Stories, however, target System 1. When a survivor shares their narrative—specific sensory details: the smell of a hospital room, the sound of a door slamming, the texture of a steering wheel during a midnight escape—the listener’s brain reacts as if they are experiencing it themselves. This is neural coupling.

As a content strategist who has worked with several domestic violence coalitions, I have seen a dangerous trend: the exploitation of trauma for "engagement." Not every story needs to be the worst day of a person’s life.