1.3: What Is Trauma?

Trauma is generally defined as “an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being” (SAMHSA, 2019). Many people experience different types of trauma in their lives. Some people get help to deal with this trauma, but many do not. Therefore, career development professionals must begin all their communications with an understanding that anyone may have experienced trauma at some time in their lives and be prepared to support survivors of trauma. This approach is called trauma-informed communications.

Individuals who have experienced trauma may have little space for learning. They may have a constant state of tension and arousal, which makes it difficult for them to concentrate, pay attention, retain, and recall new information. A traumatized client may also feel like danger lurks around the corner constantly. This behaviour is challenging in a career development setting when trying to develop a relationship with a client. Trauma survivors tend to protect themselves from reliving the traumatic experience, so discussing their history or even current situation may be difficult. Trauma can also affect a client’s decisions or their ability to trust others, including career development professionals.

Understanding Trauma

Different types of trauma may include the following:

• Acute trauma is caused by a singular incident, such as a natural disaster, accident, or acts of violence.
• Chronic trauma is repeated and prolonged, resulting from situations such as domestic violence or abuse.
• Complex trauma is varied and encompasses multiple traumatic events, often of an interpersonal nature, such as abuse or profound neglect, which often occur with caregivers.
• Historical trauma, also called multigenerational trauma, can be experienced by a specific cultural, racial or ethnic group, often related to significant events that oppressed a group of people, such as residential schools, the Holocaust, forced migration, or violent colonization (City of San Diego, n.d.).

A person can experience one, some, or all these traumatic stresses during their lifetime. Multiple studies show that severe or ongoing exposure to highly stressful or threatening events can impact a client’s ability to function in a socially acceptable way (Haskell & Randell, 2019; King, 2021; National Child Traumatic Stress Network [NCTSN], 2017). Therefore, career development professionals should adopt a trauma-informed approach to their practice.