Trauma Therapy

“Trauma Compromises our ability to engage with others by replacing patterns of connection with patterns of protection.”

— Dr. Stephen Proges

For many years, trauma was primarily understood as the aftermath of severe distressing events like domestic violence, sexual assault, or witnessing violence or death, often diagnosed as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, the understanding has evolved. Trauma is now seen to encompass a range of experiences, including ongoing conditions and systemic oppression, which affect our minds and bodies similarly to extreme violence.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma is a deep emotional wound resulting from experiences that overwhelm our ability to cope. It can occur from a variety of events, from childhood abuse to witnessing violence or experiencing systemic oppression, or even from prolonged exposure to stressful conditions. Trauma impacts how we perceive ourselves, others, and the world. It can affect our nervous system, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships, leaving us feeling disconnected, fearful, or overwhelmed.

Types of Trauma

  • Involves prolonged exposure to threat or instability, such as abusive or neglectful caregivers, persistent bullying, or other forms of relational trauma.

  • Related to specific events like sexual assault, combat, near-death experiences, domestic violence, or major life events such as job loss or serious illness.

  • Experienced by entire communities or societies as a result of racism, pandemics, terrorism, natural disasters, and wars.

  • Trauma can affect multiple generations. Recent research suggests that intergenerational trauma can even be observed at the genetic level. Descendants of survivors of slavery, genocide, or other historical atrocities carry intergenerational trauma.

  • Involves disruptions in a child’s development due to neglect, abuse, or other forms of chronic stress. This type of trauma can affect emotional, cognitive, and social development, leading to long-term difficulties in these areas.

  • Arises from systemic and structural issues within society or institutions, such as discrimination based on race, gender, or socioeconomic status. This type of trauma is often experienced through ongoing injustices and systemic inequality.

  • Occurs when individuals are indirectly exposed to trauma through their work or relationships. For example, vicarious trauma can be experienced by therapists, first responders, or caregivers who hear about or witness traumatic events that happen to others. This can lead to emotional exhaustion and symptos similar to those of PTSD.

  • Refers to the cumulative emotional and psychological wounds experienced by a group of people over generations due to historical injustices, such as colonization, war, or forced migration. It affects not only those who directly experienced the events but also their descendants.

  • Results from experiencing or witnessing distressing medical procedures, diagnoses, or treatments. This type of trauma affects patients dealing with a severe illness or undergoing medical procedures that are perceived as invasive or frightening.

  • Involves the build-up of multiple stressors and adverse experiences over time. Unlike a single traumatic event, accumulative trauma consists of numerous smaller incidents that collectively impact an individual's mental and emotional well-being.

  • Involves exposure to events that deeply affect a person’s emotional state, such as intense fear, helplessness, or horror. This can include various forms of emotional abuse, manipulation, or neglect that significantly impact one's mental health

These types of trauma can overlap and interact, contributing to a complex and multifaceted experience of psychological distress. Understanding these diverse types can help in developing more tailored and effective approaches to trauma recovery and healing.

Common Trauma Symptoms

Trauma can manifest in various ways, including:

  • Fear & avoidance

  • Low self-worth & self-esteem

  • Emotional & nervous system dysregulation

  • Challenges in interpersonal relationships

  • Intrusive thoughts, flashbacks & nightmares

  • Chronic pain, insomnia & sleep problems

  • Dissociation & repressed memories

  • Feelings of powerlessness and numbness

“Everyday life experiences, such as relationship problems or unemployment, can produce just as many, and sometimes even more, symptoms of PTSD.”
— Francine Shapiro, Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy

Healing from Trauma

Trauma-focused therapy aims to heal deep wounds through processing, integration, and therapeutic techniques that help rewire the nervous system for healthier connections and regulation. Effective trauma therapy can lead to post-traumatic growth, allowing you to find meaning and resilience in your experiences.

At HST, we utilize a range of evidence-informed approaches to work with trauma survivors:

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