Tammy Adler Foeller asks a question many trauma survivors know well: If I understand what happened, why can't I just move on? She explains how trauma can keep the brain's alarm system on high alert, why reasoning becomes harder in survival mode, and why safety, regulation, and trustworthy relationships matter.

Tammy Adler Foeller learned through her daughter's addiction that recovery was not only about stopping substance use. Isolation often came first, and connection mattered. She explains why trust after trauma cannot be demanded - it is earned through small, dependable moments and people who keep showing up.

Vital Voyage September Author of the Month: Tammy Adler Foeller once believed trauma belonged to other people. Studying trauma through her recovery work led her to recognize inherited patterns of caretaking, conflict avoidance, and hyper-responsibility in her own life - and to understand how family silence can shape the next generation.