Trauma and PTSD

"Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness."
— Peter Levine

Trauma is often associated with a single overwhelming event, but trauma can take many forms. It may arise from experiences such as accidents, violence, abuse, neglect, medical procedures, loss, or other events that overwhelm our ability to cope. Trauma can also develop through repeated experiences over time, such as chronic stress, relational wounds, emotional neglect, or growing up in environments where safety, connection, or emotional support were inconsistent

Trauma is not defined solely by the event itself, but by its impact on the nervous system. When we experience something overwhelming, our bodies are wired to mobilize for survival through fight, flight, freeze, or collapse responses. Sometimes these protective responses are not fully processed, and the body continues to carry traces of the experience long after the danger has passed.

As a result, trauma can affect the way we think, feel, relate to others, and experience ourselves. For instance, you may notice:

Feeling constantly on edge, anxious, or hypervigilant
Difficulty relaxing or feeling safe
Emotional overwhelm or emotional numbness
Persistent self-criticism, shame, or feelings of inadequacy
Difficulty trusting others or maintaining relationships
People-pleasing or difficulty setting boundaries
Challenges with concentration, memory, or decision-making
Physical symptoms such as tension, headaches, digestive difficulties, or chronic fatigue
Feeling disconnected from yourself, your emotions, or your body

Many people living with the effects of trauma wonder, "What's wrong with me?" Often, a more helpful question is, "What happened to me, and how did my mind and body learn to adapt?"

The symptoms that can emerge following trauma are often not signs of weakness or dysfunction. Rather, they can be understood as adaptive responses that once served an important purpose. Healing involves creating opportunities for the nervous system to experience safety, connection, and regulation while developing a greater understanding of the patterns that have emerged over time.

As such, therapy may involve exploring how past experiences may continue to shape present-day challenges while building the resources needed to move toward greater safety, resilience, and connection. It may also involve understanding the impact of trauma on the mind and body, strengthening emotional regulation, processing difficult experiences at a pace that feels manageable, and reconnecting with parts of yourself that may have been lost or hidden in the service of survival.

Ultimately, healing from trauma is not about forgetting what happened. It is about developing a different relationship with your experiences so that they no longer have to define your present!