Home > Resources > Trauma

Trauma

Healing from Trauma

Healing from Trauma

Many of us recognize the impact of past trauma on our goals to create a life of wellness and recovery. Trauma has been defined as extreme stress brought on by shocking or unexpected circumstances or events that overwhelm a person’s ability to cope. What is traumatic to one person might not be to someone else because the experience of trauma is very personal and individual. The traumatic experience results in feelings of helplessness and extreme fear and horror. Threats are perceived as psychological and/or bodily violation, threat of death, or serious injury to self or a loved one. Traumatic events can be witnessed or experienced directly.

Some people may be diagnosed with PTSD as a result of past traumatic experiences and others may not, although past trauma has still had a significant impact on their life. Complex PTSD results from chronic trauma that occurs over a period of months or even years.

Some of us who have experienced trauma have developed ways of coping, ways of survival that no longer help us find wellness. We can recognize our past need for these survival strategies and find new ways to cope that serve us well today.

If the trauma from your past goes unaddressed, you could have poor physical health and find additional roadblocks to your recovery from mental illness and/or addiction. It is vital to find professionals who provide trauma-informed care so that you can maintain a sense of safety, develop trust and connect with others.

Veterans

When many people think of trauma, they think of veterans who have returned from combat and experience symptoms of PTSD. This is a very real concern for many of our veterans. Click here for more resources specifically for our country’s servicemen and women.

Resources