Understanding Trauma: What It Is, The Impact, and How Counselling Can Help

Trauma is a word that is used a lot in the world today, but it can mean different things to different people. Fundamentally, trauma is not solely the event that happened — it’s what happens inside us as a result of what we’ve experienced. It’s the lasting emotional, physical, and psychological impact of something that felt overwhelming, threatening, or deeply distressing.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma occurs when our ability to cope with a situation is exceeded. This could be a single shocking event, such as an accident, assault, or loss, or it might involve repeated or ongoing experiences such as abuse, neglect, or living in an unsafe environment. The mechanisms we developed at the time of the threat will resurface time and time again when we are presented with a similar perceived threat.

When something traumatic happens, the body and brain go into survival mode. We might fight, flight, freeze, flop or fawn (people-please) in an attempt to stay safe. These are automatic, biological responses and NOT signs of weakness.

Common Trauma Responses

Everyone’s experience of trauma is unique, but there are some common responses many people notice:

• Hypervigilance: Feeling constantly on edge, alert and scanning for danger and threat even when things seem calm.
• Flashbacks or intrusive memories: Reliving parts of the trauma unexpectedly.
• Dissociation: Feeling disconnected from yourself or your emotions.
• Avoidance: Steering clear of reminders of what happened.
• Difficulty trusting others: Especially in relationships or situations where vulnerability is needed.
• Physical symptoms: Trouble sleeping, tension, headaches, or feeling exhausted.

These reactions are the body’s way of trying to protect you and keep you safe, although sometimes, these reactions are rooted in events from a time in the past and not to something in the present day.   They may have helped survival at one time — but when they persist, life can feel stressful or disconnected.

It feels important to note here that these responses are essentially about survival,  and can show up in day- to -day life when triggered. Some everyday examples of this could be - reading or hearing about a catastrophic event on the news, feeling pressure when making a decision, being faced with an important deadline, witnessing an argument or being in our own mind with catastrophic thoughts.

How Counselling Can Help

Counselling provides a safe, confidential space to begin making sense of what’s happened and how it’s affected you.  Through counselling, your mind and body are supported to feel safe in the present moment.

During counselling sessions, you can:

• Learn to understand your trauma responses and see them as adaptive, not shameful.
• Develop grounding and regulation techniques to calm your nervous system.
• Reconnect with your body and emotions at your own pace.
• Build self-compassion and resilience as you move from surviving to living.
• Gradually integrate past experiences so they no longer dominate your present.

There’s no single path to healing — it’s as individual as your story. But with the right support, it’s possible to feel more stable, present, and connected again.

A Final Thought

Healing from trauma takes time, patience, and care. If you’ve been struggling with the effects of past experiences, you don’t have to face them alone. Counselling can offer a space where your pain is heard, your reactions are understood, and your healing can begin — safely and at your own pace.

September 2025