In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Avik sits down with Dr. Caroline Crocker to unpack what “unforgivable” feels like through a child’s eyes. They explore childhood trauma, shame, grief, and the hidden ways pain rewires identity. Caroline shares a deeply personal story about her father’s Holocaust-era childhood and how trauma can silently shape families for generations. You will also hear practical, grounded steps for healing, like naming one truth, finding one safe witness, and building nervous system safety without forcing a “quick fix.” This conversation is for anyone navigating PTSD, intergenerational trauma, emotional healing, and mental health recovery.
About the Guest:
Dr. Caroline Crocker is an international speaker, multi-genre author, and storyteller. She has a background as a microbiologist, immunologist, medical researcher, professor, nonprofit founder, and tech startup CEO. As the daughter and granddaughter of World War II survivors, she writes and speaks on trauma, survival, and how painful history can echo through families.
Key Takeaways:
Childhood trauma can feel “unforgivable” because kids process danger through fear, rage, numbness, and shutdown, not adult logic.
Survivors often internalize blame, believing they are “unforgivable”, which fuels shame, silence, and self-sabotage.
Trauma echoes through generations via learned rules like hypervigilance, food hoarding, and emotional disconnection, even when no one names the root cause.
A single memory can define a lifetime, like a child being unable to save a friend, and the grief resurfacing decades later.
What looks like “rebellion” or “acting out” can be an intelligent survival strategy for an unsafe home or institution.
Forgiveness is framed as a practical tool for forward movement, not instant forgetting or excusing harm.
Healing benefits from sharing the story with one safe witness, a friend, therapist, support group, or helpline, to break isolation and reality-check shame.
Notice family beliefs you inherited, especially fear-based messages about safety, trust, or relationships, and choose new scripts.
Focus on daily regulation, small moments of beauty, breath, nature, and kindness, to retrain the nervous system toward safety.
One concrete next step: write one honest sentence about what still affects you, then share a small piece of it with someone safe within a week.
How Listeners Can Connect With the Guest:
Website: https://ramblingruminations.com/
Facebook
Best starting point: Use the website to learn more and contact her from there.
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Disclaimer: This video is for educational and informational purposes only. The views expressed are the personal opinions of the guest and do not reflect the views of the host or Healthy Mind By Avik™️. We do not intend to harm, defame, or discredit any person, organization, brand, product, country, or profession mentioned. All third-party media used remain the property of their respective owners and are used under fair use for informational purposes. By watching, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer.
Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it’s become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty. storyteller, survivor, wellness advocate. this channel shares powerful podcasts and soul-nurturing conversations on:
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