What is trauma?

Trauma is when something really strong happens to you and it changes how you feel inside.

Imagine your brain is like a soft pillow. When you're happy or safe, it's nice and cozy. But if something scary or hurtful happens, like being yelled at very loudly or falling off the swing, it's like someone hits that pillow with a big hammer. That makes the pillow squishy and a little sore for a while.

Trauma is like that sore pillow. It doesn't mean you're broken, just that your brain needs some extra love to feel better again.

Sometimes, after something traumatic happens, it's hard to remember what happened, or it feels like it's happening all over again. It's kind of like when you drop your favorite toy and can’t find it anywhere. You might start looking under the couch, in the closet, even outside! Your brain is trying really hard to fix things.

Healing from trauma is like giving that sore pillow some gentle pats or a warm hug. It takes time, maybe a little bit every day, but soon your brain feels cozy and safe again.