Do you ever experience a sense of dread when faced with writing an email or attending a weekly meeting? You may notice a lump in your throat and a heavy feeling in your chest. My friends and I call this feeling “The Cauliflower,” although I’m not sure why. Despite my personal enjoyment of the vegetable, this feeling is one I’ve resented for a long time. However, I’ve come to realize that it’s actually a trauma response, and recognizing this has brought me great relief. Our bodies are wired to react this way in order to protect us, even if it’s not always necessary. One helpful technique is to focus on breathing, consciously taking slow breaths and lengthening the exhale. This calms the sensation in and around the chest and slows down the nervous system. This brings us back to the present moment and can make writing the email or attending the meeting less daunting than we imagine.