Trauma Series: The Basics
When we hear the word “trauma,” many people think of war, abuse, or natural disasters. While these experiences certainly qualify, trauma is not limited to extreme events. From a clinical standpoint, trauma refers to any experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope, leaving them feeling unsafe, powerless, or unable to fully process what happened.
So What is Trauma?
Clinicians recognize several types of traumatic experiences:
Acute trauma: A single overwhelming event such as a car accident, natural disaster, assault, or sudden loss.
Chronic trauma: Repeated and prolonged experiences such as ongoing abuse, bullying, or exposure to violence.
Complex trauma: Multiple traumatic events over time, often beginning in childhood and shaping how a person develops and relates to others.
Importantly, what feels traumatic is not just about the event itself—it’s also about how the brain and body respond. Two people can go through the same situation, and one may develop trauma symptoms while the other does not.
Introduction to PTSD
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is the most well-known trauma-related condition. It develops when the brain and body remain stuck in survival mode after trauma, unable to reset. According to the DSM-5, PTSD symptoms are grouped into four main categories:
Intrusive memories and re-experiencing: Flashbacks, nightmares, or distressing reminders that make the trauma feel like it’s happening again.
Avoidance: Steering clear of people, places, or situations that bring up reminders of the trauma.
Negative changes in mood and thinking: Persistent guilt, shame, hopelessness, emotional numbness, or disconnection from others.
Hyperarousal and reactivity: Irritability, difficulty sleeping, exaggerated startle response, and constant vigilance for danger.
Dissociation: A process where a person experiences a disconnect from their thoughts, feelings, memories, or sense of self. It involves a separation between different aspects of one's cognitive, emotional, and/or perceptual experiences.
Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD, but even subclinical trauma responses can profoundly impact daily life.
The Brain on Trauma
Understanding the brain helps explain why trauma symptoms appear. Three key structures are most affected:
Amygdala (the “Alarm Bell of the Brain”):
The amygdala’s job is to detect and respond to danger. It triggers the "fight or flight" response, releasing stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol.
The amygdala helps store memories with strong emotional ties, like as fear, anger, or joy. This allows us to learn from past experiences and avoid repeating experiences with strong negative emotional ties.
The amygdala also interprets facial expressions and body language, which helps us interpret whether another person is a “friend or foe.”
The Amygdala becomes hyperactive after experiencing trauma, repeatedly and often inappropriately sending you into a fear and hypervigilance response. It can cause us to interpret others as “foe,” without compelling evidence to support that judgment.
For more information read this article by The Cleveland Clinic
Hippocampus (the memory organizer):
The hippocampus converts short-term memories into long-term memories.
It contextualizes memories, differentiates between traumatic events and safe environments.
Trauma can cause the hippocampus to shrink, making it harder to process and contextualize traumatic memories.
Trauma can inhibit the ability to separate traumatic memories, contributing to a fear response to non-traumatic reminders.
Trauma contributes to avoidance learning, which causes the development of persistent avoidant behaviors seen in anxiety disorders and PTSD.
Struggles to place the trauma in the past, making memories feel fragmented or “stuck.”
For more information about the hippocampus, read this article by Columbia Mental Health.
Prefrontal Cortex (the regulator):
The prefrontal cortex is responsible for rational thinking and making informed decisions. In trauma, this function is impaired, making it difficult to think clearly or make sound choices in stressful situations.
This brain region helps regulate emotions, but trauma can weaken this ability, leading to a reduced capacity to control emotional responses.
These brain changes are why trauma survivors feel hijacked by their reactions. It isn’t about willpower—it’s about the nervous system doing its best to protect you, even when the threat is no longer present.
Stress vs. Trauma
Stress is part of everyday life, and the body is designed to recover once a stressful event passes. Trauma, however, overwhelms the nervous system’s ability to return to balance. Instead, the body remains locked in survival mode, fueling symptoms that look and feel very different from ordinary stress.
Why Understanding the Brain Matters
Recognizing the neurobiology of trauma takes away shame. PTSD and trauma responses are not signs of weakness—they are signs that the brain’s protective system needs help resetting. The hopeful truth is that the brain can heal through therapy, support, and safe processing of memories.
Recommended Reading
For those who want to explore these ideas further, here are a few highly regarded books that explain trauma from both a scientific and healing perspective:
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D. – A foundational book on how trauma reshapes the brain and body, and how recovery is possible.
Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine, Ph.D. – Introduces somatic experiencing and the role of the nervous system in healing.
Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman, M.D. – A classic text on the psychological and social dimensions of trauma and PTSD.
In an Unspoken Voice by Peter A. Levine, Ph.D. – Explores how to gently release trauma held in the body.
What Happened to You? by Dr. Bruce Perry & Oprah Winfrey – A more conversational, accessible book about how early trauma shapes us and how healing can occur.
Take the First Step Toward Healing
If you’re living with nightmares, hypervigilance, or the exhausting weight of carrying trauma, know this: you are not broken, and you are not alone. At Dynamic Minds Counseling, our trauma specialists use evidence-based, compassionate approaches to help you heal.
Book an intake session today to begin reclaiming your sense of safety, calm, and connection. Call or Text Us if you have questions!
What’s Coming Next on the Blog
This post is the first in a series about trauma. In the coming weeks, we will explore:
A Deeper Look at Neurobiology – further exploring the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and stress hormones.
Nervous System Dysregulation – exploring the nervous system and how trauma is stored in your body
Why the Past Feels Like the Present – memory systems, flashbacks, dissociation, and memory fragmentation
Neuroplasticity and Recovery - All about your brain’s ability to heal and rewire itself