Trauma can exist as a singular monumental event such as 9-11. However, it can also micro-events or a micro-aggressions such as being or feeling misunderstood or under-estimated that changes your outlook on the world. Our focus here at Profound Roots are related to trauma that manifest as a collection of events and experiences big or small that occur over a significant period of time or as on-going or lifelong experience. Therapists often refer to a collection of traumatic events as "Complex Trauma". Complex trauma can include things such as...
- Being in an unhealthy/abusive romantic relationship
- Growing up with parents who either intentionally or unintentionally provided information that was either not accurate or communicated ineffectively
- Being associated with a minority group or a group that is currently or historically dis-empowered
Complex trauma can result in things such as....
- Intimacy/Relationship Issues
- Difficulties with loss/abandonment
- Challenges with parenting
- Low self-esteem
- Drug/Alcohol Abuse
- Anger Issues
- Work/career issues
- Anxiety Disorders
- Personality/Identity confusion
However, trauma in and of itself is not uncommon and does not always require on-going and prolonged treatment. We believe it is safe to say that the entire world has experienced a traumatic event at one point or another especially following the 2020 global pandemic. There are times when trauma just gets processed in our bodies and regulates on its own because an internal or external resources steps in to save the day. In these cases, treatment or additional support may not be needed. Most people who have complex trauma are able to self-regulate and manage most of the threats they are faced with. However, there are also times when resources are limited, unavailable, or the threat is still very active and real. An unregulated threat can be identified by the fact that an individual continues to feel vulnerable and unsafe in the face of a person, place, or things that even remotely reminds them of a time when they were actually in danger even though they are no longer in danger. You might have heard these situations as "triggers". A lot of people with complex trauma tend to incorporate their triggers as a aspect of their personality or even their culture. The reality is that a lot of the cultural traditions and beliefs are shaped from ages of traumatic events. Unregulated threats require additional support and therapy can serve as an additional resource to help. Because trauma is so ingrained in many of the cultures and systems that we have to operate in, all of our services and trainings are trauma-informed and backed by the latest trauma research.
