Trauma is not defined by how extreme an event looks from the outside. It’s defined by how the experience was processed inside the nervous system. Trauma is what happens inside us when something overwhelms our ability to cope, feel safe, or make sense of what’s happening. There is a difference between a natural recovery process to an adverse event, and being stuck, which prevents recovery.

If you’ve ever reacted in a way that surprised you—snapping at someone you love, shutting down during conflict, or saying yes when you wanted to say no—you’re not broken. These reactions are not character flaws; they are nervous system responses. Fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and flop are automatic survival strategies shaped by your history and designed to keep you safe. With understanding, compassion, and support, your nervous system can learn that the present moment is safer than the past—and that you no longer have to survive, you can begin to heal.