When the Past Feels Present: How Epstein Files Coverage Can Shake Trauma Survivors—and How We Can Show Up for Each Other
The public release of the Epstein files has reopened a painful conversation about sexual exploitation, systemic failure, and the countless survivors who have endured these harms in silence. But alongside public outrage and political scrutiny, there’s a quieter, more intimate story unfolding—one happening inside the nervous systems of trauma survivors who are reliving echoes of their own experiences.
The public release of the Epstein files has reopened a painful conversation about sexual exploitation, systemic failure, and the countless survivors who have endured these harms in silence. But alongside public outrage and political scrutiny, there’s a quieter, more intimate story unfolding—one happening inside the nervous systems of trauma survivors who are reliving echoes of their own experiences.
If someone you love seems shaken, or if you feel unsettled and can’t quite explain why, you’re not alone. The emotional weight of stories like these can land hard, and understanding why they do is an important part of healing.
When the News Hits Too Close: Why the Epstein Files Impact Trauma Survivors So Deeply
For many survivors, the coverage surrounding the Epstein case is more than just news—it’s a reminder of harm that was ignored, minimized, or hidden. Psychiatrists have noted that survivors often face a “double jeopardy”: first the abuse, and then the disbelief or dismissal that follows, leaving wounds that can last for decades.
When the media revisits stories involving sexual exploitation, power imbalances, and failures to hold perpetrators accountable, survivors can feel retraumatized—especially when the disclosures include graphic details or emphasize how many warning signs were overlooked. Some of the recently released Epstein materials include sensitive descriptions of sexual assault, making them particularly triggering for individuals with a trauma history.
These reactions aren’t “overreactions.” They are nervous system responses shaped by lived experience and protective instinct.
What’s Happening in the Body: A Polyvagal Lens on Trauma Triggers
The physical and emotional reactions trauma survivors feel when exposed to triggering news stories can be better understood through polyvagal theory, developed by neuroscientist Stephen Porges. This framework explains how our autonomic nervous system responds to cues of safety or threat—often without conscious awareness.
The Three States of the Nervous System
Ventral Vagal State (Connection & Safety):
When the world feels safe, we can connect, think clearly, and regulate emotions.Sympathetic Activation (Fight or Flight):
When a story like the Epstein files hits the news, it can signal “danger,” leading to anxiety, agitation, or a sense of internal buzzing.Dorsal Vagal Shutdown (Freeze or Collapse):
When the threat feels overwhelming, survivors may emotionally shut down, disconnect, or feel numb—an autonomic strategy for self‑protection.
Polyvagal theory suggests that for trauma survivors, the nervous system can quickly shift into defensive states because earlier life experiences have “reconditioned” their internal alarms. What looks like an emotional reaction is, in reality, a physiological one.
Understanding this can help survivors meet their reactions with compassion—and help loved ones respond in more supportive ways.
How to Support a Friend or Loved One Who Is Triggered
When someone you care about is thrown off balance by traumatic news, your presence can make a meaningful difference. Here are ways to support them without overwhelming them:
Lead With Calm, Not Questions
Your tone of voice, facial expression, and pacing can cue their nervous system toward safety. This is called co-regulation, and it’s a powerful polyvagal-informed principle.
Validate Their Feelings
Sentences like:
“I’m here with you.”
“This makes sense.”
These can counter the invalidation many survivors have experienced—even decades after the trauma.
Invite (But Don’t Push) Grounding
Offer gentle options:
Slow breathing together
Looking around the room
Feeling feet on the floor
These help re-engage ventral vagal pathways that support emotional regulation.
Protect Their Peace
Encourage stepping back from the relentless news cycle. The Epstein materials are extensive and, in some cases, graphic; boundaries around media exposure can be essential for nervous system stability.
Ask What Support Looks Like
Let them define what they need. Trauma often involves a loss of agency; offering choice helps restore it.
