Trauma is a Greek word that means “wound” or “soul wound,” and it refers to emotional and psychological wounds.  It, like other wounds, can be healed. 

Trauma involves you directly experiencing an event, witnessing an event, or being exposed to details of the event. Trauma can be acute and arise from a single unpleasant experience, or it might become complex and chronic after repeated or many traumatic events.  Sexual or physical abuse, neglect, divorce, losing someone, difficult birth, motor vehicle accidents, natural catastrophes, and secondary trauma from assisting those in distress, are all prominent causes of trauma.  Trauma is not only what happens to us, but it is also what stays with us.

The traumatic event might linger in our memories, sensory experiences, bodies, and emotions. When we are triggered by an external or internal incident or stimulus, we may feel overwhelmed and as if we are reliving the trauma. When this happens, our nerve system is overstimulated and activated, resulting in a state in our mind, body, and emotions that makes it difficult to engage in typical daily activities. We go into freeze, fight, or flight mode during our emotional trauma response, making it harder to use our rational/logical and thinking mind.