For many people, what feels like everyday life—overworking, perfectionism, emotional shutdown, and chronic disconnection—may actually be symptoms of unresolved childhood trauma. Registered Nurse and Trauma-Trained Coach Serena Franchini is working to change how people understand and heal from these deeply rooted patterns through her practice, The Healing Fawn Inner Child Work & Somatic Therapy.
Drawing from both professional training and personal experience growing up in a home affected by mental illness and addiction, Franchini has developed a neuroscience-based approach that integrates somatic therapy, parts work, and nervous system regulation. Her mission centers on helping individuals recognize that much of what society considers normal behavior often stems from survival mechanisms developed in response to early trauma.
“People are living out their trauma and calling it their life,” Franchini explains. “Our world is one big trauma response—overworking, disconnection, perfectionism, and emotional shutdown are often symptoms of unresolved childhood pain.”
The concept of “doing inner work” has become increasingly common in wellness circles, yet many struggle to understand what this process actually entails. Through her trauma-informed coaching practice, Franchini provides structure and clarity to this often abstract concept, guiding clients through a step-by-step process of building a bridge of connection with their inner child and teen parts while building nervous system capacity.
Her approach differs from traditional therapy by focusing on the body’s role in storing and processing trauma. Rather than solely addressing thoughts and emotions through conversation, somatic therapy recognizes that trauma lives in the nervous system and requires body-based interventions for true healing. This methodology helps clients move beyond intellectual understanding to embodied transformation.
One client described their experience: “Before working with Serena, terms like ‘inner child work’ and ‘shadow work’ felt like vague buzzwords. But through her somatic, body-based approach, those concepts came to life in a truly grounded and healing way… Serena guided me in building a personalized toolkit of healing practices that helped me make peace with my past, regulate my nervous system, and—just as importantly—gave me strength and resilience for whatever challenges the future holds.”
The integration of neuroscience with therapeutic practice allows clients to understand not just what happened to them, but how those experiences continue to influence their present-day reactions and relationships. By learning to recognize unconscious patterns and regulate their nervous systems, individuals can begin to feel safe, present, and empowered in their daily lives.
Franchini’s personal journey through her own healing process informs her compassionate approach. Having experienced firsthand what it means to live in survival mode, she brings both professional expertise and lived understanding to her work. This combination allows her to meet clients where they are, without judgment, while providing the tools and support needed for genuine transformation.
The focus on nervous system regulation represents a shift in how trauma healing is approached. Rather than simply managing symptoms or coping with difficult emotions, The Healing Fawn’s methodology addresses the root causes of emotional pain by helping the body learn to feel safe again. This foundational safety becomes the basis for all other healing work.
As awareness grows about the prevalence and impact of childhood trauma, practitioners like Franchini are helping to normalize these conversations while providing practical pathways to healing. Her work emphasizes that trauma isn’t just about what happened in the past—it’s also about what did not happen and what continues to live in the body and nervous system today.
The ultimate goal of this approach extends far beyond symptom relief to help people reconnect with their authentic selves. By addressing the protective patterns developed in childhood, individuals can begin to live from a place of choice rather than reaction, moving from survival mode into a life of genuine connection and presence.
For those seeking to understand and heal from their own trauma patterns, Franchini’s somatic approach offers a grounded, science-based path forward. Her work demonstrates that while trauma may shape our early experiences, it doesn’t have to define our future—and that true healing is possible when we address not just the mind, but the body and nervous system as well.