OAND Annual Conference: How Biography Becomes Biology: The Role of Trauma in Chronic Disease

Dis-ease tells a story, not just of the cells (biology) but of the self (biography).  We need to listen to, and integrate, both stories in our clinical care. 

Stress is a contributing factor in illness. The latest research is confirming and expanding on this idea in ways that can, and should, revolutionize our treatment of chronic disease.

Research into the impact of childhood trauma on adult disease reveals a deeper relationship than previously recognized between adverse childhood events, stress and trauma and chronic diseases in adulthood.  Biography can and does influence our biology. There is a growing realization of the critical importance of effectivelyand skillfully integrating this knowledge into the practice of medicine.

In this presentation, I will explain the theories and current research regarding how biography becomes biology, describe a practical process for “connecting the cell and the self” in clinical practice and apply those concepts to the treatment of people with chronic diseases.

The essence of this presentation is that in our approach to treatment, there is a need to heal the biography and cure the biology – emphasizing that it is not either or, we need both.  In fact, when we heal the biography, often we unlock the cure (by finding a missing puzzle piece) for the biology.

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