Episode 6: Gabor Maté and the Trauma-Informed Brain
- Georgina Brown (hershe)
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
It’s not “bad behaviour” – it’s biology.
We unpack Maté’s approach to trauma and stress and show how nervous-system literacy can create safer, more resilient workplaces.
What if the “problem behaviours” we see at work aren’t a failure of character or willpower—but a nervous system screaming for help?
Enter: Dr Gabor Maté, physician, trauma expert, and compassionate revolutionary.
Maté flips the script on how we understand stress, addiction, and “bad behaviour.”It’s not about blame or punishment. It’s about biology: how early life experiences and trauma shape the brain’s wiring and the nervous system’s responses.
Sounds soft? Neuroscience backs him up: unresolved trauma hijacks the nervous system, keeping people stuck in fight, flight, or freeze. That’s not dysfunction—it’s survival.
At BARDO Inclusive, we call that nervous-system literacy.
The Science Bit: Trauma Shapes Brain, Behaviour, and Belonging
Maté explains that trauma isn’t just extreme events. It’s often the invisible, everyday emotional neglect or stress that rewires brain development and disrupts nervous system regulation.
This creates a brain on alert:
Overactive amygdala (threat detector)
Underused prefrontal cortex (self-regulation, empathy, reflection)
A body stuck in chronic stress mode
People respond with what looks like “bad behaviour” — but it’s really biology coping with chaos.
Trauma-informed approaches don’t ask, “What’s wrong with you?” but “What happened to you?” and “How can we create safety now?”
“Love is not an optional extra — it’s essential for brain development.” – Gabor Maté
How Trauma-Informed Thinking Supports the NIMM
Within the Neuro-Inclusive Maturity Model, trauma-informed practice is a foundation for:
Neuroscience-Informed — understanding the brain’s survival wiring
Trust-Building — creating environments where nervous systems can relax
Mindset-Shifting — moving from blame to curiosity and care
Maté’s work challenges organisations to look beyond policy and training to the lived emotional reality of staff.
Inclusion isn’t just a checkbox, it’s about real emotional safety and nervous system regulation that lets people bring their full selves.
Real Inclusion Requires Nervous-System Literacy
Leaders and teams who understand trauma create workplaces that:
Recognise stress signals early
Avoid triggering shame or defensiveness
Build psychological safety that fosters resilience
This is a new kind of leadership muscle: compassion with boundaries, curiosity without judgement.
It’s messy, human, and deeply transformative.
Try This: A Trauma-Informed Micro-Practice for Your Next Team Check-In
Start by inviting everyone to briefly name how they’re feeling—no pressure to explain.
Practice active listening without fixing or problem-solving.
Notice if anyone’s nervous system is hijacking the conversation (e.g., defensiveness, withdrawal).
Offer empathy first: “That sounds really tough” or “Thank you for sharing.”
Reflect on how this shifts the team dynamic — more calm, more connection, less fight or freeze.
“Not all wounds are visible. The first step to healing is to recognise that.” – Gabor Maté
Want More Maté? Start Here:
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts – his classic on addiction and trauma.
Scattered Minds – a compassionate look at ADHD as trauma and stress response.
When the Body Says No – exploring how stress impacts physical illness.
Reflect:
Where in your organisation do people feel triggered rather than heard?
How could a trauma-informed approach reduce conflict and increase trust?
Next Up in the Series:
Episode 7: Bayo Akomolafe: Inclusion Isn’t a Fix. It’s a Rewilding of How We See This is not your corporate D&I training. In this poetic deep-dive, we explore Bayo’s idea that inclusion isn’t a box to tick, but a complete reshaping of worldview.
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