Reimagining Trauma Healing for Refugees with Yukako Sortino

"Healing is not about improvement of daily functionalities or reduction of symptoms. Healing is deeply relational, cultural, and it's a political act." - Yukako Sortino

On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth welcomes Yukako Sortino, Manager of the Refugee Behavioral Wellness Program at Heartland Alliance Health, for a profoundly moving dialogue on trauma, resilience, and relational healing within refugee and immigrant communities. Drawing from her work in Chicago and her lived experience as an immigrant, Yukako invites listeners to reconsider healing as a collective, nonlinear journey that honors dignity, body, identity, and culture.

Yukako illuminates the "triple trauma paradigm"—pre-migration, migration, and post-migration trauma—emphasizing how experiences of displacement and systemic oppression are woven into the fabric of everyday life for many refugees and immigrants. She shares how the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®) influences her approach as a relational lens, not a rigid method—prioritizing paced, attuned presence, honoring survival adaptations, and centering co-regulation before self-regulation. Through a vivid case study and reflection, she illustrates how micro-interventions, group-based and somatic supports, and culturally rooted practices restore agency and belonging amid ongoing adversity.

The conversation also highlights the structural barriers and burnout faced by providers, advocating for rest as an ethical imperative and collective care as essential resistance. Listeners are called to see beyond clinical outcomes, to foster authentic community, and to recognize the vital role of therapist self-care and sustainability.

We invite you to listen to the full episode and follow Transforming Trauma on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favorite podcast app.

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SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join.

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The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care.

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