Trauma

A “trauma” is not an event in and of itself. Trauma refers to the way an event is processed, or stored, in the body and mind. If an event happens (during childhood or adulthood) and another person (perhaps a parent or a therapist) does not help you to process the event by validating your feelings and affirming your reality, then that event can become traumatizing. 

A traumatizing event can be acute; a one time event such as a natural disaster or a car crash. On the other hand, chronic trauma is caused by prolonged or repeated traumatic incidents such as combat or domestic abuse.

Unprocessed trauma can cause anxiety, depression, PTSD, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, low self-esteem, dissociation, and other difficulties. 

In therapy, trauma is processed by talking about painful memories and feelings within the safety of the therapy relationship. 

Unprocessed trauma from wars and abusive relationships can get passed from generation to generation; this is known as the intergenerational transmission of trauma.