What is Trauma?

Let the journey begin. 

Imagine an environment where media exposure and social norms desensitizes you from recognizing the full significance and magnitude of a traumatic event? Or a family of origin, or community, that may be normalized to your experience, and as a result, may inadvertently, minimize your experience and emotional response? Imagine, in this scenario, how long it will take for someone to feel safe and stable enough to discuss and process their emotional responses and its connection to the triggering event? 

Type in, “what is trauma?” Into your search bar and let me know what you see. 

Clinical responses, from sources like the APA, will describe trauma as an emotional response to a terrible event. Search a little deeper, and you will come across sources describing trauma as Acute (resulting from a single event), Chronic (repeated and prolonged), or Complex (varied and multiple). Keep searching, and you’ll discover that trauma is what happens after someone is it exposed to an extreme, usually violent, and often unexpected event. All of these descriptions are accurate.

To answer the question, “what is trauma?,” we must explore the significant traumatic event., as well as undergo an unraveling of the filters through which we explore and experience the world. Through the contextualization of our unique lens, we are then able to discuss and process the impact of major traumatic events (i.e. natural disasters, sexual assault, physical assault, witnessing a violent act, sudden death of a parent or trusted caregiver, hospitalization etc.), as well as those that are lesser known and rarely discussed (i.e. childhood neglect/abandonment, physical or emotional abuse, gang violence, war, terrorist events, etc.). Through the synthesis of experientially acquired filters, perception, and emotional responses, we can then start the creative journey of answering “what is trauma?” 

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Until the conversation continues

- Genesis Urena, MSW, LSW/LMSW, SIFI, CSAT-Candidate