There are some key elements in defining trauma. Trauma occurs when a person experiences a situation where they feel their life and/or well being is threatened. The threat may be real or it might just be the person's perception of the sitution. It is usually a circumstance that is felt as being beyond the person’s control or they feel incapable of dealing with the immediate incident or the outcome related to the situation. The nature of the event is beyond the scope of ordinary human experience; that is, the event is a rare or infrequent occurrence. In some instances, the event may not be rare, but is nonetheless beyond the scope of human experience. Moreover, trauma is usually unpredictable. Further, in an effort to process the event, the person is changed.

When considering this definition and when thinking about traumatic events people tend to think of large and catastrophic experiences such as being in a car crash, surviving a massive storm, being raped, or being in a war (war could be an on-going event). It is easy to see that these events along with similar circumstances are beyond the range of normal human experience and create psychological and emotional problems for the individual. What is not often considered is the smaller traumatic events that can occur regularly and when compounded could have a significant impact on a person’s psychological and emotional make-up.

The major catastrophic experiences may create such problems as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while the smaller on-going incidents could lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety disorders, and depression. In this category the type of situations to consider include on-going verbal abuse by someone important in the person’s life, watching the onslaught of daily negative news (rapes, war, economic problems, terrorist threats, etc.), facing the challenges related to a person’s work, and as an adolescent the struggles that are typical for that age group (peer pressure; needing to belong; use of drugs and alcohol; etc.).

At the core of the larger and the smaller traumas is the sense that a person cannot control or change the situation along with feeling that they do not have the ability to deal with the event. A person may then develop unhealthy beliefs, attitudes and behaviors about themselves, about dealing with other traumas or just their every day experiences. Often the beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are not helpful and may actually be more harmful.

Becky Morehead, MA, LMHC, specializes in trauma work and is trained in Lifepan Integration techniques and in the process of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Each is recognized for its effectiveness in addressing trauma issues without re-traumatizing the person. Each facilitates the re-setting of the person’s neural system; each aids people in re-adjusting their beliefs and thoughts; and each assists them discover their capabilities and strengths. Many people will find, in a short period of time, they are better able to more appropriately handle any new large or small traumas that may happen in their life. They begin to feel better about themselves and they feel more confident. Becky has been doing trauma work and life transition work for18 years. She works with adolescents and adults.

Becky can be reached at her office. Her direct office number is: 425-289-0600. She also has a website that you can visit at: www.beckymorehead.com.