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A Really Simple Intro to Trauma

What Is Trauma?

At its core, trauma is the emotional, physical, or spiritual legacy within us of something overwhelming that we weren’t equipped to handle alone. Trauma isn’t about broken minds. It’s about broken hearts. And the good news? Hearts can heal.


There are two main category's of trauma:


1. Single-Incident Trauma

This comes from one shocking or overwhelming event. Examples include:


  • A serious accident

  • A medical emergency

  • A natural disaster

  • A one-time sexual assault or violent incident

  • A sudden loss of someone you love


Often, people begin to feel better within weeks or months. But for some, the symptoms remain or get worse. When this happens, it may develop into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).


ICD-11 (the guide that all the professionals use) describes PTSD as:


  • Re-experiencing the event (nightmares, flashbacks)

  • Avoidance of reminders

  • Feeling constantly unsafe or on edge (hypervigilance)


This is not a sign that you're weak—it’s a sign that your nervous system is still trying to protect you.


2. Chronic, Repeated, and Developmental Trauma

This type of trauma comes from being exposed to painful or unsafe situations over time, especially when we had no way to escape. It can look like:


  • Childhood sexual abuse or neglect

  • Domestic violence

  • Ongoing emotional, physical, or sexual abuse

  • Bullying, betrayal, or abandonment

  • Growing up in a home without emotional safety or stability


When trauma happens in childhood and within close relationships, it’s called developmental trauma. These experiences don’t just shape how we feel—they shape how we see ourselves, others, and the world.


This can lead to Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), which includes PTSD symptoms plus:


  • Difficulty regulating emotions

  • Chronic shame or low self-worth

  • Struggles with trust, connection, or identity


Pioneering Trauma Experts like Dr. Judith Herman and Dr. Leonore Terr have shown how these deeper wounds often go unseen—but they are not untreatable.


You Can Heal


Trauma impacts the nervous system, the body, the mind, and the soul—but it can all be healed.


With the right support and safe, loving relationships, people do heal. Therapies like:


  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

  • IFS (Internal Family Systems)

  • Somatic and body-based therapies

  • Creative therapies (art, music, movement)


…are powerful tools for healing.

But what heals most deeply is safe, secure love—the kind of love Jesus modelled. Patient, kind, non-controlling. A love that listens, protects, and stays.


“He heals the wounds of every shattered heart.” – Psalm 147:3 (TPT)


Trauma may be part of your story—but it doesn’t have to define your future. Healing is the heart of God, and with the right care, healing is possible—fully.


You are not too much. Not too far gone. You are worthy of healing.


Find help here: www.heartthoughts.co.uk



 
 
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