What is Trauma?

Trauma is a word that’s often misunderstood. Many people think it only applies to extreme or life-threatening events, but trauma can take many forms—and it can show up in ways you might not immediately recognise in your everyday life It’s about how an experience impacts your nervous system and sense of safety.

Please note that different approaches may use varying terms to describe trauma. Below is how I work with and understand trauma in my clinical practice, focusing less on labels and more on how your experiences have impacted you.

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“Big T” Trauma

This refers to significant, often life-threatening events such as:

• Accidents or serious injuries

• Physical or sexual assault

• Natural disasters

• Sudden loss or bereavement

These experiences can overwhelm the nervous system and lead to symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, or hyper-vigilance.

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Relational Trauma and Complex Trauma

Relational trauma refers to experiences that happen within relationships—especially those where we rely on others for safety, care, and emotional support. This can include:

• Emotional neglect or feeling unseen

• Inconsistent or unpredictable caregiving

• Lack of safety or emotional attunement

• Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse

• Repeated criticism, rejection, or invalidation

When these kinds of experiences are ongoing, or happen during important developmental stages, they can contribute to what is often referred to as complex trauma, or Complex PTSD (C-PTSD).

Complex trauma reflects the impact of these experiences over time, and may affect how you:

• Regulate your emotions

• Relate to others

• Set boundaries or say no

• Experience safety in your body

• View yourself and your worth

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Intergenerational Trauma

Intergenerational trauma refers to trauma that is passed down through families or across generations. This can happen through learned behaviours, coping patterns, and emotional responses that are shaped by past experiences within a family system.

You may notice this as:

• Patterns of emotional suppression or difficulty expressing feelings

• Strong beliefs about safety, control, or survival

• Repeated relationship patterns

• A sense of carrying experiences that don’t fully belong to you

Intergenerational trauma doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you—it often reflects how previous generations adapted to survive difficult or unsafe circumstances.

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Racial Trauma

Racial trauma refers to the impact of experiencing racism, discrimination, or ongoing exposure to racial injustice.

This can affect both your emotional wellbeing and your nervous system, and may show up as:

• Heightened anxiety or hypervigilance in certain environments

• Feeling unsafe, unseen, or misunderstood

• Emotional exhaustion from navigating discrimination

• Internalised beliefs shaped by repeated experiences of racism

Racial trauma is real, valid, and can have a significant impact on how you experience yourself and the world around you.