Healing Trauma- Integrating Lived Experience & Research Dr. Karestan Koenen

EPISODE CONTENT WARNINGS: Rape, Sexual Assault, and Institutional Medical Trauma are topics and themes that arise throughout the episode,

7:07 - Mentions a personal experience of rape and institutional trauma

This week, Jenn is joined by a special guest, Dr. Karestan Koenen, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology at Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Institute Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Director of Broad Trauma Initiative. Dr. Koenen is not just a Harvard scientist and trauma researcher, but is also a survivor herself, dedicated to transforming how we understand healing and resilience. In this episode Dr. Koenen shares how her work is shaped by both rigorous science and her own lived experience of sexual assault and institutional trauma during her time in the Peace Corps. She shares how her own healing journey led her into studying how trauma becomes biologically embedded, influencing long-term physical and mental health, while emphasizing that these outcomes are not fixed and can be mitigated through intervention and support.

This episode weaves together the emphasis of hard research on trauma’s impact—from chronic illness to epigenetics—with a strong regard for honoring individual experience, intuition, and ancient embodied practices alongside data. Together, Jenn and Dr. Koenen explore the importance of integrating science with lived knowledge, challenging stigma, and expanding access to healing beyond traditional clinical settings, ultimately highlighting how the ways trauma is responded to by individuals, systems, and communities, plays a crucial role in shaping recovery.

To learn more about Dr. Koenen and her research and work at Harvard, head to hsph.harvard.edu/research/population-mental-health-lab/ 🧠 You can check out Dr. Koenen's book 'Treating Survivors of Childhood Abuse and Interpersonal Trauma: STAIR Narrative Therapy' amazon.com/Treating-Survivors-Childhood-Interpersonal-Trauma/dp/1462543286

Go to healwithcfte.org/podcast for more information about the show, todays guest, The Center For Trauma and Embodiment and your host Jenn Turner, LMHC. Follow us on instagram instagram.com/ontraumaandpower @ontraumaandpower and instagram.com/healwithcfte @healwithcfte and stay updated on future episodes! 💜 ________________________________________________________

On Trauma and Power is edited and produced by E Ragonese at the Center For Trauma and Embodiment. To learn more about CFTE, head to healwithcfte.org.

Copyright Credit: Center For Trauma and Embodiment 2026