What is Trauma and Do I Have Trauma?
Trauma can feel like a heavy word,
but at its core, trauma is any distressing experience that leaves a lasting impact on how you think, feel, or relate to others. While we often associate trauma with life-threatening events like assaults, accidents, or natural disasters, it can also come from more subtle yet deeply wounding experiences, like emotional neglect, a difficult childhood, ongoing stress, or repeated relationship pain.
Trauma Isn’t Always What Happened, It’s How It Affected You
Research shows that trauma isn't defined solely by what happened, but by the individual’s emotional response to it. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), trauma results from an event or series of events that is experienced as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening, and that has lasting negative effects on a person’s functioning and well-being (SAMHSA, 2014).
What feels traumatic to one person may not impact another in the same way. This is why two people can go through the same event, but only one might develop trauma-related symptoms. Factors like age, previous life experiences, support systems, and personal resilience all influence whether something becomes traumatic.
Common Sources of Trauma
Acute trauma: resulting from a single incident (e.g., car accident, assault).
Chronic trauma: repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful events, such as domestic violence or abuse.
Complex trauma: exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature (e.g., childhood neglect, long-term abuse).
Even experiences like medical trauma, bullying, or growing up in a home where emotions were ignored or invalidated can leave lasting psychological wounds. Childhood trauma, in particular, has been linked to long-term health and mental health challenges. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study found that higher ACE scores are associated with increased risk for depression, anxiety, substance use, and even chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes (Felitti et al., 1998).
How Trauma Shows Up in Your Life
Trauma can manifest in many forms, some obvious, some subtle. It may surface as:
Irritability, shame, or chronic sadness
Nightmares or flashbacks
Trouble focusing or feeling “spaced out”
Physical symptoms like fatigue, tension, or stomach pain
Difficulty trusting others or forming close relationships
Feeling disconnected from yourself or the world
You might find yourself constantly on edge, always waiting for something bad to happen. Or feeling emotionally numb, like you're just going through the motions. These aren’t signs of weakness. They’re protective responses your brain and body developed to help you survive overwhelming experiences.
If you’re unsure whether you’ve experienced trauma or PTSD,
consider how certain memories, emotions, or relationships affect you today. Trauma doesn’t have to last forever, and understanding it can be the first step toward finding some peace.
Do you feel “stuck” in certain emotions or memories?
You might feel trapped in a loop of fear, anger, or sadness, unable to move forward. These emotions often stem from unprocessed trauma.
Do you have intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks?
Replaying distressing memories or feeling like you’re reliving them is a common symptom. Alternatively, you might have difficulty remembering details of what happened.
Do you notice unusual emotions like fear, anger, sadness, or feel emotionally “shut down”?
Emotional dysregulation - swinging from intense emotions to numbness is common in trauma survivors, especially those with complex trauma histories.
Do you avoid places, people, or activities that remind you of painful experiences?
Avoidance is often a coping mechanism to keep difficult memories or emotions at a distance. But over time, it can lead to feeling disconnected from yourself and others. You might lose interest in activities, have trouble trusting others or forming close relationships. You might also feel disconnected from yourself or the surroundings, like you’re observing life from the outside rather than living it.
Do you experience physical symptoms when reminded of past events?
Trauma lives in the body as much as in the mind. According to Bessel van der Kolk, MD, author of The Body Keeps the Score, unresolved trauma can manifest as chronic pain, muscle tension, or gastrointestinal distress.
Trauma is unique to each person,
and no experience is "too small" to leave a lasting impact. If certain memories or feelings seem to keep you stuck or cause distress, exploring this in therapy could help you understand your experiences and see if past events are affecting your present.
Trauma doesn’t have to last forever. Your brain and body are capable of healing even after years of pain.
EMDR: A Research-Backed Approach for Healing Trauma
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based approach to treating trauma and PTSD. It helps your brain reprocess distressing memories so they no longer feel overwhelming, raw, or emotionally charged.
Numerous studies support the effectiveness of EMDR therapy:
A meta-analysis found that EMDR therapy significantly reduces PTSD symptoms and is just as effective as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (Watts et al., 2013).
Another review showed that 84–90% of single-trauma victims no longer met the criteria for PTSD after just three EMDR therapy sessions (Shapiro, 2001).
EMDR therapy is also effective for complex trauma and can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and dissociation (Valiente-Gómez et al., 2017).
Learn about EMDR therapy in this blog “Your EMDR Questions Answered: Simple Explanations, Research-informed.”
You Don’t Have to Stay Stuck
Trauma may be part of your story but it doesn’t have to be the whole story. You don’t have to keep pushing through, pretending everything is fine, or managing it all on your own. Real healing means being able to show up in your life - calm, present, connected, and free.
If you’re ready to face what’s been holding you back and work through your pain at its roots, help is here.
I’m Linda Chi, trauma therapist in Oklahoma and Texas. I specialize in helping adults heal from trauma using EMDR and CBT. I offer a warm, supportive space where you can safely process your past and move toward the future you deserve.
I offer Extended and Intensive Trauma Therapy Sessions
Sometimes, 45-minute sessions just aren’t enough especially when you're dealing with complex PTSD. I offer extended therapy sessions (60–90 minutes) and intensive sessions up to 9 hours a week, allowing for deeper emotional processing and faster progress toward healing.
These longer sessions provide a spacious, uninterrupted environment where you can explore difficult emotions, practice grounding techniques, and work through trauma without feeling rushed.
Whether you're looking for a steady weekly rhythm or a more immersive approach, we’ll create a therapy plan that fits your needs and your pace.
Schedule a free consultation today and take the first step toward lasting healing.
References
Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., et al. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258.
Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books.
SAMHSA. (2014). SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach.
Shapiro, F. (2001). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures. Guilford Press.
Valiente-Gómez, A., Moreno-Alcázar, A., Treen, D., et al. (2017). EMDR beyond PTSD: A systematic literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1668.
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
Watts, B. V., Schnurr, P. P., Mayo, L., et al. (2013). Meta-analysis of the efficacy of treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 74(6), e541–e550.
