Not Every Growth Phase Feels Like Growth
Not Every Growth Phase Feels Like Growth  
Podcast: The Wired for Well-Being Podcast
Published On: Sat Jul 25 2026
Description: Discover your free gift from Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein at drjeffreyrutstein.com/links — a 20-minute video on nervous system states and the practices that can help you find regulation. Want to leave a question? Call 866-357-5156 There's a voice that shows up the moment things get quiet — the one that says you're behind, or worse, that you've lost ground you already fought for in your healing journey. Old patterns creep back in, and what looks like burnout or nervous system dysregulation gets quietly relabeled as personal failure. Before you've caught your breath, you're building a case against yourself: I should be further than this by now. That voice isn't measuring your emotional healing or your progress toward nervous system regulation — it's shame, running an old script about safety, worth, and how much room you're allowed to take up while you heal. In this episode of Wired for Well-Being, psychologist, trauma expert, and polyvagal theory specialist Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein explores why growth in trauma recovery rarely moves in a straight line. He and producer Stephen Lessard unpack the different faces growth can take for trauma survivors — and why the moments that feel most like failure often aren't. Drawing on shame research and years of trauma-informed clinical work, Jeffrey walks through the difference between a natural plateau, a genuine setback, and the fear and shame that can masquerade as either one. He explains what's happening in the nervous system during each phase, and how trauma survivors in particular get caught confusing self-protection with self-sabotage. This episode is for anyone who's judged themselves for not growing fast enough, or for landing back in an old pattern they thought they'd already left behind. Have a question for Jeffrey? Leave a voicemail at 866-357-5156. If you can't reach that number, record a voice memo or email hello@drjeffreyrutstein.com. Discover your free gift from Dr. Jeffrey Rutstein. Find it at drjeffreyrutstein.com/links. The content in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional mental health advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical or mental health concerns.