World Trauma Day: Rebuilding Safety, Trust, and Connection
Every year on 17 October, World Trauma Day reminds us of something deeply important — that trauma isn’t just what happened to someone. It’s how their body, mind, and emotions continue to react long after the event has passed. Trauma lives in the nervous system, in patterns of fear, hypervigilance, or shutdown that were once protective but can become painful to live with.
Understanding Trauma Beyond the Event
When people hear the word trauma, they often think of war, disaster, or abuse — and while those are certainly traumatic experiences, trauma can also stem from accidents, medical emergencies, loss, or ongoing stress that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. It’s not about comparing experiences; it’s about understanding the impact.
The body remembers. The mind adapts to survive.
And recovery begins when safety, trust, and connection are slowly restored.
The Body Keeps the Score
“The body keeps the score.” – Gabor Maté
This powerful quote encapsulates the idea that our physical health is intrinsically linked to our emotional and psychological states. Maté emphasizes that trauma and stress manifest in the body, often leading to chronic tension, pain, or illness. Understanding this connection encourages individuals to seek holistic healing — approaches that address the mind, body, and spirit together, not in isolation.
Trauma-informed therapy works with this awareness, helping people notice how their body holds fear or distress, and gently guiding them back toward a sense of safety and calm. Healing isn’t just mental; it’s deeply physical, emotional, and relational.
Why Trauma-Informed Therapy Matters
Trauma-informed therapy doesn’t ask, “What’s wrong with you?” — it asks, “What happened to you, and how has it affected you?”
It’s a compassionate, respectful approach that recognises how trauma shapes emotions, relationships, and even physical health.
In my own work as a counsellor, I’ve seen how healing begins when people feel truly seen and believed. Trauma-informed care creates a space where people don’t have to defend or justify their pain. They can begin to explore it at their own pace, with compassion rather than shame.
What I Wish Everyone Knew About Trauma Recovery
Recovery isn’t about erasing the past — it’s about learning that the past no longer has to define the present.
Healing doesn’t happen in a straight line. There are good days, hard days, and quiet moments of realisation that the storm inside is softening.
If there’s one thing I wish everyone understood, it’s this: you don’t have to “get over” trauma — you can learn to live beyond it.
Rediscovering Strength and Self-Worth
Therapy can be a powerful way to reconnect with parts of yourself that trauma disconnected you from — hope, joy, trust, and self-worth. It helps people remember that they are more than their trauma story; they are survivors, with resilience written into their bones.
On this World Trauma Day, let’s honour the courage it takes to heal. Let’s continue to educate, encourage, engage, and empower — because recovery is not just possible; it’s a testament to the human capacity to rebuild.
If you feel ready to explore your own feelings and emotions around trauma, please click on the "Contact Me" tab or drop me an email ktcounselling@icloud.com.