Photosynthesis of Stress: How Trauma Alters Body and Brain and Leaders’ Performance
- Dec 22, 2025
- 2 min read
By Dr. Teranda Knight, DBH, IBHL
Series: Roots of Resilience
Stress Isn’t Just Emotional: It’s Biochemical
Under chronic stress and trauma, cortisol and adrenaline don’t just spike and disappear; they linger, reshaping sleep cycles, immune function, and cardiovascular risk (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d.; Medical News Bulletin, 2025). These changes affect the neural circuits leaders rely on for focus, memory, and executive function (Schnurr et al., 2021).
The Physiology Explained
The HPA Axis: Your Stress Thermostat
Persistent stress dysregulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, heightening pain sensitivity and fueling chronic conditions (Medical News Bulletin, 2025). This overload compromises decision-making and attention.
Trauma and Physical Health
PTSD is linked to increased healthcare utilization, chronic disease burden, and approximately 30% higher mortality risk, often through external causes such as accidents or substance use (Schnurr et al., 2021).
Your nervous system is not a suggestion box. If you ask it to sprint a marathon daily, it will file a complaint in pain, fog, and decision fatigue.
Leadership Impact
Stress manifests as attention lapses, working memory issues, emotional dysregulation, and decision fatigue predictors of productivity loss and absenteeism (Psychology Today, 2024). Low psychological safety compounds stress, creating institutional betrayal and lowering job commitment (Geffner, 2025).
Plant of Leadership Interventions
The Plant of Leadership framework buffers the body-brain system through:
Rhythm: Structured recovery cycles, sleep hygiene, and oxygenation breaks.
Nutrients: Peer debriefs, coaching cadence, and clarity briefs to reduce cognitive overload.
Regulated Teams: Psychological safety and trauma-informed practices that lower burnout and turnover (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2014).
Micro-Practices
Three-Breath Reset: Inhale 4, exhale 6; relax shoulders; set intention.
Debrief in Pairs: Quick reflection after high-stakes decisions.
Sleep & Screen Protocol: 90-minute device cutoff before bed.
Think of your phone as a tiny stress sprinkler. At night, turn it off so your brain can grow roots, not weeds.
Call to Action
Download the Leader Rhythms Tracker to monitor stress-recovery cycles and embed micro-practices in your day. Comment RHYTHM for your free access to the tracker.
References
Geffner, C. J. (2025, April 18). Understanding trauma-informed leadership. Forbes Coaches Council. https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2025/04/18/understanding-trauma-informed-leadership/
Medical News Bulletin. (2025, April 23). The connection between trauma and physical health. https://medicalnewsbulletin.com/the-connection-between-trauma-and-physical-health/
Psychology Today. (2024, April). Transcending trauma: A leader’s keys to empowering employees. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/real-healing/202404/transcending-trauma-a-leaders-keys-to-empowering-employees
Schnurr, P. P., Wachen, J. S., Green, B. L., & Kaltman, S. (2021). Trauma exposure, PTSD, and physical health. In M. J. Friedman, P. P. Schnurr, & T. M. Keane (Eds.), Handbook of PTSD: Science and practice (3rd ed., pp. 462–479). Guilford Press.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). TIP 57—Trauma-informed care in behavioral health
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD. (n.d.). Trauma, PTSD, and physical health. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/cooccurring/ptsd_physical_health.asp
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