Draft:Aimie Apigian
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Aimie Apigian MD, MS, MPH is an American physician who transitioned from surgical residency to focus on the impact of trauma on the body and disease. She is board-certified in preventive and addiction medicine[1] and has developed educational approaches that integrate biological and somatic methods for trauma informed-care.[2] The National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry lists Dr. Aimie Apigian under the specialty of “Preventive Medicine — Public Health & General Preventive Medicine”. [3]
Education and early career
[edit]Dr. Apigian earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from Loma Linda University in California in 2010.[4] She also holds a Master of Science degree in Biochemistry and a Master of Public Health. During medical school, she directed the "Malawi Project"[5] in the 2007–2008 academic year, a student initiative that raised funds for Malamulo Adventist Hospital in Malawi.
While completing her medical education, Dr. Apigian became a foster parent and later adopted a child who had experienced early trauma, an experience she has cited as influencing her later career focus to attachment and trauma.[6]
Medical training and career
[edit]After receiving her MD in 2010, Dr. Apigian entered into general surgery residency at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon.[7] During this time, she co-authored a peer-reviewed literature review on uncommon causes of intermittent claudication published in the Annals of Vascular Surgery in 2015.
Not completing the surgical residency, Dr. Apigian transitioned to preventive medicine residency[8] after experiencing her own health challenges. She obtained board certification in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine, as well as in Addiction Medicine, through the American Board of Preventive Medicine. She also became a Certified Functional Medicine practitioner through the Institute for Functional Medicine in 2020.
Her additional training includes Somatic Experiencing and training in various therapeutic modalities including Internal Family Systems therapy. She is licensed to practice medicine in California.
Professional work
[edit]Clinical practice
[edit]Dr. Apigian founded Trauma Healing Accelerated,[9] and operates a private practice focusing on addiction medicine and trauma treatment. Her clinical approach integrates medical, nutritional, and somatic therapies. She is the Founder and CEO of The Biology of Trauma,[10] an educational organization that provides training programs for healthcare professionals and self-help individuals. The organization's methodology is based on the premise that trauma creates biological changes that require both psychological and physiological interventions.
She has trained healthcare professionals through various educational programs and has been recognized as an educator by the Institute for Functional Medicine.
Methodology
[edit]Dr. Apigian has developed what she terms the "Biology of Trauma" approach, which emphasizes that trauma responses involve measurable biological changes in the nervous system and cellular function. The methodology incorporates elements from somatic therapy, functional medicine, and attachment theory.
Key concepts in her approach include a five-step trauma response sequence and the "Critical Line Theory" regarding individual capacity for stress.
Publications and media
[edit]Dr. Apigian co-authored "Basic data underlying decision making in non-atherosclerotic causes of intermittent claudication" published in Annals of Vascular Surgery in January 2015.[11]
Dr. Aimie has a book under contract with BenBella Books titled The Biology of Trauma: How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It,[12] published with a foreword by physician Gabor Maté.
The Biology of Trauma Book
[edit]Publication
[edit]The Biology of Trauma: How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It is a 2025 non-fiction book by Aimie Apigian[13] available in Hardcover, Kindle, and Audiobook formats at launch. The book was released on September 23, 2025 by BenBella Books. [14] In its publisher’s description, Dr. Apigian frames The Biology of Trauma as presenting a scientific approach to trauma healing, arguing that traditional therapies often misidentify trauma’s downstream effects as stress or disease and fail to address its biological substrate. [15]
Content and Themes
[edit]Dr. Apigian situates The Biology of Trauma at the intersection of trauma therapy, functional medicine, and cellular biochemistry. She describes the core thesis: trauma is an ongoing internal process stored at the cellular level, not merely a past event, and that healing requires engaging the body’s systems (e.g. mitochondria, immune regulation, oxidative stress) rather than focusing only on narrative or psychological frameworks.
In her podcast The Biology of Trauma® With Dr. Aimie, she expands on core ideas from the book, such as the “Essential Sequence” (safety → support → expansion), capacity thresholds in the autonomic nervous system, and the biological “block” that can stymie psychological progress.[16]
Other media appearances have discussed related themes. For example, the Institute for Functional Medicine’s podcast featured Dr. Apigian speaking on “physiological disruptions that may be rooted in past trauma.”[17] In an online interview, she has also discussed how trauma can lead to immune dysregulation and chronic inflammation. [18]
Reception
[edit]To date, there is only limited coverage in major review outlets. However:
- The Biology of Trauma reached No. 7 on the USA Today Bestselling Books list. [19] [failed verification]
- The Biology of Trauma reached No. 7 on Publishers Weekly Hardcover Frontlist for Nonfiction.[20]
- The Biology of Trauma is a Bestseller in several Book categories on Amazon, including the #1 New Release in Medical Psychology Pathologies.[21]
- The book has been featured alongside those of Dr. Apigian's colleagues; The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van der Kolk and Gabor Mate's The Myth of Normal.
