Breaking Down Deflection as a Trauma Response: Understanding, Healing, and Finding Authenticity

Have you ever caught yourself getting defensive when someone points something out, even when a part of you knows they’re right? Or maybe you’ve changed the subject the moment a conversation gets emotional, shifted blame to avoid discomfort, or laughed something off when it actually hurt.

That doesn’t mean you’re unaware.
And it definitely doesn’t mean you’re broken.

It means a part of you is trying to stay safe.

Deflection is a quiet, clever trauma response. One that protects your inner child from feeling exposed, overwhelmed, or shamed. It shows up as humor when you’re hurting, irritation when you feel seen, or discomfort when honesty feels too vulnerable.

On the surface, it looks like control.
Deep down, it’s your inner child whispering:
“I don’t know how to hold this yet.”

Deflection & Oversharing: Sister Trauma Responses

Before we go deeper, it’s important to understand this:

Deflection and oversharing are sister trauma responses.

Where deflection pushes emotion away…
oversharing pushes past it to avoid feeling it.

Both come from the same wound:
A fear of being emotionally exposed.

If you want to explore this further, you may love our companion blog:
Oversharing as a Trauma Response: When Words Become a Wall . It gives a closer look at the flip side of this same protective pattern.

What Deflection Really Looks Like

Deflection isn’t always obvious. It hides inside behaviors that seem normal:

• Shifting blame when you feel cornered

• Downplaying your emotions (“I’m fine, not a big deal”)

• Changing the subject when things get too close to the truth

• Using humor or sarcasm to deflect discomfort

• Criticizing others for traits you secretly struggle with

• Feeling irritated or defensive when something hits a nerve

Energetically, deflection disrupts your heart and throat chakras. The centers of truth, connection, and expression. Over time, it can dim your solar plexus (confidence) and root chakra (safety), leaving you stuck in survival mode rather than authentic flow.

Where Deflection Comes From

Deflection almost always has roots in childhood or early emotional experiences:

• Growing up in a home where feelings were minimized

• Being punished or shamed when expressing emotions

• Feeling like vulnerability wasn’t safe

• Learning to stay “strong,” “quiet,” or “unbothered”

• Being blamed for other people’s emotions or behavior

As a child, deflection protected you. As an adult, it can keep you disconnected. Not because you want to be, but because your system still thinks you’re in danger.

Every moment of deflection is not a failure. It is a message from your inner self saying:

“Please slow down. I’m overwhelmed.”

The Energetics Behind Deflection

When you deflect, your energy lifts upward and scatters. You may feel:

• Drained after emotional conversations

• Numb or disconnected

• Stuck in cycles of overthinking

• Uncertain about your true feelings

• Disconnected from intuition

Your upper chakras want clarity, intuition, and expression.
Your lower chakras want grounding, safety, and stability.

Deflection cuts the flow between the two, creating internal misalignment.

Healing this response is about creating flow again.

How to Heal Deflection & Reclaim Your Authentic Self

1. Notice Your Patterns

Before you can shift anything, you have to recognize it. When you catch yourself redirecting or shutting down, pause and ask:

“What am I actually feeling underneath this?”

2. Allow Your Emotions to Exist

You don’t have to explain them, fix them, or justify them.
Just acknowledging them is healing in itself.

3. Reconnect With Your Body

Your body tells the truth before your mind does. Grounding, breathwork, and somatic practices help you feel safe enough to stay present.

4. Practice Small Moments of Vulnerability

Share something honest with someone you trust, even something tiny. Healing is built in micro-moments.

5. Work With Your Energy

Chakra healing, shadow work, and journaling help you integrate the emotions behind deflection. You’re not just changing patterns. You’re reconnecting with your truth.

Reflective Questions for Your Healing

• What situations trigger my deflection the most?

• What emotion am I usually trying to avoid when I deflect?

• How did my caregivers respond when I expressed emotions as a child?

• In what ways has deflection protected me?

• What parts of me still fear being seen, heard, or understood?

• Where in my body do I feel tension when things get emotionally close?

Turning Toward Yourself

Deflection isn’t a flaw. It’s a protective instinct you learned when you needed it most.
Healing is not about judging yourself for using it…
It’s about learning to gently lay it down.

As you begin turning inward, choosing honesty, and allowing your truth to surface, you reclaim your authenticity one breath at a time.

You don’t have to run from your emotions anymore.
You’re safe enough now to face them and strong enough to hold them.

Ready to explore the deeper layers beneath your deflection patterns?

The Radiance Shadow Work Journal, created for Solar Plexus healing, guides you gently through the wounds, fears, and self-protective habits that dim your inner power.

Inside, you’ll find prompts that help you face your truth with compassion, reclaim your confidence, and strengthen your sense of emotional safety. So you can express yourself authentically without needing to deflect or shrink.

Your power is still yours, let’s help you step back into it.