Types of Trauma

Physical abuse occurs when a person commits an act that results in physical injury to another person.

Vicarious trauma is a negative reaction that can occur when someone is exposed to the trauma of others, such as through work or witnessing a traumatic event.

Community violence is exposure to intentional acts of interpersonal violence committed in public areas by individuals who are not intimately related to the victim.

Bullying is a deliberate and unsolicited action that occurs with the intent of inflicting social, emotional, physical, and/or psychological harm to someone who often is perceived as being less powerful. 

Psychological abuse, also known as mental or emotional abuse, involves using verbal and non-verbal communication to try to control someone or harm them emotionally.

Complex trauma is repeated exposure to multiple traumatic events—often of an invasive, interpersonal nature—and the wide-ranging, long-term effects of this exposure.

Natural disasters include hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, wildfires, tsunamis, and floods, as well as extreme weather events such as blizzards, droughts, extreme heat...

Early childhood trauma generally refers to the traumatic experiences that occur to children aged 0-6.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), also referred to as domestic violence, occurs when an individual purposely causes harm or threatens the risk of harm to any past or current partner or spouse.

Medical traumatic stress refers to a set of psychological and physiological responses of a patient and their families to single or multiple medical events.

The US history of colonialism, genocide, slavery, and white supremacy continues to impact BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) children and families through covert and overt forms of racism...

Many refugees, especially children, have experienced trauma related to war or persecution that may affect their mental and physical health long after the events have occurred.

Child sexual abuse is any interaction between a child and an adult (or another child) in which the child is used for the sexual stimulation of the perpetrator or an observer.

Child sex trafficking involves the giving or receiving of anything of value (money, shelter, food, clothing, drugs, etc.) to any person in exchange for a sex act with someone under the age of 18.

Families and children may be profoundly affected by mass violence, acts of terrorism, or community trauma in the form of shootings, bombings, or other types of attacks.

Combat-related trauma is a type of traumatic event that can occur to military members in a variety of circumstances. Combat stress, also known as battle fatigue, is a common response to the mental and emotional strain that can result from dangerous and traumatic experiences.

Military sexual trauma (MST) refers to sexual assault or threatening sexual harassment experienced during military service. 

While many children adjust well after a death, other children have ongoing difficulties that interfere with everyday life and make it difficult to recall positive memories of their loved ones.

Religious trauma occurs when a person's religious experience is stressful, degrading, dangerous, abusive, or damaging. Traumatic religious experiences may harm or threaten to harm someone's physical, emotional, mental, sexual, or spiritual health and safety.