At TREC DC we often get the question “what is trauma therapy?” Sometimes people are asking about how trauma therapy differs from “regular” therapy. Sometimes people are asking if the experience they have had is “traumatic enough” to warrant a trauma therapist.
What is trauma?
When we asked TREC DC therapists how they define trauma, answers included sentiments such as, “anything that happens that shakes our ability to cope,” (Markisha) or “a trauma is anything that overwhelms the senses and robs us of our agency and dignity” (Lea). The American Psychological Association similarly defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event.” None of our answers included a specific list of experiences that rules some things in or out, but rather in what impact they have on an individual.
Trauma can be a discreet experience, such as an act of violence, car accident, or natural disaster, or it can be a series of events such as child abuse, racism, or sexual harassment. You might notice that some experiences impact you more than others, and it’s not uncommon for some people to be confused by why they seem to be able to cope with some life events more than others.
What is trauma therapy?
Trauma therapy can include a variety of different interventions (such as those listed on our resources page), but always incorporates a lens of bringing attention to the ways that events from our past (or sometimes present) may be impacting our ability to cope. Sometimes this impacts our coping in relationships with others, and/or sometimes in the relationship we have with ourselves.
The type of trauma therapy that might be best for someone varies based on what symptoms or challenges you are experiencing, as well as what makes sense to and for you based on your cultural background, identities, and preferences.
Please reach out to TREC DC if you would like to speak with someone about how trauma therapy might be helpful to you. Any experience you have had that may be impacting the way you cope with your emotions, in your thinking patterns, and/or in your behaviors can benefit from trauma therapy.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
