The Truth About Childhood Trauma & How to Finally Heal — With California’s 1st Surgeon General

This episode will change the way you think about your childhood. Today, we’re joined by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s first Surgeon General, pediatrician, and author of The Deepest Well. Her groundbreaking work on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has transformed how millions understand health, trauma, and resilience. She breaks down how childhood experiences can shape your brain, body, and health— and why even subtle moments from the past can leave a lasting mark. You’ll learn simple, proven tools she uses with patients (and in her own life) to heal, manage stress, and break old patterns. By the end, you’ll see your past— and your future— in a whole new way. If you’ve ever wondered why certain challenges keep coming back, this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 Trailer 01:05 Intro 02:05 How Dr. Nadine Burke Harris discovered her calling in ACEs research 03:40 The case of a 7-year-old that changed her medical career 06:34 What are ACEs and why they matter for lifelong health 09:47 How toxic stress rewires the brain and body 14:02 Screening for ACEs and what the data reveals 15:27 Protective factors that heal and build resilience 18:03 Recognizing your own ACEs and their impact on relationships 20:22 You’re not broken, but you are vulnerable 21:42 Top healing practices including therapy, mindfulness, and EMDR 27:30 The cumulative health risks of multiple ACEs 35:30 Why ACEs are a public health crisis costing trillions 43:33 How California screened millions for ACEs 47:20 Breaking intergenerational cycles through early intervention 49:07 From TED Talk to bestselling book The Deepest Well 53:19 Final advice: have empathy for yourself and embrace vulnerability 54:33 Outro Explore more of Dr. Nadine Burke Harris’s work: Facebook:   / nadineburkeharris   Instagram:   / drburkeharris   Threads: https://www.threads.com/@drburkeharris LinkedIn:   / drburkeharris   YouTube:    / @drburkeharris   Get 30 Days Free on Aura at: https://www.aurahealth.io/podcast30 Join 8 million+ using Aura to find peace & transform their lives today. Code auto-applied at checkout. 🎧 Listen & Subscribe here! Youtube:    / @lightwithinpodcast   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3bagyeh... 💌 Want new episode drops, expert mental health tips, and wellness wisdom straight to your inbox? Subscribe to the Light Within newsletter here: https://www.aurahealth.io/lightwithin... 📲 Follow us here: Instagram:   / lightwithinpodcast   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lightwithinpo... Connect with Steve & Daniel: Steve’s Instagram:   / stevewithlight   Daniel’s Instagram:   / danielwithaura