Trauma: An Introductory Guide to Understanding and Working Through Trauma
What is Trauma?
Trauma impacts people in every walk of life; there is no boundary of where or when trauma may impact an individual. Unlike ordinary hardships, traumatic events are typically sudden and unpredictable, causing an emotional response to the distressing experience.
Think of losing a family member, friend, or animal, abuse, infertility, or infidelity; events that seriously impact one’s life and feel beyond a person’s control. Traumatic events often undermine a person’s sense of safety and can cause other mental health issues, such as self-harm, depression, PTSD, or anxiety.
What are some Types of Trauma?
Acute Trauma: A one-time event such as a car crash, physical or sexual assault, or the sudden death of a loved one.
Chronic Trauma: Repeated or prolonged events such as persistent bullying, neglect, or abuse.
Complex Trauma: Repeated or multiple traumatic events create a sense of being trapped.
Secondary or Vicarious Trauma: Trauma that arises from exposure to other people’s suffering, especially can affect those in professions that are called on to respond to injury or violence, think of physicians, first responders, and law enforcement.
Adverse Childhood Experiences: A wide range of situations that children either directly face or witness while growing up before they have developed their own effective coping skills.
The Impact of Trauma on Everyday Life
Trauma is part of the human experience; there’s simply no way around it. The type of trauma you’ll experience can vary from person to person, but universally one truth is clear - everyone has dealt with trauma in some shape or form.
Trauma can impact your life in many ways and varying degrees. Some may experience only a slight impact, and others may feel a debilitating impact that keeps them from living their lives normally.
Tips for Working Through Trauma
It’s essential to seek support so that you can work through your trauma and find coping mechanisms that support your ideal lifestyle.
There are some things you can do for yourself to support a healthier day-to-day life at home while seeking treatment. You can try:
Journaling
Meditation
Speaking with friends or family
Get moving physically (take a walk or start exercising)
Consciously work to eat and treat your body well
Give yourself the time you need to rest and sleep so your mind can recover
Make stress reduction a priority
It’s important to note that these things are not a substitute for therapy but can be good tools to support you as you begin your mental health journey.
If you’re in need of support through your own trauma and are located in Missouri or Kansas, I invite you to contact me directly. Together we can work through your trauma and get you to a place you’d like to be mentally.