What is Trauma?

What is trauma and what does it have to do with COVID-19?

Well, trauma is really three things.

1. When you think about it, it is/was something unexpected. You didn't know it was going to happen.
2. You can't prepare for it, so you feel unprepared for the event.
3. And finally, you can't do anything to stop it.

Those are the three ways to define trauma as described by Tara Brock. She talks about this is what trauma looks: it's unexpected, you can't prepare, and you can't stop it.

COVID-19 is Trauma

Whether or not we have post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, would include some more issues around COVID-19 and around how we're able to handle it. So this could include: what kind of history we have, how do we cope through COVID-19 and how can we build resiliency to bounce back from COVID-19.

Resiliency Skills

So, resiliency skills are going to be crucial during COVID-19 and after to learn how to recover fully, how to become resilient and how to be able to cope through this time.

Support During COVID-19

During the coronavirus, we can grow our compassion and support for one another.

When, instead of saying, "What's wrong with you? Why are you reacting this way to the COVID?"

Instead say, "What happened to you? Are you okay?"

Understanding Trauma

People are going to be able to empathize with one another, better support one another, and understand what each person has gone through on a higher level than what we assume they will.

In order to nurture this mindset, wee can ask this question to one another. Instead of going from a judgmental, "What's wrong with you?" and a criticism to you as a person, we can ask questions that are from a place of concern and empathy.

Connect Heart to Heart

We can shift and ask, "What happened to you? What are you going through right now? How are you experiencing this?"

We can relate to one another on an emotional level and on a heart connection level.

We can all go through this together. We can support one other, hear one other, and be there for one another, and by doing that we can all help one another through difficult times.