The Science Behind TRTP: How It Works With the Brain and Nervous System

Becky Merka
May 5
4 min read

You’ve probably heard by now that trauma isn’t just in your head. It’s stored in your body — especially in your nervous system — and it shapes how you react, think, and feel long after the trauma is over.

But how does The Richards Trauma Process (TRTP) actually help change that?

Today, we’re diving into the science behind TRTP — in plain English. No complicated jargon, no PhD required. Just a clear explanation of how TRTP works with your brain and body to help you feel safe, calm, and in control again.

Let’s Start With the Basics: What Happens to the Brain During Trauma?

When you go through something traumatic — whether it’s a one-time event like a car accident or long-term stress like childhood neglect — your brain kicks into survival mode.

Here’s what happens:

The amygdala (your brain’s alarm system) goes into overdrive.
The hippocampus (your memory center) can get overwhelmed or shut down.
The prefrontal cortex (your thinking, logical brain) takes a backseat.

This is great in the moment — it helps you survive. But long after the event, your brain and body can get stuck in that same fear-based mode. You stay on high alert. Your body is flooded with stress hormones. And your subconscious keeps acting like you’re still in danger.

That’s why you might feel jumpy, anxious, reactive, shut down, or unable to relax — even if your life looks “normal” on the outside.

Enter TRTP: Helping the Brain “Update the File”

Imagine your subconscious brain has a trauma file open, and that file is stuck. Every time something reminds you of the trauma — a sound, a smell, a tone of voice — that file gets pulled up again.

TRTP’s job is to help your brain realize:

“This is over. I survived. I’m safe now.”

It doesn’t do that through talking. It does it by gently working with the subconscious mind — the part of your brain that holds emotional memory and automatic reactions — to update the trauma file.

How TRTP Works With Your Nervous System

Your nervous system is basically your body’s communication highway. It tells you when to gear up (fight/flight) and when to chill out (rest/digest).

When trauma hits, your nervous system gets stuck in “on” mode — hyper-alert, anxious, or frozen. Over time, that wears you down and keeps you from feeling safe or at ease.

TRTP helps your nervous system return to its natural rhythm by:

Creating a sense of safety: Through guided, calm processes, you feel safe in your body again.
Ending the loop: Once your brain knows the trauma is resolved, the body can stop reacting like it’s still happening.
Restoring regulation: You can shift from chronic stress or shutdown into a state where you can connect, think clearly, and feel.

Why It Works: The Power of the Subconscious

Here’s a truth many people don’t realize: trauma is stored in the subconscious.

That means you can’t “think” your way out of it. You can’t logic your way to calm. That’s why talk therapy alone doesn’t always work for trauma — it’s working with the conscious mind, when the trauma is buried deeper.

TRTP helps you access that deeper layer safely, so you can:

Change the emotional charge around the memory
Reframe the experience from a place of strength
Create new subconscious beliefs like “I’m safe” and “I’m in control now”

And the best part? You don’t have to re-live the trauma to do it. You just have to allow your mind and body to reset.

What Makes TRTP Different (And Effective)

Let’s be honest — there are a lot of trauma treatments out there. So what sets TRTP apart?

✅ It’s fast – Most clients see major shifts in 3-5 sessions.

✅ It’s gentle – You don’t have to rehash trauma or re-experience the pain.

✅ It’s science-backed – TRTP aligns with current neuroscience and trauma research.

✅ It’s deep – It goes beyond the conscious mind into where trauma really lives.

✅ It’s empowering – You walk away with a sense of peace, control, and confidence.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not “All In Your Head” — But It Can Be Healed

If you’ve been feeling like your brain and body are working against you — like you’re stuck in a loop of anxiety, overwhelm, or shutdown — know this: you’re not broken.

Your nervous system is just doing its best to protect you based on what it’s been through.

But with the right process — one that works with your brain and body, not against them — you can finally break the cycle. You can feel safe again. You can feel like yourself again.

That’s what TRTP is here for. And that’s what we’re here for at Merka Wellness.

Want to learn more about how TRTP works with your brain and body?