What is Trauma

What is Trauma?

Trauma is the emotional response to a terrible event, such as sexual assault, natural disaster, military combat, or abuse.  The term "traumatic event" typically refers to an experience that is life threatening, causes serious injury, threatens the individual's identity and body integrity (example: sexual abuse), or witnessing someone else experience any of these (example: witnessing an assault of a loved one).

 A Trauma response is one that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences. Trauma has lasting adverse effects on the individual's functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.