Information about trauma

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. This could include anything from a car accident or natural disaster to ongoing abuse, violence, or combat. PTSD isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a response from a nervous system that has experienced too much, too fast, or too soon without enough time or support to process it.

Common symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks or intrusive memories of the trauma, nightmares, difficulty sleeping, irritability, hypervigilance (feeling constantly on edge), and emotional numbness. Some people may avoid reminders of the trauma or experience changes in mood, such as feeling anxious, depressed, or disconnected. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, know that healing is possible—and you’re not alone.

Complex PTSD, or C-PTSD, is a form of post-traumatic stress that can develop after prolonged, repeated, or relational trauma—especially in situations where someone felt powerless to escape or protect themselves. This often includes experiences like childhood emotional abuse or neglect, narcissistic abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, or living in chronically unsafe or unstable environments.

While C-PTSD shares many symptoms with PTSD—such as flashbacks, nightmares, and hypervigilance—it also includes additional challenges that stem from long-term trauma. These might include difficulty regulating emotions, a deep and persistent sense of shame, trouble trusting others, low self-worth, dissociation, and struggles with forming or maintaining healthy relationships.

People with C-PTSD often carry invisible wounds from experiences that were dismissed or minimized by others. But the impact is very real. Healing from C-PTSD is absolutely possible, especially with trauma-informed support that centers safety, compassion, and empowerment. At the Trauma and PTSD Healing Center, we understand that healing isn’t about “getting over” the past—it’s about gently reconnecting with yourself, your body, and your worth.

Many people might not realize that untreated PTSD and cPTSD can lead to any of the following symptoms:

• Panic attacks (from stored pent-up emotions)
• Depression
• Irritability 
• Chronic pain, especially migraines and fibromyalgia
• Phobias, especially agoraphobia
• Addiction
• Procrastination
• Social anxiety
• Brain fog

Trauma isn’t just about what happens to us—it’s also about how our body and mind respond when we feel overwhelmed, unsafe, or helpless. Trauma can result from one-time events like accidents, surgeries, or assaults, but it can also stem from ongoing experiences such as neglect, emotional abuse, systemic oppression, discrimination, or financial hardship.

Not all trauma looks the same. What’s traumatic for one person may not be for another, and vice versa. Our unique histories, nervous systems, and support systems all play a role. What matters most is recognizing how an experience made you feel—whether it shook your sense of safety, self-worth, or connection—and honoring that impact with compassion and care.

The great news is that both PTSD and cPTSD are treatable. You CAN get better. Learning tools to help your nervous system to differentiate between danger and safety is one of the steps you will be learning in therapy. 

Our nervous system is like our internal alarm system—it helps us respond to danger and return to safety. But when we’ve experienced trauma, that system can get stuck in overdrive, leading to chronic anxiety, hypervigilance, dissociation, or shutdown. Nervous system regulation involves gently teaching our body that it’s safe again, one small step at a time.

Tools for regulation might include breathwork, grounding exercises, movement, mindfulness, time in nature, or simply connecting with someone we trust. These practices can help bring us back into balance, allowing us to process emotions, stay present, and feel more in control of our responses. Everyone’s system is different, so it’s okay to explore and find what helps you feel more grounded.

The “window of tolerance” is a concept developed by Dr. Dan Siegel to describe the optimal zone where we can function and cope well with everyday stress. When we’re within our window, we feel calm, focused, and able to process what’s happening around us. Trauma, however, can shrink that window, making it easier to get pushed into states of overwhelm (hyperarousal) or shutdown (hypoarousal).

Hyperarousal might look like anxiety, panic, anger, or restlessness. Hypoarousal can feel like numbness, disconnection, fatigue, or zoning out. The goal of healing is to gently expand your window over time—building the capacity to feel and stay present with a wider range of experiences without becoming overwhelmed. This is where self-regulation tools, therapy, and compassionate support come in.