Shock is Survival. Shifting the Brain Demands Early Intervention.
A Note Before You Read:
What I’m about to share may be uncomfortable for some. It might brush up against old bruises or even trigger fresh ones.
I invite you to read my words carefully—and stay with me.
I’m not writing this to provoke, criticize, or sensationalize.
I’m writing because it’s time we shift the way we attend to, talk about—and understand—situations just like this.
The Truth About Shock and How to Shift
This weekend in Vancouver, BC, during Lapu-Lapu Day a Filipino cultural festival, a car speed into a group of pedestrians.
It was sudden. Violent. Shocking.
By morning, the headlines had already appeared:
"Our hearts are with the victims."
"We send our thoughts and prayers."
We mean well when we say these things. But if you've ever been in shock—real, bone-deep shock—you know: Words like these don't reach the places that hurt most.
Shock is not just emotional. It’s biological.
It imprints instantly, deep into the brain and body, whether we want it to or not.
This is survival at work—and survival is not weakness. But what we call "resilience" in our culture is often just endurance. We praise people for pushing through while their nervous systems silently shatter inside.
Today, more than ever, I urge you to stop offering hollow words—instead, I invite you to dig a little deeper and understand the real impact of unprocessed shock in our communities. Because surviving is not thriving. And thriving doesn't happen by accident. It happens by choice—a choice we all can make when we open up to a different way of attending to traumatic events.
Shock Is Biological, Not Weakness
When something traumatic happens—like the crash this weekend in Vancouver—the body and brain react instantly. Shock floods the system.
Your breathing changes. Your heart races. Your muscles lock up or go limp. Your brain imprints the event automatically, without permission or warning.
This isn’t weakness. This isn’t something you can simply "power through." This is survival.
Our emergency responders know this. It’s why ambulances often carry blankets for victims—and stuffed animals for children—to provide comfort and stabilization in those critical first moments.
But what many people don’t realize is that the body isn’t the only system that needs immediate care. The brain needs it too.
Blankets warm the body. They do not release the shock trapped in the nervous system.
Without intentional intervention, the brain holds onto what it witnessed—sometimes for a lifetime. The research shows we have about 90 days after a traumatic event to help the brain reprocess and release the imprint before it locks in permanently.
Ninety days. That’s the window. That’s the opportunity.
And yet... how often do we encourage people to seek real support after shock?
More often, we offer talk-based therapies—inviting people to tell and retell their story—believing that speaking about it will heal it.
But the science tells a harder truth:
Talking without targeted brain processing can actually re-traumatize.
Every time a person reactivates the memory without completing the healing loop, the distress pattern strengthens.
What you may not know is this: Your brain holds not just the memory of the current shock, but the echoes of every past moment you were overwhelmed, hurt, or helpless.
Trauma is cumulative.
And it doesn’t have to happen directly to you. Simply witnessing someone else’s pain—like reading the morning’s headlines about Vancouver—is enough for your brain to imprint the experience.
No matter how strong you believe you are, the truth remains: Your brain imprints whether you like it or not.
No one is immune.
Today, we must especially honour the truth that Vancouver’s Filipino community is carrying more than just the memory of a tragic incident.
They are carrying the rupture of what was meant to be a day of pride, joy, and togetherness.
Cultural spaces are supposed to be sacred. When violence pierces those spaces, it doesn't just injure bodies—it injures trust, belonging, and collective safety.
Healing this kind of wound requires more than words. It requires real care—for the body, the brain, and the community itself.
The Shift Change 3-Step Protocol: How to Attend to This Moment and Many More to Come
We have created a clear, actionable protocol based on evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO) and leading trauma research. Here’s how to begin attending to the immediate and lasting impacts of shock:
Step 1: Shift Quick
Attend a Shift Change ASSYST Session within two weeks of the event.
Immediate intervention helps interrupt the brain’s trauma loop, reducing the chance of long-term impacts.
Step 2: Shift Often
Continue attending weekly Shift Change ASSYST sessions until your symptoms resolve.
Regular, ongoing EMDR reprocessing helps your nervous system fully reprocess the trauma and build resilience. Think of it like building a new muscle—we can't just do one workout and expect muscles to grow.
Step 3: Shift Systems
Recognize when deeper or ongoing support is needed.
If your symptoms, such as flashbacks, nightmares, sleep disturbances, anxiety, or panic attacks persist, additional intervention is required. Ideally, your distress level should drop to between 0-3 on a scale of 10. If it doesn't, your brain needs more targeted support.
Research shows that with early intervention (like Shift Quick), only 10-20% of individuals need further intervention. However, if shock remains untreated, trauma imprints deeply, significantly increasing the likelihood of chronic anxiety and PTSD.
To everyone who has noticed the imprint of this event today, I am speaking to you.
To the ones who have chosen to "not think about it," or turn away, I am whispering to you.
We can't hide.
When we understand that early intervention is critical, we choose freedom over suffering.
I ask that you share this message today.
Share something you learned.
Let’s not ask victims to relive their stories. Let’s not rely on the media to fill the gaps of stories that were never theirs to tell. Let’s process the event first, then and only then when the person is ready to share can we honour and listen.
Let’s shift — together on tap at a time.
At Shift Change, we exist to awaken a world where healing begins before the breakdown—where no one has to suffer in silence or wait until they fall apart to receive care. By replacing stigma, isolation, and inaccessibility with anonymous, neuroscience-backed EMDR support, we help transform pain into possibility—and build a future where every generation can thrive.