- The Biology of Trauma book has received outstanding reviews since its debut.[22]
Notable speaking engagements and media appearances
[edit]Dr. Apigian has been featured on notable podcasts including Mayim Bialik's "Bialik Breakdown," Darin Olien's "Super Life" podcast, and Katie Wells' "Wellness Mama" podcast, discussing trauma treatment approaches. She presents at global medical conferences, with upcoming appearances including the 2025 Institute for Functional Medicine Annual International Conference[23] and serving as a sponsor for the 2025 Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference.[24]
Dr. Apigian has been invited to speak at medical and health conferences, including as the opening keynote speaker at the 2025 Colorado Integrative Medicine Conference[24] in Estes Park, Colorado. She delivered a keynote presentation titled "The Neurobiology of Trauma and Healing" at the 2024 Integrative Medicine for Mental Health Conference[25] in Washington, DC.
She has been featured as an expert presenter at the annual Migraine World Summit,[26] an international medical education event with over 150,000 registered participants, where she is listed among the "world's leading experts" and presents on "The Nervous System, Stored Trauma & Migraine."
Apigian serves as faculty for PESI (formerly known as the Professional Education Systems Institute) continuing education programs,[27] delivering professional development courses on trauma biology for mental health professionals.
She is recognized as an educator by the Institute for Functional Medicine, a leading organization in functional medicine education and practice.
Her international speaking engagements include presenting at the Masters Series on Trauma & Mental Health[28] at Oxford University in 2023, where she conducted sessions across both Child/Adolescent and Advanced Practitioner tracks. In 2021, Dr. Apigian collaborated with trauma expert Peter Levine to host the Biology of Trauma Solution Series, an online educational event focusing on trauma treatment approaches.
Professional memberships
[edit]Dr. Apigian is a member of professional organizations including the American College of Preventive Medicine and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. She serves as faculty for educational organizations focused on integrative psychiatry. Apigian is a member of the California Society of Addiction Medicine (the state chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine).[29]
References
[edit]- ^ "Healing the Physiological Effects of Trauma (Pathways to Well-Being Podcast)". The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). April 29, 2025. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "Aimie Apigian on Releasing Stored Trauma | Natural Awakenings Atlanta". www.naatlanta.com. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "Complete NPI Record 1437440138 — Aimie Apigian, M.D." NPIProfile. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD - Public Health & General Preventative Medicine Physician in Menifee, CA". Healthgrades. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ https://news.llu.edu/sites/news.llu.edu/files/docs/scope/scope-fall-2007.pdf#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThis%20project%2C%20initiated%20by%20Loma,students%20at%20California%20State%20University
- ^ "Educator > Aimie Apigian MD, MS, MPH". www.ifm.org. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "All The Love in The World with Dr. Aimie Apigian". The Trauma Therapist Project. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH". Psychiatry Redefined. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "About". Trauma Healing Accelerated. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "Home". Dr. Aimie Apigian - The Biology of Trauma Professional. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ Apigian, Aimie K.; Landry, Gregory J. (January 2015). "Basic data underlying decision making in nonatherosclerotic causes of intermittent claudication". Annals of Vascular Surgery. 29 (1): 138–153. doi:10.1016/j.avsg.2014.09.013. ISSN 1615-5947. PMID 25277047.
- ^ Apigian, Aimie (2025-09-23). The Biology of Trauma. BenBella Books. ISBN 978-1-63774-623-3.
- ^ Apigian, Aimie (30 September 2025). The Biology of Trauma: How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-63774-624-0. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "The Biology of Trauma". BenBella Books. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "The Biology of Trauma". BenBella Books. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "The Biology of Trauma® With Dr. Aimie". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "Healing the Physiological Effects of Trauma". www.ifm.org. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ BelieveBig (2024-06-05). "Understanding the Biology of Trauma with Dr. Aimie Apigian - Believe Big". Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "The Biology of Trauma: How the Body Holds Fear, Pain, and Overwhelm, and How to Heal It (Not for Online)". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "Publishers Weekly Bestseller Lists". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ "Amazon.com New Releases: The best-selling new & future releases in Medical Psychology Pathologies". www.amazon.com. Archived from the original on 2023-01-08. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
- ^ Finn, K. C. (2025-10-10). "The Biology of Trauma by Aimie Apigian MD | Indies Today". Retrieved 2025-10-13.
- ^ "Clinicians, Academics, and Longevity Experts Advance Healthcare Transformation at IFM's Annual Functional Medicine Conference | The Institute for Functional Medicine". www.ifm.org. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ a b "IMMH 2025 - IMMH". Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "IMMH 2024 - IMMH". Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH". Migraine World Summit. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "Continuing Education for Mental Health, Rehab & Healthcare Professionals | PESI". www.pesi.com. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "The Master Series: Oxford". www.sheldonian.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2025-07-29.
- ^ "Starting Your Own Addiction Medicine Private Practice (CSAM Spring Newsletter)" (PDF). California Society of Addiction Medicine. Spring 2016. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-10-08.
CSAM Members: … Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH – Redlands