Trauma Hits Hard

When many people hear the word “trauma,” they immediately think of combat veterans or survivors of major disasters. While those experiences certainly are traumatic, the reality is that trauma can affect anyone—and it often does, in ways we don’t always recognize or talk about.

I’ve worked with countless individuals who carry invisible wounds from experiences they never expected to be classified as trauma. Trauma doesn’t discriminate. It can impact anyone—regardless of age, background, or profession. And while it may shape us, it doesn't define us. Healing is possible, and it often begins with understanding.

What Is Trauma, Really?

At its core, trauma is the emotional and psychological response to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. It overwhelms the nervous system and exceeds your capacity to cope. What’s traumatic for one person might not be traumatic for another—trauma is about the impact, not the event itself.

Trauma can result from:

• Childhood abuse or neglect

• Loss of a loved one

• Car accidents

• Domestic violence or sexual assault

• Medical procedures

• Emotional abuse or bullying

• Natural disasters

• Witnessing violence

• Ongoing stress, such as living in poverty or other life circumstances

There’s no single definition or look for trauma, and that’s important to remember—especially when someone says, “It wasn’t that bad,” or “Other people have had it worse.” Trauma is personal, and the first step to healing is honoring your experience without comparison.

Trauma Is Not Just a Military Experience

One of the most persistent myths about trauma is that it only affects military personnel. While combat trauma is very real and deserves respect and care, it’s only one form of trauma.

This misconception can prevent others—especially civilians—from recognizing or validating their own trauma. Survivors of domestic abuse, childhood neglect, or emotionally unavailable caregiving often carry silent trauma that may not be visible to others but is very real and deeply impactful.

You don’t have to have served in the military or survived a natural disaster to deserve trauma-informed support. If something hurt you, changed you, or left you feeling unsafe in the world or in your body—it matters. You matter.

The Ripple Effect: Trauma and Co-Occurring Conditions

Trauma rarely exists in isolation. While someone might be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it often walks hand-in-hand with other mental health concerns, such as:

• Depression

• Anxiety disorders

• Substance use disorders

• Disordered eating

• Self-harm behaviors

Sometimes these co-occurring disorders are ways of coping—attempts to numb pain, escape intrusive memories, or gain a sense of control. Other times, they develop as trauma shapes how we see ourselves and the world around us.

Understanding the role of trauma in these conditions is essential. Effective therapy doesn’t just treat symptoms; it explores the roots, with care and patience.

What Trauma Can Feel Like

Trauma affects not just the mind, but the body as well. Common trauma responses include:

• Hypervigilance or feeling “on edge”

• Flashbacks or intrusive thoughts

• Numbness or disconnection from reality

• Sleep problems or nightmares

• Difficulty trusting others

• Emotional outbursts or emotional flatness

• Excessive amounts of guilt or shame

• Somatic symptoms like headaches, stomach pain, or chronic fatigue

These responses aren’t signs of weakness. They are adaptations—ways your nervous system learned to survive overwhelming experiences.

Pathways to Healing: You Deserve to Feel Safe Again

Healing from trauma is not about “getting over it” or “forgetting it happened.” It’s about learning to feel safe, connected, and empowered again. The ways that I can support you through this include:

• Cognitive processing therapy: developed for military servicemembers to identify unhelpful beliefs in their trauma story and re-author those beliefs so that they can move forward without guilt, shame, or fear

• Mindfulness and grounding practices: allowing our bodies to calm and recognize that we don’t need to fear in this moment empowers us to approach life feeling safer and more secure

• Dialectical behavior therapy: building skills that help regulate our emotions while building interpersonal effectiveness means that we can begin to reconnect with others in healthier relationship

The path to recovery looks different for everyone, but one thing remains the same: you don’t have to walk it alone.

Final Thoughts: You Are Not Broken

If you’ve experienced trauma, please know: you are not broken, weak, or beyond help. You’re a human being who went through something hard—perhaps something that no one ever acknowledged or named. That doesn’t make you any less worthy of peace, joy, and connection.

It’s never too late to start healing. Whether your trauma occurred years ago or just yesterday, reaching out for help is a brave and powerful step.

As a licensed professional counselor, my role is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where your story can be held with care—and where we can work together to help you reclaim your life from trauma’s grip.

You are not alone. Healing is possible. And you deserve to feel whole again.