Over the past few decades, we’ve come to a deeper understanding of what trauma is and how it impacts our mental, physical and relational health. And these days, it feels like everyone is talking about trauma—teachers, pastors, mental health professionals, the media, even our parents—and I’m grateful we’re waking up to the role trauma plays in our lives. But what is trauma, really?

Trauma isn’t just another trendy buzzword. Trauma is a great disruptor. Trauma can impact our bodies and relationships for years. And it keeps us running, fighting, or shutting down instead of living whole, joyful lives. Technically, trauma is acute, cumulative, secondary or complex—but we’ll dive into that more later. 

In this 101-level guide, you'll learn the basics of what trauma is and how people can begin to heal from it, and you’ll get access to the resources you need to kick-start the process. Here’s what’s coming:

When we think of trauma, we often think of a single big event, like childhood abuse or a tragic car wreck. But trauma is different than you think.

There’s not just one type of trauma we can experience. Here are the main types of trauma you should know about.

Because your body and brain work so closely together, trauma can trigger a range of physical and psychological symptoms. Here are some of the most common symptoms of trauma.

Everyone responds to threats in their own unique way. But why do these trauma responses happen? Let me break it down for you.

Sometimes trauma responses turn into disorders that disrupt the normal functioning of the brain and body. Here are a couple of the most common types of trauma disorders.

Healing from trauma is hard, and it can be a long road. But you’re worth it. Here’s how to start healing from trauma.