How Does Trauma Affect the Brain? What Faith and Science Say About the First Step Toward Healing

Some of us learned how to survive long before we learned how to feel safe. We learned to scan the room for danger before we learned to speak in full sentences. Some of us became hyperaware, guarded, reactive—not because we were bad, but because our brains were trying to protect us. At the time, that wiring may have saved us. But later in life, it often left us stuck in patterns that no longer served us. And yet, here’s the good news—the brain can change; not only does science confirm it, but Scripture reminds us: transformation is real. 

Neuroplasticity is our brain’s built-in ability to adapt, repair, and rewire. It’s how we learn, how we grow, how we heal. The very way our brains are built echoes God’s design for growth and renewal. Romans 12:2 tells us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” 

It turns out that’s not just a metaphor. Science now shows that the mind truly can be renewed—biologically, structurally, functionally. When we encounter new patterns—healthy relationships, truth-filled environments, consistent love and safety—our brains begin to form new pathways. And when those new pathways are walked repeatedly, they become stronger. Eventually, they become default. 

However, short of a miracle, healing doesn’t usually happen in a flash, and definitely not by accident.  Healing happens in secure relationships where we can take time to notice our knee-jerk reactions and be curious about whether there is a better way to respond.  It is a slow, step-by-step process of learning to trust ourselves - and others – again. Progress isn’t always linear, and we can take the proverbial two steps forward and three steps back. We may still fall back into old patterns—that’s normal.  But hope is found in Philippians 1:6 where Paul reminds us, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” 

Neuroplasticity is God’s real-world application of His promise that renewal can happen, change is possible, old things can become new, and God is still working 

Research shows that people who’ve lived through early trauma often have overactive amygdalas (the brain’s alarm system) and underactive prefrontal cortices (responsible for regulation and reasoning). That mismatch can create intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, or chronic anxiety. It can look like rebellion or immaturity on the outside. But inside, it’s a nervous system doing what it was trained to do: stay alive. 

That wiring may have been formed in hardship, but it can be reshaped in love. But our brains don’t rewire on willpower alone, they heal in the context of relationships—through trust, consistency, gentleness, and presence. In that way, the healing of the brain echoes the heart of the Gospel: we are not meant to heal alone. Galatians 6:2 tells us, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” 

Neuroplasticity makes that possible on a biological level; grace makes it possible on a spiritual one.  

This post is only the first step in a series about healing the brain and the heart. And the first truth we rest on is this: 

Change is possible. Not because we’re strong, but because God is. Healing isn’t quick, but it's real. 

We are wonderfully made—and by God’s mercy, we are also wonderfully remade. 

“Survival may have shaped our brains. But Scripture, science, and grace all agree: healing can reshape them too.” 

References

Thompson, C. (2010). Anatomy of the soul: Surprising connections between neuroscience and spiritual practices that can transform your life and relationships. Tyndale House Publishers. 

Teicher, M. H., & Samson, J. A. (2016). Annual research review: Enduring neurobiological effects of childhood abuse and neglect. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57(3), 241–266. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12507 

Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012). Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being. Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689–695. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.3093 

McMinn, M. R., & Campbell, C. D. (2007). Integrative psychotherapy: Toward a comprehensive Christian approach. IVP Academic.