How Therapy Can Help Survivors Navigate Triggers and Heal
Therapy—especially trauma informed approaches grounded in polyvagal theory—can help survivors understand their nervous system, regain emotional flexibility, and restore a sense of safety in their bodies and relationships.
Polyvagal-informed therapies focus on:
Recognizing and mapping autonomic states
Identifying triggers and cues of safety
Strengthening vagal regulation through breath, movement, vocalization, and relational connection
Building resilience through co-regulation with a therapist
These modalities help survivors shift from being “stuck” in survival states to experiencing more moments of ventral vagal calm and connection. Research shows that polyvagal-informed approaches enhance emotional regulation and reduce trauma symptoms.
Therapy also provides a space to process the secondary trauma that news coverage like the Epstein files can stir—the anger, the grief, the sense of systemic betrayal—and to reconnect with hope.
References
Moffic, H. S. (2025). The Epstein Files, the Abuse of Women, and Psychiatry. Psychiatric Times.
Institute for Functional Medicine. (2024). Understanding PTSD From a Polyvagal Perspective.
PBS News. (2026). The latest Epstein files release includes famous names and new details about an earlier investigation.
U.S. Department of Justice. (2026). Epstein Library (Epstein Files Transparency Act Disclosures).
Sky News. (2026). Epstein files: The key findings so far.
Psychotraumatology Institute. (2025). Polyvagal Theory–Informed Therapies.
Reflecting on Dr. James Dobson’s Legacy: Parenting, Child Welfare, and Controversy
Dr. James Dobson, a prominent evangelical leader and founder of Focus on the Family, passed away on August 21, 2025, at the age of 89. Throughout his life, Dobson was a significant figure in American family dynamics, offering guidance to millions of parents while also sparking debates on child-rearing practices.
Dr. James Dobson, a prominent evangelical leader and founder of Focus on the Family, passed away on August 21, 2025, at the age of 89. Throughout his life, Dobson was a significant figure in American family dynamics, offering guidance to millions of parents while also sparking debates on child-rearing practices.
As a psychotherapist and someone who was raised in a household influenced by his teachings, I wanted to sit with this news for a few days before sharing my thoughts.
A Voice in Parenting and Child Welfare
Dobson's influence began with his 1970s book Dare to Discipline, which advocated for structured parenting and the use of corporal punishment. He believed in the importance of parental authority and discipline, emphasizing the need for clear boundaries and consequences for children. His approach resonated with many parents seeking guidance during times of societal change.
Over the years, Dobson authored over 70 books and hosted a nationally syndicated radio program, Family Talk, reaching millions of listeners. His messages often centered on traditional family values, marriage, and child-rearing, providing a framework for many navigating the complexities of modern parenting.
Controversies and Criticisms
While Dobson's work garnered widespread support, it also attracted criticism. Many child development experts and psychologists have since challenged the efficacy and safety of corporal punishment, suggesting that such methods can lead to negative emotional and behavioral outcomes for children. I would also argue that Dobson's endorsement of physical discipline may have contributed to a normalization of practices now recognized as harmful and potentially abusive.
My major concern is that Dobson largely did not update or correct his guidance even after research consistently showed negative effects of corporal punishment and harsh discipline. While science evolved and child development experts emphasized evidence-based approaches, Dobson continued to promote methods that we now know are outdated or harmful. This raises difficult questions about the responsibility of influential figures to adapt messaging in light of new evidence, particularly when it affects vulnerable children. Even the most loving parents may unintentionally cause harm if given flawed expert advice, especially when it is connected to their faith.
Furthermore, I know of many individuals who have shared personal accounts of experiencing emotional distress and trauma linked to the parenting techniques Dobson promoted. These testimonies highlight the complex and sometimes painful impact of his teachings on certain families.
