Understanding Trauma: What It Is and What Experts Want You to Know

Trauma isn’t just something that happens to other people. It’s a deeply human experience—one that leaves a mark on the body, mind, and soul. Whether it stems from a single event or a long pattern of harm, trauma disrupts our sense of safety, connection, and identity. And yet, understanding trauma is the first step toward healing.

What Is Trauma?

At its core, trauma is the emotional and physiological response to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms our ability to cope. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster.” But the field of trauma has evolved well beyond this narrow definition.

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a pioneering trauma researcher and author of The Body Keeps the Score, expands the definition:

“Trauma is not the story of something that happened back then. It’s the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside people.”

In other words, trauma isn’t just what happened—it’s what continues to happen inside us when those wounds go unhealed.

Types of Trauma

Trauma is typically categorized in several ways:

• Acute Trauma: A single, overwhelming event (e.g., car accident, assault, natural disaster).

• Chronic Trauma: Ongoing exposure to distress (e.g., abuse, neglect, domestic violence).

• Complex Trauma: Exposure to multiple, layered traumas, often interpersonal and developmental, usually occurring in childhood.

• Developmental Trauma: Trauma that interrupts attachment and emotional development in early years.

• Collective or Generational Trauma: Trauma shared across communities or passed down through generations, often linked to historical injustices or systemic oppression.

What the Experts Say

Here’s what leading experts want us to understand about trauma:

1. Trauma Lives in the Body

Dr. Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, emphasizes that trauma is stored in the nervous system, not just in memory:

“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.”

This means trauma healing must involve more than talk—it requires practices that restore regulation to the body.

2. Trauma Alters Brain Function

Neuroscientist Dr. Bruce Perry has shown how trauma, especially in early life, reshapes brain development:

“When children are traumatized, their brains are altered in ways that influence how they will perceive and respond to the world.”

Understanding this can replace blame with compassion—both for ourselves and others.

3. Connection Is the Antidote

Dr. Stephen Porges, originator of the Polyvagal Theory, explains that safety and co-regulation are essential to healing:

“We are a social species. We survive by being connected, not by being alone.”

Trauma isolates, but healing requires a return to safe, supportive connection—with others, with our bodies, and with ourselves.

4. Trauma Recovery Is Possible

While trauma can feel defining, it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. As Dr. Judith Herman, author of Trauma and Recovery, says:

“Recovery can take place only within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation.”

Healing is not linear, but it is possible—with the right support, tools, and time.

Final Thoughts

Understanding trauma invites deep compassion—not just for what we've endured, but for the ways we've learned to survive. Whether you're on your own healing journey or supporting someone else through theirs, remember: trauma may shape us, but it does not define us. Healing is real. Wholeness is possible. And you don’t have to walk this path alone. If you’re ready for support, I invite you to reach out through my contact page.

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Trauma. https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma

Herman, J. L. (1997). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence—from domestic abuse to political terror (Rev. ed.). Basic Books.

Levine, P. A. (2008). Healing trauma: A pioneering program for restoring the wisdom of your body. Sounds True.

Perry, B. D., & Szalavitz, M. (2017). The boy who was raised as a dog: And other stories from a child psychiatrist’s notebook (3rd ed.). Basic Books.

Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company.

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.