Have you heard of trauma responses?

The four trauma responses—fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—are survival mechanisms triggered by the nervous system in response to perceived danger or stress. Here’s a fun way to remember them using beloved holiday characters:

If you’re interested in learning which Holiday Alter Ego you are, I invite you to take this quiz CLICK HERE.

Below is a quick summary of each:

Fight (The Grinch): This response involves aggression or confrontation to eliminate the threat. Like the Grinch, it may manifest as anger, irritability, or attempts to control others and situations to regain a sense of safety. CLICK HERE to explore common symptoms to watch for and access a brain-based tutorial on how to effectively self-soothe the fight trauma response.

Flight (*Kevin McCallister from Home Alone): This response focuses on escaping or avoiding the threat. Kevin embodies this with his quick thinking, constant movement, and efforts to stay a step ahead of danger. CLICK HERE to explore common symptoms to watch for and access a brain-based tutorial on how to effectively self-soothe the flight trauma response.

Freeze (Frosty the Snowman): This is a state of immobility or dissociation when neither fighting nor fleeing feels possible. Frosty, standing still and detached, reflects this state of being physically present but emotionally or mentally “frozen.” CLICK HERE to explore common symptoms to watch for and access a brain-based tutorial on how to effectively self-soothe the freeze trauma response.

Fawn (Buddy the Elf): This response involves appeasing or pleasing others to diffuse potential harm. Buddy demonstrates this with his over-the-top eagerness to please, accommodate, and seek connection, even at his own expense. CLICK HERE to explore common symptoms to watch for and access a brain-based tutorial on how to effectively self-soothe the fawn trauma response.

Each response is rooted in the body’s instinctive need for safety and can vary based on an individual’s experiences and coping mechanisms. These characters make it easier to visualize and understand the responses in action!