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At the beginning of the session, Amanda addressed common struggles often experienced by ITB students, the silent struggle, where individuals who were once top achievers begin to feel like failures upon entering university life. “We come to this campus feeling proud and happy, but once we’re in, it suddenly feels overwhelmingly hard—even though we were always top of the class in high school,” she said.

“It starts with overthinking about academics and grades. But then, due to external pressures, we begin to worry: what if I don’t graduate? What if I disappoint my parents?—and that eventually disrupts our daily lives,” she added.

In her explanation, Amanda emphasized the importance of acknowledging the emotional wounds we carry. She noted that feeling frustrated can actually be a healthy sign, as it may encourage someone to seek help. What’s more dangerous, she warned, is when someone appears to be doing just fine, because it makes their internal struggles invisible to others.

^{Illustration of silent struggle. (Image courtesy of Pixabay).}

According to Amanda, every life experience we go through is completely valid. “What often makes people afraid to open up is the fear of being judged. But all of our stories and experiences are valid and deserve space—that’s why the healing process is so important,” she emphasized.

She further explained that trauma is not merely about the event itself, but rather how we perceive and internalize that event. “Every person, without exception, has trauma in their life, and it can stem from daily occurrences. Anything can potentially trigger our trauma,” she explained.

“Behind every struggle, there’s a story—be it childhood pressure, always being the smart kid who couldn’t fail, fear of disappointing others, or neurological trauma,” she added.

Amanda also discussed the development of the human brain and its connection to emotions. According to her, the brain develops in stages: from the womb to age 2, the brainstem—which governs reflexes—is the most active. From age 2 onward, emotional brain development takes precedence, and by age 7, the logical part of the brain reaches its peak development.

She also introduced the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body, which connects to the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal system, throat muscles, and face. “That’s why when we’re stressed, we often experience stomach problems or even GERD,” she noted.

Amanda concluded by affirming that healing is possible. It begins with the body—learning to regulate emotions rather than suppressing them, seeking therapy, and practicing calming techniques such as the 4-7-8 breathing method and finger hold exercise to soothe the nervous system. “Trauma is like a wound—it won’t heal if it’s left untreated,” she said.

Translator Indira Akmalia Hendri