Expressive Trauma Integration - Dr. Odelya Gertel Kraybill

Expressive Trauma Integration - Dr. Odelya Gertel Kraybill ETI™ webinars for parents and therapists. Psychotrauma, psychoneuroimmunology, neuroimmune parenting and biohacking dysregulation. Dr. Odelya Gertel Kraybill

Expressive Trauma Integration™ (ETI) is an integrative therapeutic approach that utilizes cutting edge research on Biohacking Dysregulation in PTSD and neuroimmune conditions while addressing all domains of health. ETI integrates recent findings and practices from neuroscience, attachment and developmental psychology, expressive and body oriented therapies, cognitive reframing, behavioral modifica

tion, mindfulness, nutritional psychology, and psychoneuroimmunology.​




Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional therapy, diagnosis, or treatment. Use of this page does not imply or establish any type of professional-patient relationship. The use of this page does not constitute or offer any specific medical or psychological advice whatsoever to anyone, nor is it intended for such use. Providers of this page are not responsible for any misinterpretation of the information provided here or any consequences resulting from its use. Providers take no responsibility for other websites/pages that may link to this page, and such links do not imply any relationship with or endorsement of other websites. Bio

Dr. Odelya Gertel Kraybill PhD, LCPC, is a trauma researcher, psychotherapist, neurodivergent parenting consultant, and PANDAS mom. She has studied trauma and nutritional psychology for over two decades. One of her research interests in the last decade has been wellness and integrative health, especially nutritional psychology in the context of chronic stress and trauma. She advocates for mental health interventions that target root causes (chronic stress, neuroinflammation, neuroimmunity, autoimmunity, brain-gut-axis) and addresses all domains of health (emotional, cognitive, physical, spiritual, and social). She consults individuals and families with the most complex mental health conditions. She helps her clients investigate root causes and tailor short-term and long-term intervention plans. She collaborates with neurologists, psychiatrists, infection disease specialists, paramedical specialists (occupational therapists, physical therapists, nutritionists), neuropsychologists, teachers, and parental advocates to help her clients target all aspects of life toward maximum wellness. She provides one-time, short-term, and long-term consultations, trains clinicians, and runs webinars and support groups for neuroimmune parents nationwide.

Why Trying to Love Yourself Can Make You Feel WorseThis blog was written after watching a viral video suggesting that se...
06/17/2026

Why Trying to Love Yourself Can Make You Feel Worse

This blog was written after watching a viral video suggesting that self-worth is simply a choice. As I watched it, I felt a knot in my stomach. The message goes against everything I have learned about therapy, developmental trauma, and trauma integration. Many people try positive thinking, only to feel worse when they don’t work. Healing is more complex. We learn that we are safe, worthy, and lovable through relationships.

More in the link:
https://bit.ly/ETIselflove






The harder some people try to love themselves, the worse they feel. Developmental trauma theory helps explain why.

Trauma integration takes time, and there are no instant cures. While the urge to constantly re-tell the story of the tra...
06/17/2026

Trauma integration takes time, and there are no instant cures. While the urge to constantly re-tell the story of the trauma is common, research indicates that excessive debriefing can sometimes reinforce the traumatic imprint on the brain. Instead, focusing on gentle physical movement, maintaining daily routines, avoiding stimulants, and connecting with safe support systems helps to down-regulate an overactive nervous system. When self-criticism arises, remind yourself: survival mechanisms took over to keep you alive, and you did the best you could.

https://bit.ly/ETICerI

For many trauma survivors, self-compassion does not feel possible, and trying to force it often reinforces shame.The ETI...
06/16/2026

For many trauma survivors, self-compassion does not feel possible, and trying to force it often reinforces shame.

The ETI framework offers a different path: intentional self-attunement.

Self-attunement is not a feeling. It is a mindful act of attention and responsiveness, looking inward with curiosity and asking: what do I need right now to feel safe, or to get safe?

And then taking one action toward that.

It is not about being kind to yourself.
It is about not abandoning yourself.

Observe → Notice → Respond.

This is the 1-2-3 pattern in practice.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/ETICerI

In a regulated nervous system, the brain works in 1-2-3 order:1 — Observe (neocortex leads)2 — Notice (limbic system)3 —...
06/13/2026

In a regulated nervous system, the brain works in 1-2-3 order:

1 — Observe (neocortex leads)
2 — Notice (limbic system)
3 — Respond with intention (grounded in the body)

After trauma, this reverses to 3-2-1:

3 — React first (survival brain takes over)
2 — Notice too late
1 — Observe only in hindsight, if at all

For survivors living in chronic hypervigilance, 3-2-1 becomes the default. The parts of the brain responsible for conscious choice, moral judgment, and responsive thinking are often offline.

