02: What is a Trigger and Why You Should Care
Subscribe to the Podcast!
What is something that impacts your business every single day, without your even being aware of it? The answer is our topic for today: Triggers. This show is Part 1 of a series on triggers and how they impact your business. We’re diving deep into all you need to know about triggers and triggered reactions.
What you’ll hear in this episode:
- What is a trauma-based emotional trigger?
-
- This is the most common type of trigger
- It goes back to a trauma in the past
- Someone has been victimized
- It’s difficult to diffuse and redirect
- This leads to people stuck in a protective, defensive loop
- It has a heavy physical/emotional content
- It’s important to understand what we can affect when this trigger occurs
- Anger shows up as a masked reaction
- What is a triggered reaction?
-
- It usually leads to a negative outcome and puts you on the defense
- Similarities between the two types: They are immediate, visceral, and physical
- When anger shows up, DON’T match anger for anger. Be physically non-threatening, curious, and patient
- My personal example of a workplace situation with Pat, Mandy, where no one addressed the issues of giving up control (for Pat) and feeling belittled (for Mandy)
- Reactionary stances of the perfectionist controller and the innocent avoider
- Positive vs. negative triggered reactions
Resources:
Difficult Happens by Lara Currie
Show Intro music is Whispering Through by Asura

Get my 10 best tips on how to deal with people & sticky situations!
Get tons of tips on dealing with difficult people, having tough conversations, and navigating conflict.
-
Take the guesswork out of how to respond to rude, manipulative or just plain dysfunctional people
-
Take control of the situation so that you don’t get caught up reacting instead of responding
-
Know what to say - when you don’t know what to say