Trauma refers to the body or mind being overwhelmed by traumatic events. Psychological trauma in particular occurs as a result of a distressing event that leads us to form a particular belief about our self, the world and other people, while also destroying our assumptions of trust. If you have experienced a traumatic event, you may feel socially disconnected and somewhat numb, leading to feelings of isolation. On top of this, you may find yourself feeling more afraid and vulnerable than before the event.

A trauma is our own perception of a situation or event, therefore not everyone will react to the same things in the same way – for example, some people would find falling from a height traumatic, while others choose to jump out of planes for fun. Trauma also affects people in different ways and for some, the symptoms take weeks, months or even years to surface.

No matter how small or big, an emotional trauma has three significant aspect: A) it was unexpected; B)the person was unprepared; C) there was nothing the person could do to prevent it from happening.