and embodiment. Over time, this integrated approach helps the nervous system shift from survival to recovery.
Releasing What the Body Remembers
Untreated trauma often manifests physically — as chronic pain, muscular tension, fatigue, insomnia, or digestive issues. When pain is persistent, it can erode emotional resilience, reduce sleep quality, and perpetuate the stress cycle. Our multimodal model blends physical care with lifestyle support: ergonomic education, stretching guidance, and evidence-based self-care strategies that empower patients to continue healing outside the treatment room.
“The body keeps the score,” writes Dr. van der Kolk. “If trauma is encoded in muscle tension and anxiety, then the body must be involved in the healing process.” This philosophy is the foundation of our trauma-informed care — recognizing that recovery is not simply an outcome but a relationship between trust, science, and the body’s innate ability to restore itself.
A Safe Space for Every Patient
These conversations are not always easy — and that is precisely why they are worth having. Survivors of trauma deserve compassionate, evidence-driven healthcare that honors their boundaries and their stories. Our clinic is proud to be a leader in trauma-informed chiropractic and allied care, providing a model of practice that is both clinically excellent and deeply humane.
Whether you are rebuilding from a recent traumatic event or living with the long-term effects of unresolved stress and pain, our team is here to walk beside you — with care, patience, and respect.