Trauma, Memory, and Perception

with John Wilks

The way we perceive an event—whether it feels traumatic or not—depends largely on the context, our personal interpretation, and how we can make sense of the experience. Research on pain perception reveals that the intensity and duration of pain are influenced by the meaning we attach to it and our previous experiences with similar sensations.

But how does this apply to babies, who you could argue have far less experience and context to process and understand the world around them? How do they perceive prenatal and perinatal events, and what implications does this have for their potential to form traumatic imprints?

In this class, John will explore how babies perceive early life experiences, including events in the womb and during birth, and discuss the factors that influence whether these experiences may lead to trauma. Join us to learn about the fascinating intersection of trauma, memory, and perception in the earliest stages of life.