Trauma Doesn't Always Look the Way People Expect

Some traumatic experiences are clearly identifiable.

Others are more complicated.

Trauma can relate to a single frightening event, repeated experiences over time, difficult relationships, abuse, violence, loss or situations where you felt powerless or unsafe.

Its effects can also appear in unexpected ways.

You may experience intrusive memories, nightmares, emotional numbness, difficulty trusting people, hypervigilance, anxiety, avoidance or strong reactions to situations that remind your nervous system of something threatening.

Sometimes people don't connect these experiences with trauma until much later.

Therapy Can Begin With What Is Happening Now

You can begin by talking about sleep.
Or anxiety.
Or your relationship.

You can tell your therapist that you aren't ready to talk about something.

"I think something from my past is affecting me, but I'm scared to discuss it."

That's useful information.

A trauma therapist can work with you to understand what you're experiencing and help develop strategies for grounding, emotional regulation and greater safety before deeper exploration occurs.