So, what is trauma anyway?

Hey ya’ll!

Popping in real quick before we wrap up the week, it’s a shorter one today as I’m prepping to head out for a weekend trip.

Raise your hand if you’ve noticed a major increase in recent years in discussions of trauma - and at times have come to notice how this word gets thrown around quite a bit, even for things that perhaps don’t seem super applicable? Yeah, me too.

So, what is trauma really - how do we define it, and how do we come to a realistic understanding when a key component of labeling trauma is that “trauma is defined by the one who experienced it?”

Here’s what we get when we type this question into ChatGPT:

“Trauma is the emotional and physiological response to an event or series of events that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope, leaving them feeling helpless, unsafe, or out of control.”

Cool. But what if you’re feeling weary of aggregate content summarizing the vast internet & looking for something you can chew on a bit more? How do we apply this to our understanding of our own lives?

As a TRM practitioner, I have come to love this simplified definition of trauma that was presented in our training process:

“Trauma is anything we experience as TOO MUCH, TOO FAST, or TOO SOON.”

I am curious to know how this lands with you as you look at your own experiences & the things you’ve needed to seek healing for over time. Does it resonate? Comment below to share your take - I read every response myself & I always love hearing from you.

Whether you’re navigating the ripple effects of something big or unraveling years of little things that added up, you deserve support. If you’ve been considering connecting with a professional to explore your own story, you’re not alone. Healing is possible—and I’d love to help. I am heading out on maternity leave for summer 2025, but click below for instructions on how to join my waitlist.