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Transforming Trauma is a podcast about individuals and communities thriving after Complex Trauma. In a modern world beset by trauma and a legacy of suffering, conflict and disconnection, healing trauma can serve as a vehicle for personal and social transformation.  Listeners will be introduced to the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), a revolutionary approach for healing Complex Trauma (C-PTSD) and restoring connection to self and others. Interviews with NARM Therapists, and other prominent trauma specialists, will highlight how NARM fills a missing gap in our current efforts to address the legacy of childhood, cultural and intergenerational trauma.  These leaders in the Trauma-Informed Care movement will guide listeners through the diverse ways NARM is applied to support individuals, couples, families and communities in order to actualize Post-Traumatic Growth. Whether you are a healthcare professional, an educator, a parent, a public policy maker, a trauma survivor, or someone interested in personal healing and social justice; this podcast will provide you with a map for increased resiliency, greater health outcomes, healthier relationships, personal growth and social change through transforming trauma.

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  2. Beyond Disorder: Redefining Identity, Meaning, and Healing with Dr. David Puder

Beyond Disorder: Redefining Identity, Meaning, and Healing with Dr. David Puder

Oct 23, 2025

“The work we do is meaningful, sometimes difficult, but it's the best work to do.” - Dr. David Puder


On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily Ruth welcomes psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr. David Puder to explore the clinical realities of complex trauma and the slow, often gritty path toward healing. Drawing on decades of hospital and outpatient experience, Dr. Puder offers candor and practical wisdom for clinicians and caring professionals who feel the weight of this work.

The pair discuss how complex developmental trauma shows up as dissociation and psychogenic symptoms rather than classic shock-based PTSD, how medical identities can eclipse a person’s strengths, and ways to help families shift out of illness-based roles. You’ll hear how dreams and creative writing can reveal disavowed material, why rare countertransference reactions are clinical clues, and how therapist reflective function — the ability to make meaning of inner reactions — predicts treatment impact. Dr. Puder also explains practical tools he developed, including a Connection Index for clinical teams, and offers concrete examples of converting medical patients into psychotherapy patients so they can reclaim agency and a life beyond diagnosis.


We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app.

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SPACE:

SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join.

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The Complex Trauma Training Center:
https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com

View upcoming trainings:
https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/

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The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care.

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