A Trauma Therapists Perspective on “Big T” and “Small t” Trauma
Trauma is not in the event, it is in the nervous system. It is common for people to associate trauma with a stressful or overwhelming event(s) such as natural disasters or war. We know that one event can be distressing for one individual and not for another.
Some of us may have heard the terms, “Big T” and “Small t” to categorize trauma or traumatic events. Many people value these categories because they gave name to what someone is experiencing. As a trauma therapist, I believe that by separating types of trauma by these categories, we are providing a false narrative about how and why trauma is developed.
There is no hierarchy of traumatic events.
One kind is not worse or more impactful than another. Trauma is trauma. No matter what caused it, how old you were or how many times it happened. There is enough suffering in the world; we don’t need to add to the suffering by adding value or meaning to a traumatic experience by saying it is “big” or “small.”
What is “Big T” Trauma?
There is not one definition of “Big T” trauma. To sum it up, our society identifies “Big T “ trauma as major events that are normally seen as traumatic. Within this definition lies problems. What is ‘normal’ is different to everyone and typically is defined through a white, higher socioeconomic, heterosexual male lens. There is not one normal experience. What is ‘normal’ also changes over time.
Here is a non-comprehensive list of what Western society deems as “Big T” trauma:
· Terrorist attacks
· Motor vehicle accidents
· Sexual or physical assault
· Combat or war
· Domestic violence
· Emotional neglect or abuse
What is “Small t” Trauma?
“Small t” trauma also has many definitions, but it is typically defined as overwhelming events that are not often seen as traumatic. This definition is again based on how how the general public views other people’s experiences and continues to put emphasis on trauma being in the event rather than the nervous system.
Examples of “Small t” traumas:
· Divorce or infidelity
· Moving
· Bullying
· Financial worries
· Discrimination
· Chronic mental or physical illness
· Adoption or miscarriage
What does the body have to do with it?
Peter Levine, who developed Somatic Experiencing, a form of Somatic therapy said, “It’s about the nervous system’s response to an event, not necessarily the event itself.” What does that mean? Isn’t it the event that traumatizes us? The reason I, as a trauma therapist, believe that the categories of “Big T” and "small t” trauma are not only invalidating but also irrelevant is because they are just separating events based on societal beliefs and expectations. There is no difference in the mental health effects of “Big T” traumas versus “small t” traumas. Why is that? It’s because trauma lives in the nervous system.
Our nervous system is our body. We could get technical and talk about the different branches of our nervous system, but for the sake of simplicity, I am going to refer to the nervous system as one entity. Our bodies and minds go through events together. We do not just cognitively experience our lives.
The Job of the Nervous System
The sole purpose of our nervous system is survival. It does not care about looking good or being socially appropriate. It does not consider future implications of its actions or if someone will like what they said or did. It has one job and one job only: to survive.
When the nervous system (not the mind) signals threat, it will do everything it can to keep you alive. Sometimes, doing everything it can means doing nothing. Sometimes it means playing dead. Sometimes it means asking for help. Sometimes it means running away and leaving people you love behind. Sometimes it means doing things that are against your values. This can be confusing because the body perceives threat before the mind does. There are also times where the body perceives threat but mind doesn’t. The nervous system does not have time to ask the mind if it should act; it perceives a threat moving towards it and it wants to keep you safe.
Fight, Flight, Freeze
The events listed above may or may not cause a traumatic reaction. There are many factors that contribute to an event having a traumatic effect. According to Somatic Experiencing, trauma occurs when there are incomplete self protection responses in our body that are waiting to complete. What is an incomplete self-protection response? Fight, flight and freeze! The impulse to run or flee. The impulse to fight. The impulse to find the threat. These impulses become stuck in our bodies, which results in trauma symptoms including but not limited to difficulty sleeping, restlessness, anger, dissociation, fatigue, flashbacks, nightmares, low self-esteem, intrusive throughts and memories.
Just because an event is over and we survived it, does not mean this incomplete survival energy is still not stuck in our bodies. If our bodies did not get to do what it wanted to do during a traumatic event, it will attempt to replay patterns or behaviors as a way to “get the energy out.”
There is More to the Story…
In a lot of trauma therapies, there is a significant focus on the cognitive story. What happened? Who was there? How were you harmed mentally? What are your beliefs about yourself and the event(s)? People also explore their resentments and fears. These are all important factors in trauma recovery but it is only a part of the story.
The nervous system also holds a story that needs to be told. In Somatic therapy, we focus on the nervous system’s response to trauma. What is happening inside as you talk about the event? What sensations do you notice? Do you have any urges? Do you feel numb? When are you most present? When do you “go away”?
Adding the Body into Trauma Therapy
In order to heal trauma, we need to shift focus away from the “event.” There is no small or big trauma. There is the traumatic impact on our nervous systems. We need to increase awareness that trauma is a response that the body can have as it relates to any threat, real or imagined. We need to change the narrative in our society that there are only certain events or situations that we can be upset about.
It is also crucial that we incorporate the nervous system into treatment. If trauma is in the body, how can treatment be successful without the body as an integral part of it?
Begin Trauma Therapy Detroit, Michigan Today!
Whether you have had “Big T” or “small t” trauma, our traama therapists at Embodied Wellness, PLLC are here to support you and help you heal. We provide online therapy to anyone in Detroit, Ann Arbor or throughout in Michigan via online therapy. Follow these steps to get started:
Reach out for a free consultation with one of our trauma therapists
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Embodied Wellness, PLLC provides online therapy in Michigan to adults and teenagers. Our therapists are trained in EMDR, DBT, Internal Family Systems and the treatment of anxiety, depression and OCD. Servicios de terapia in Español.