What if your intuition is not random?
What if it is something your nervous system learned through survival?
In this week’s episode of Riding the Trauma Train, I sat down with Sheetal Story for one of the most fascinating and emotionally honest conversations I’ve had on the podcast so far.
We spoke about trauma, intuition, hypervigilance, people pleasing, authenticity, identity and what it really means to reconnect with yourself after years in survival mode.
And honestly, there were moments in this conversation that completely stopped me in my tracks.
Can Trauma Heighten Intuition?
One of the biggest themes throughout the episode was the connection between trauma and intuition.
Sheetal explained how many trauma survivors become highly aware of:
- moods
- emotional shifts
- tone changes
- facial expressions
- tension in a room
- energy around them
Not because they are “too sensitive”.
But because their nervous systems learned to constantly scan for safety.
That gut feeling.
That ability to instantly sense when something feels “off”.
That awareness of other people’s emotions.
Sometimes that began as survival.
As someone who openly talks about trauma and healing, this really resonated with me because I think so many survivors carry shame around behaviours that were actually nervous system adaptations.
Survival Mode Keeps You Stuck In Your Mind
Another part of the conversation that stayed with me was when Sheetal spoke about how trauma can keep us disconnected from ourselves.
So many survivors live completely in their minds because survival taught them to:
- overthink
- analyse
- prepare
- stay alert
- predict danger
When your nervous system believes you are unsafe, staying mentally switched on can feel protective.
But over time, this can disconnect us from:
- our emotions
- our bodies
- our intuition
- our needs
- our sense of self
One of the most powerful moments in the episode was hearing Sheetal say:
“Spirit first. Then body. Then mind.”
Because so many of us have spent years living the opposite way around.
Authenticity vs Survival
We also explored the idea that many children learn very early that being fully themselves does not always feel safe.
So they adapt.
They become:
- people pleasers
- perfectionists
- emotionally guarded
- hyper independent
- overly responsible
- afraid to be “too much”
Over time, survival can slowly disconnect us from our authentic selves.
And honestly, I think so many people are currently moving through adulthood carrying versions of themselves that were built around survival rather than authenticity.
Healing then becomes the process of reconnecting with the parts of yourself you had to hide.
Midlife Awakening and Identity Shifts
One of the things I loved most about this conversation was the way Sheetal reframed midlife and perimenopause.
Not as a breakdown.
But as a rebirth.
So many women reach a point where they begin questioning:
- relationships
- expectations
- careers
- patterns
- identities
- the roles they have carried for years
And while this can feel deeply uncomfortable, it can also be incredibly freeing.
Sometimes healing begins when we stop abandoning ourselves just to keep everyone else comfortable.
“Everything Happens For An Opportunity”
There was one moment in this episode that genuinely shifted my perspective.
We talked about the phrase:
“Everything happens for a reason.”
And Sheetal reframed it as:
“Everything happens for an opportunity.”
Not because painful things are okay.
Not because trauma should happen.
Not because grief makes sense.
But because growth, meaning and purpose can still emerge from what we survive.
That reframe felt compassionate, grounded and deeply trauma informed.
Final Thoughts
This episode is about so much more than intuition.
It is about:
- trauma
- survival
- nervous systems
- identity
- authenticity
- healing
- self trust
- reconnecting with yourself
And perhaps most importantly, it is a reminder that healing is not about becoming somebody new.
It is about reconnecting with the parts of yourself survival made you hide.
If this conversation resonates with you, please know you are not alone.
About Sheetal Story
Sheetal Story is a certified Psychic Medium, Professional Certified Astrologer, Grief Support Counsellor, Human Design Business Mentor and Law of Attraction Master Coach.
She helps women cultivate and trust their intuition, overcome grief and self sabotage, and create lives aligned with their authentic selves.