An automobile accident may inflict traumatic physical injuries upon its victims; just as with casualties of war. Witnessing the same events can also create mental or psychic trauma that may not seem as obvious, but still causes lasting emotional and psychological harm. If these events are repeated, they may create unstable situations that bring unintended consequences.

Angela Harris, owner of Angela Harris Counseling, says, “Trauma is when something harmful happens to you that changes how you see yourself, others or the world around you. The most prevalent traumas I see are sexual assaults and trauma from childhood, including feeling neglected, abandoned or unloved in the family of origin. I think sexual assaults are coming up more and more often as folks feel more comfortable in disclosing these experiences. I believe the #MeToo movement worked toward normalizing the idea of reporting these incidents and working on them in therapy.”

She explains, “Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is the most effective treatment I see with clients. EMDR is evidence based for PTSD and trauma symptoms. It uses the brain’s natural healing functions to reprocess traumatically stored events; it works more quickly than other modalities and produces significant results.

Harris encourages people to take trauma recovery at their own pace, saying, “Each person is different in regard to what they can tackle and when. Some folks are ready for in-depth trauma work as soon as they start therapy, while others need to do more prep work before doing intensive trauma healing. I encourage everyone to not rush yourself while also challenging yourself to face the difficulties you’ve experienced.”

Licensed Clinical Social Worker Kavina McLeod, owner of Color Me Green Child & Family Therapy, shares, “I’ve found that many people don’t fully understand what constitutes trauma. In fact, if I don’t provide specific examples, those who have experienced a less-recognized traumatic event are likely to deny having experienced any.”

She relates, “When people think of trauma, they often imagine severe events like abuse, neglect, car accidents, the death of a child, war experiences, bullying or gun violence. While these are indeed traumatic, trauma can also come from less obvious events, such as a bad experience from a medical procedure, separation or divorce impacting children and/or parents, exposure to long-term work stress or first responders dealing with trauma survivors on a regular basis. All these experiences can impact the brain and body, leading to intrusive memories, heightened sensitivity and physical symptoms with no clear medical cause.”

McLeod sees grade school bullying as one prevalent trauma her clients encounter. “It is disheartening to see how unavoidable bullying can seem and its contribution to mental health challenges. While many parents are seeking therapy for their children, there is also a noticeable increase in efforts by local schools to address this issue,” she says. “Schools are providing mental health education through themed weeks and trainings, implementing tools like STOPit for students and families to anonymously report safety concerns, and implementing orders to maintain distance from conflicting peers with consequences for violations. Overall, the increased focus on mental health has led to greater awareness and acceptance of therapeutic support during a time when our world is experiencing a mental health crisis.”

She cautions, “If left untreated, trauma can stem and/or worsen post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and substance use, among other mental health challenges,” and encourages people to seek professional help and build a supportive network of people to feel safe, reduce risks and start the journey to healing.

Jessica Russell, LCSW-S, owner of Olive Branch Counseling, believes “Trauma occurs when your body continues to react to present-day triggers because it remembers and has imprinted a specific feeling from a past unsafe situation. Currently, the most common traumas I see are related to clients’ fear of commitment and vulnerability with those close to them. This often stems from childhood experiences where they were consistently invalidated and made to feel they were not good enough. The prevalence of this type of trauma seems to be increasing, possibly due to the ease of comparing oneself to others on social media, which reinforces feelings of inadequacy or the need for perfection.”

The treatment she finds most effective is a combination of dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). “These approaches are powerful because they involve a lot of validation and help unlock emotions that clients find difficult to express. DBT, in particular, helps clients view situations from multiple perspectives, which fosters acceptance of who they are and the understanding that change is possible,” she finds.

Russell advises, “My biggest tip for trauma recovery is to just get started—there’s no need to wait for a specific event to begin your healing journey. Also, be patient with yourself. You've spent most of your life building habits rooted in trauma, so it will take more than a few weeks to heal and create a new path forward.”