This is why intentional self-attunement, not positive thinking, is the path back.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/ETICerI

ETI Certificate I now offers 21 NBCC-approved CE hours (ACEP  #7955).Expressive Trauma Integration™ is a structured, res...
06/11/2026

ETI Certificate I now offers 21 NBCC-approved CE hours (ACEP #7955).

Expressive Trauma Integration™ is a structured, research-informed framework that addresses the full complexity of trauma: emotional, physiological, relational, and immunological.

What clinicians learn:
→ The Trauma Integration Roadmap — six stages including Withdrawal and Intentional Self-Attunement
→ Biohacking dysregulation — neuroscience-based tools for body, brain, and immune system
→ The Secure Attunement Framework — attunement, self-regulation, and the ISP
→ Psychoneuroimmunology — the inflamed brain and treatment-resistant presentations
→ Self-regulation for ages 6 to 18 — bottom-up, experiential approaches
→ Psychological First Aid — the ETI trauma response timeline

21 hours on demand. Lifetime access. NBCC Approved ACEP #7955.

Register: https://bit.ly/ETICerI

Depression can be rooted in the immune system.A recent study investigated Tocilizumab, a medication that blocks the infl...
06/11/2026

Depression can be rooted in the immune system.

A recent study investigated Tocilizumab, a medication that blocks the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, in people with treatment-resistant depression.

The results were striking.

Participants who received the medication showed greater improvement in depression, anxiety, fatigue, and quality of life compared to those who received placebo.

Why is this important?

Because it supports something many clinicians working with neuroimmune conditions have observed for years:

Inflammation can affect mood.

Inflammation can affect motivation.

Inflammation can affect cognition.

Inflammation can affect anxiety.

When the immune system is activated, the brain changes too.

This does not mean that all depression is caused by inflammation.

It does mean that for some individuals, especially those with autoimmune, post-infectious, or inflammatory conditions, immune dysregulation may be an important piece of the puzzle.

As research continues to evolve, we may move closer to a future where treatment is guided not only by symptoms, but also by underlying biology.

The brain and immune system are constantly communicating.

Perhaps it is time we listen to both.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/may/20/immunotherapy-drug-tocilizumab-potential-treatment-depression-uk-trial?fbclid=IwZnRzaASWrNJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeNleSu4g8fqi1F2QoD-luxw6gf4JhJTAaKIdNrwyUqCqUI4GAXQ6KdkhKPNQ_aem_pawPljkNDlA0-ohV-ZxXQA

Fight. Flight. Freeze.Most clinicians know these three.But there is a fourth response that is equally important and almo...
06/09/2026

Fight. Flight. Freeze.

Most clinicians know these three.

But there is a fourth response that is equally important and almost always overlooked: Withdrawal.

Withdrawal is a secondary defense mechanism that emerges after fight/flight/freeze. It causes survivors to cycle through shock, fear, anger, denial, and rumination and later, the more complex emotions: shame ("something is wrong with me") and guilt ("I did something wrong").

For those who experienced severe stress or trauma at a young age, Withdrawal becomes so embedded it feels like a given reality, not a response.

Understanding Withdrawal is foundational in trauma therapy and is foundational in the ETI Trauma Integration Roadmap

Learn more: https://bit.ly/ETICerI

PTSD is a risk factor for autoimmune disease.Not a fringe finding. Increasingly confirmed by research.I wrote about what...
06/08/2026

PTSD is a risk factor for autoimmune disease.

Not a fringe finding. Increasingly confirmed by research.

I wrote about what this means for trauma therapy and why the immune system can no longer be left out of the clinical picture.

Read blog here: https://bit.ly/OGKBlog
ETI Certificate I — 21 CEs register here: https://bit.ly/ETICerI

Earn 21 NBCC-Approved CE Hours While Advancing Your Trauma ExpertiseComplete your continuing education requirements whil...
06/01/2026

Earn 21 NBCC-Approved CE Hours While Advancing Your Trauma Expertise

Complete your continuing education requirements while gaining practical, evidence-informed skills for working with trauma, attachment disruptions, dysregulation, and complex clinical presentations.
https://bit.ly/ETICerI






NBCC

while no modality works for everyone. A great article about EMDR
05/27/2026

while no modality works for everyone. A great article about EMDR

Discounted when it emerged in the 1980s, and still not fully understood, EMDR has since emerged as a trusted therapy. Here’s how it healed my trauma.

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