The Four Trauma Responses

Pete Walker expanded the fight-flight model to four primary responses.

• Fight. Threat met with aggression or control: anger, perfectionism, a need to control. Often shows up as high achievers using work as armor.
• Flight. Threat met with escape: chronic busyness, workaholism, an inability to sit still.
• Freeze. Threat met with shutdown: numbing out, brain fog, feeling disconnected.
• Fawn. Threat met with appeasement: chronic agreeableness and a loss of identity.

Most people have a dominant response but use all four in different contexts.