Cindy J. Payne, MS, LPC-S, NCC, CYT, owner of Rooted Counseling Services, PLLC, defines trauma as essentially a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. “It can affect how someone feels, thinks and behaves long after the event. Think of it as an emotional wound that doesn’t heal easily on its own. Trauma can result from things like abuse, accidents, loss or other significant stressors—not just the event itself, but how the person perceives and is affected by it,” she shares.

Current prevalent traumas include childhood adversity—experiences like neglect, abuse or severe family dysfunction; trauma from violence—domestic violence, assault and community violence; mental health crises—high levels of anxiety, depression and stress, sometimes exacerbated by social and economic pressures; natural disasters—experiences from events like hurricanes, wildfires and floods; and pandemic-related trauma—stress and loss related to COVID-19, including grief, economic instability and social isolation.

Therapeutic approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that helps people understand and change negative thought patterns and behaviors; eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) that uses guided eye movements to help process and integrate traumatic memories; trauma-informed therapy and trauma-informed yoga, which ensure that therapists and yoga teachers understand the impact of trauma and work in a way that is sensitive to clients’ experiences; medication that is sometimes used to manage symptoms like anxiety or depression that can accompany trauma; and support groups to connect with others that have had similar experiences which can be validating and afford practical advice.

Trauma recovery is a personal journey, and what works best can vary from person to person. It is important to explore different approaches and find what resonates with the individual.

Licensed Professional Counselor, Clinical Certified Trauma Professional, Certified Clinical Shakina Robinson-Wiggins M.S., LPC, CCTP, CCATP, CTMH, owner of Malaysia’s Heart Counseling, LLC, is an anxiety treatment professional and Certified Clinical Telemental Health Provider in Frisco. She says, “Defining trauma from a bird’s-eye perspective can help one understand what trauma really is and how to navigate through life better. Trauma is an emotional response to an intense event that threatens or has even caused harm. It is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one’s ability to cope with, or accept the emotions involved with that experience.”

She explains, “Trauma may result from a single distressing experience or from recurring events of being overwhelmed. Being in practice for 17-plus years, I have noticed that the most prevalent traumas have stemmed from a wide range of different situations such as family dynamics, experiencing unexpected deaths, being a first responder, dealing with life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters and a global pandemic.”

She notes, “During that time, my practice experienced an increase in the need of therapy services during the pandemic, where I treated many clients who suffered from adjusting to a new way of life, unemployment, grief, anxiety, depression, stress, fear, anger and either first-hand or second- hand illnesses. When it comes to trauma, there are different approaches in securing effective treatment, and the one that I utilize in my practice is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) a type of psychotherapy that helps people change unhealthy ways of thinking, feeling and behaving. It is a combination of cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy that can help guide one into healing.”

Robinson-Wiggins  says, “Self-care is also another important factor in trauma recovery, which includes prioritizing yourself, no matter what form you choose to use. Exercising using grounding techniques, journaling, creating better routines for sleep, creating and keeping a positive support system around you such as family and friends, creating boundaries and most importantly, reaching out to professionals that can help you process your trauma and overall recovery. You also need to remember that you are not alone, and you can turn your trauma into triumph if you allow yourself to be vulnerable and accept the needed help to ensure that you positively feel supported and empowered.”

Angela Harris Counseling; 12700 Park Central Dr., Ste. 110, Dallas; 214-449-0029; [email protected]: AngelaHarrisCounseling.com.

Color Me Green Child & Family Therapy; 5300 Town and Country Blvd., Ste. 240, Frisco; [email protected]; colormegreencft.com.

Olive Branch Counseling; 1820 Preston Park Blvd., Ste. 2200, Plano; 469-626-8795; [email protected]; olivebranchdfw.com.

Rooted Counseling Services; 5750 Genesis Ct., Ste. 135, Frisco; 972-391-7630; [email protected]; RootedCounselingServicesFrisco.com.

Malaysia’s Heart Counseling; 940-977-0553; [email protected]; MalaysiasHeartCounseling.net.