Trauma is not always a singular event – but it is yours
Many people assume that trauma must involve a single dramatic or catastrophic event — something large, obvious, or life-threatening. Sometimes trauma does look like that. But often, trauma is quieter, cumulative, and woven into everyday life.
This is especially important when we’re looking at chronic pain, fatigue, long-standing stress or health conditions. Because trauma is not defined by what happened, but by how the nervous system responds and adapts to keep us safe.
Why “Big T / Small T Trauma” Isn’t Helpful
You may have heard trauma described as “big T” or “small t” trauma.
I don’t find that language useful. It suggests trauma can be measured, ranked, or compared — and it can’t.
Trying to decide whether one person’s trauma is “bigger” than another’s minimizes the reality of someone’s lived experience.
Just like pain, trauma is not something we can score on a scale. It is:
- Personal
- Embodied
- Shaped by context and history
- Felt in the nervous system, not in logic or language
Your experience is your experience — and that is what matters.
Trauma Can Be Single-Event or cumulative
Yes, trauma can come from events such as:
- Accidents
- Medical emergencies
- Natural disasters
- War
- Violence
But trauma can also develop from experiences that are:
- Repeated
- Subtle
- Over time
This is what we call developmental trauma or cumulative trauma.
It can look like:
- Emotional neglect
- Unpredictable environments
- Always being on alert as a child
- Feeling unsupported or unseen
- Growing up without secure safety in relationships
This kind of trauma is sometimes described as “a thousand small cuts.”
There may not be one defining moment — but the impact is just as real.
How Trauma Shows Up in the Body
Trauma is not just an emotional memory. It is a physiological imprint.
The nervous system learns patterns of protection and activation. This can influence:
- Stress responses
- Pain sensitivity
- Muscle tension
- Digestive health
- Sleep
- Fatigue
- Relationship dynamics
- And our general sense of safety in the world
This is why people with developmental trauma often experience complex health symptoms that don’t respond to purely physical treatment.
The body remembers, even when the mind has moved on.
Single-Event Trauma vs Developmental Trauma
A single traumatic event can have a profound impact — but the nervous system may also find pathways to recover, especially when support is available.
Developmental or relational trauma can be more layered because:
- It forms during early nervous system development
- It shapes a person’s sense of safety and identity
- It affects how the body anticipates and responds to life
This does not mean it is “worse.”
It simply means the work can be more nuanced.
And that is what body–mind therapy is designed for.
If You Think Your Trauma “Wasn’t Bad Enough”
It is very common for people to say:
“Other people had it worse.”
“I should be fine.”
“It wasn’t that big of a deal.”
“I just need to get on with it.”
But if something is affecting your health, your emotions, your relationships, or your sense of yourself — it matters.
There is no threshold you have to cross to deserve support.
Your suffering is valid.
Your experience is real.
Your story has value.
And it will be met here with neutrality, compassion and respect.
A Body–Mind Approach at The Grange Health
My work supports people who experience:
- Chronic pain or tension
- Fatigue or burnout
- Long-term stress patterns
- Trauma stored in the body
- Emotional overwhelm
- Feeling “stuck” without knowing why
Together, we meet your experience gently — through the body, the nervous system, and the meaning your story holds.
You do not need to justify your pain. You do not need to prove your trauma. You only need to show up — exactly as you are.
You are welcome here.
Watch my video on this on my YouTube channel. Just click on this link: https://youtu.be/2RcMsXniLTg?si=mxLOU618smoKsdW4
Find our more about how therapies at the Grange can help you recover from your chronic pain condition: https://thegrangehealth.com/trauma-physio/
