I began my human services career working with children who had experienced abuse and neglect, and went on to work with individuals with chronic illnesses, families who recently arrived to the US, individuals who incurred disabilities from work in unregulated industrial factories, and those with other concerns including housing instability and chemical dependency. Many of the clients I worked and continue working with have experienced acute or chronic stressors or traumas, which resulted in significant anxiety, hyper-vigilance, and feelings of overwhelm, even in everyday situations. Trauma can also be more subtle, due to a chronic lack of validation or acceptance from caregivers or peers at important developmental stages. Both acute trauma or chronic stress can lead to nervous system dysregulation. Stress hormones prepare us for a fight or flight response, which served an evolutionary purpose for thousands of years. Our distant ancestors might have mobilized biological resources, activated by the sympathetic nervous system, to protect themselves from environmental threats. Threats were time limited, with clear endpoints, and then the parasympathetic nervous system would allow for physical and mental relaxation. In the 2020s, actual and perceived threats and stressors- social injustices, environmental crises, political and economic instability, professional demands, to name a few- are pervasive and ongoing, making it harder to switch off our biological fight or flight response, whether or not it is actually helpful past a certain point. This response is amplified for those of us who may have witnessed or experienced trauma- whether due to a chronic lack of acceptance, bullying, or abuse and violence. I invite you to discuss medication and non- medication options options to help manage the psychological, emotional, cognitive, & interpersonal impacts of trauma.