776. Embodied Trauma Work in Times of War - With Kateryna Timakina

In this episode, I speak with Ukrainian psychologist and trauma trainer Kateryna about what it means to practice embodiment, resilience, and trauma-informed care while living through the ongoing reality of war. Drawing on four years of frontline experience training therapists, healthcare professionals, lawyers, veterans, and humanitarian workers, Kateryna shares what she's learned about supporting others when safety is not something that can simply be restored.

We explore what this means for coaches and therapists, examining the challenge of working with nervous systems that cannot fully leave survival mode. Kateryna reflects on the limits of conventional trauma models in the context of prolonged crisis, why self-regulation must become an everyday practice rather than a one-off intervention, and how embodiment helps practitioners stay connected to themselves while continuing to serve others. Together, we discuss burnout, sustainable helping, and the importance of building capacity rather than waiting for ideal conditions.

The conversation also explores the personal impact of growing up professionally in the midst of war, the relationship between meaning and resilience, and how purpose can become one of our greatest psychological resources. Mark brings both warmth and curiosity to the discussion, asking how years of witnessing suffering, loss, and moral complexity have shaped Kateryna not only as a trauma specialist, but as a human being.

Along the way, we discuss trauma-informed communication, working with veterans, the importance of community in recovery, the realities of long-term humanitarian work, and why embodiment offers more than regulation alone—it provides an anchor for meaning, connection, and the capacity to remain fully human in the most challenging of circumstances.

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