The Hidden Wounds of Purity Culture and 'Breaking a Child's Will'
At Summit Family Therapy, we often support adults untangling from deeply ingrained messages—particularly those shaped by purity culture or the ideal of authoritarian obedience. These cultural legacies frequently intersect in ways that harm identity, autonomy, and emotional safety.
Purity Culture’s Impact on Self and Body
Purity culture—common in conservative religious settings—emphasizes sexual abstinence, modesty, and rigid gender expectations. Girls are sometimes taught that their value lies in their "purity," and anyone who steps outside those defined boundaries may feel immediately less worthy or spiritually inadequate. This initiates cycles of shame, guilt, and mistrust in one's own body and feelings.
For those raised in purity culture, shame may become woven into identity—deepening inner conflict, distorting sexual understanding, and making intimate relationships difficult or even frightening.
“Breaking a Child’s Will” in Religious Parenting
Another common thread is the idea—often rooted in certain evangelical teachings—that children must be molded into submissive adults through rigid, sometimes painful discipline. Popular guides like Dare to Discipline and The Strong-Willed Child encouraged physical correction as a means to "correct" behavior, under the belief it would align children with both family and spiritual values.
Decades of research now show that such practices—while perhaps effective in the short term—often lead to long-lasting trauma, issues with self-esteem, emotional dysregulation, and relational patterns marked by fear rather than trust.
Healing the Disconnect
When purity culture and authoritarian discipline converge, many adults grow up feeling disconnected from their emotions, bodies, and fairly often—as though they were never truly permitted to develop their own moral code. This can look like difficulty setting boundaries, resisting people-pleasing, feeling unseen, or even fearing autonomy.
As a trauma-informed therapist, I believe healing begins with a reclamation of self—through connection, compassion, and therapeutic exploration. It looks like rediscovering your body as safe, your voice as valid, and your boundaries as essential. It means learning to hear and honor what your emotions and physical self are communicating so you can move toward agency, healing, and deeper resilience.
Adults Deconstructing Faith and Reprocessing Childhood Experiences
In recent years, many adults have begun to deconstruct their faith and critically reflect on the religious and cultural messages they received as children. For some, this journey has revealed painful connections between strict, authoritarian parenting models and experiences of emotional or physical harm. Dobson’s teachings, particularly around discipline and obedience, are often cited by individuals as shaping environments where fear, shame, or corporal punishment were normalized.
These adults may struggle with feelings of betrayal, confusion, or anger, recognizing that the very structures meant to instill morality and love sometimes caused harm. Therapy and supportive communities can play a crucial role in processing these experiences, reclaiming autonomy, and separating spiritual beliefs from harmful practices, ultimately helping individuals heal from intergenerational and faith-based trauma.
My Own Experiences
I can still remember sitting in seminars at my faith-based college where the message was clear: virginal purity was the most valuable thing a person—especially a woman—could offer. Those who “fell short” of this expectation were described as tainted, dirty, a wilted flower, or used up. Yet, in reality, less than 5% of Americans wait until marriage to have sex.
When I think back on those teachings now, my heart breaks for every survivor of sexual abuse or assault who was in that room. Hearing spiritual leaders declare that they were dirty or ruined only reinforced the shame and self-blame they already carried. I want to scream and weep for every woman who has come into my office carrying this burden of shame.
A Lasting Impact
James Dobson’s impact on parenting and family life cannot be overstated. He offered guidance, community, and a sense of direction to many parents seeking support. At the same time, it’s clear that some of his methods contributed to emotional harm, leaving lasting effects on children who grew up under strict or fear-based discipline.
As a therapist, I see the importance of reflecting on this legacy honestly. Understanding the past allows us to embrace compassionate, evidence-based approaches to parenting and healing, while honoring the experiences of those who were hurt.
If you are navigating feelings related to childhood experiences, faith, or family trauma, therapy can be a safe place to explore and heal. I invite you to schedule a session with me, Dr. Courtney Stivers, to begin untangling these experiences and reclaiming your sense of safety and self-worth.