Definition
Trauma
Definition
Trauma is the lasting impact of an event or pattern of events that overwhelmed a person's capacity to integrate what happened. Trauma is not the event itself; it is what the nervous system did with the event. Two people can experience the same event and one may be traumatized while the other is not.
Clinical Context
Trauma can result from a single incident, repeated exposure, developmental context, or intergenerational pattern. Complex trauma describes prolonged interpersonal trauma, often in childhood. Trauma-informed practice recognizes the nervous-system imprint and avoids interventions that re-create the original overwhelm.
How This Shows Up in Our Work
Trauma work in our practice is paced and stabilization-first. We build the ground (skills, safety, daily-life context) before we move into processing. Methods include CCTP-informed practice, narrative work, and somatic awareness. The pace is set by your system, not by a schedule.