“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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Trauma isn't just an event—it’s a complex, living pattern woven through our bodies, minds, and relationships. What if the path to healing isn’t about breaking down defenses or pushing past resistance, but about honoring those very protections as parts of our whole self?

Shai Lavie’s journey illuminates this radical shift. As a Hakomi and Somatic Experiencing therapist, Shai learned that trauma work flourishes when we stop battling our clients’ “barriers” and instead bring curiosity and compassion to every part of their experience—even the parts that resist change. Imagine your nervous system not as a malfunctioning engine to be fixed, but as a profound intelligence signaling what it needs to survive and adapt.

In practice, this means holding space for a client’s “resistance”, listening deeply to these “barriers” with genuine inquiry: “What wisdom might be present here? What story is this body telling me?” Such an approach transforms therapy from a power struggle into a collaborative voyage, where client and therapist become co-captains rowing in harmony, not opposition.

This relational, respectful method aligns beautifully with the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®) principles—where healing happens in connection, at the client’s pace, and through mindful presence. It invites us all, as therapists and healers, to recalibrate our role: to cultivate safety not by conquering defenses, but by embracing them, fostering agency within the authentic self.

If you’re a mental health professional eager to deepen your understanding of complex trauma and transform your therapeutic practice, we invite you to explore the upcoming NARM Therapist Trainings at the Complex Trauma Training Center. Join a community committed to growing both professionally and personally—where we learn that healing is not about fighting against our adaptive Self, but reconnecting with the resilient, compassionate, authentic Self.

Chances are, you may be familiar with Dr. Judith Lewis Herman, the legendary psychiatrist, researcher, teacher, and author. Five decades into her esteemed career, Dr. Herman continues to produce innovative work in sexual trauma and Complex PTSD. But you might not know Judith Herman, the daughter, mother, grandmother, and activist.

On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily Ruth is honored to welcome back Dr. Judith Lewis Herman for an illuminating conversation on the life experiences and enduring connections that have shaped her public and private life. The pair also explores the positive impact that activism and affiliation with others can have on those who’ve experienced trauma, and why adopting an active coping strategy is one of the best predictors of recovery.

About Judith Lewis Herman, M.D.:

Judith Lewis Herman, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry (part time) at Harvard Medical School. For thirty years, until she retired, she was Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program at The Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Herman is the author of the award-winning books: Father-Daughter Incest (Harvard University Press, 1981) and Trauma and Recovery (Basic Books, 1992).

To read the full show notes and discover more resources, visit https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/transformingtrauma

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.

***

The Complex Trauma Training Center:

https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com

View upcoming trainings:

https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/

***

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.

We want to connect with you!

Facebook @complextraumatrainingcenter

Instagram @cttc_training

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