The Power of Perception: Have You REALLY Ever Experienced Trauma?
- 15 minutes ago
- 6 min read
What is trauma, really?
I was chatting with my husband a few days ago, and the question came up: What actually counts as trauma?
My example that I gave was that we know a scratch and broken neck are both (physical) traumas. One is simple and the other serious, but both are still considered (physical) trauma. Similarly, we can experience a moment that seems to be a seemingly small and insignificant event such as a child being unable to speak for oneself or a more well known kind of (emotional) trauma such as an unexpected death of a loved one. Again, both are considered (emotional) trauma.
A lot of people think they haven’t experienced trauma because nothing huge or horrific happened, but the truth is - trauma is subjective and shaped by perspective. Perception can be distorted when we’re in a state of survival. It's a protection mechanism that we automatically enter due to neuroception.
Survival mode isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes, it's putting our stressors on hold to get through the day. Over time, those stressors can become quiet background noise we learn to ignore and eventually forget. The problem with that is the nervous system remembers what the mind forgets.
The Role of Support
Whether we had support or not during and after an experienced trauma - small and insignificant or big and memorable - is a large determining factor as to whether or not an experienced trauma can impact us negatively. The support has to be what we needed during that time of the traumatic event to avoid the negative impact.
Support during trauma strongly affects outcomes
Research continues to show that the presence of supportive people during or right after a traumatic experience plays a major role in how deeply that trauma affects us long term. Whether it’s PTSD, anxiety, or depression, having someone there can make a real difference.
Ideal support includes emotional connection, a sense of physical safety, and the presence of someone who feels truly attuned. In childhood, this often comes from caregivers. In adulthood, it could be a close friend, partner, or trusted professional.
The type of support matters
Not all support has the same impact. What protects us most is the kind that feels safe, validating, and in tune with what we actually need in that moment.
When support is missing, dismissive, or not in line with what we needed, the experience is more likely to stay unresolved and be carried in the nervous system.
Seemingly insignificant events can make an impact without support
Something that seems minor to one person can stay with someone else for years if it happened without support or understanding. This can be especially true if someone went through it alone, felt shamed, or never had the chance to process it with someone who truly listened.
When a person goes through something overwhelming, being emotionally and physically supported in the way they needed at the time greatly increases the chance of resilience and recovery, and decreases the risk of trauma becoming "stored" or pathogenic.
How Trauma Reveals Itself in the Body
As mentioned previously, perception can be distorted when we’re in a state of survival. This is where neuroception comes in. It’s your body’s silent scanner, working 24/7 to detect safety or threat long before you consciously catch on. It's constantly in autopilot working for us without ever needing our intervention of thoughts. It's reading our environment and bodily signals to determine if we are safe or not. When it senses threat, it makes the needed shifts inside our body through physiological changes like increased heart rate or tension to prepare you for survival or maintain safety.
Sometimes, our conscious awareness picks up on these changes through interoception, our ability to feel internal signals like tightness in the chest or a racing heart. That awareness can help one make sense of what's happening and allow us to regulate or respond. Neuroception and interoception contribute to what we call a "gut feeling," intuition, or instinct.
But here’s the thing:
Most people don’t realize they’re living in a constant state of survival.
They’re dissociated. Disconnected. Running on autopilot, not because they're broken, but because that's what has felt safest to their nervous system. Many of us are unaware that we've experienced trauma at all. We continue to live life being subtly or even intensely triggered by everyday moments and interactions with no idea they're tied to unprocessed experiences from the past.
Unprocessed trauma shows up in numerous of ways:
Chronic tension in the neck or shoulders
Back pain or digestive issues
Headaches or migraines with no clear reason
Irritability or snapping at loved ones over small things
Cravings for alcohol, cigarettes, food, or stronger escapes
Feeling numb or checked out
Difficulty relaxing, even in safe environments
Trouble sleeping or waking up exhausted
These symptoms are not random. They’re signals.
The Power of Restoration Found Within Stillness
My husband and I continued discussing and reflecting on our different traumas and how it took moments of safety in our lives to truly realize and acknowledge that some events we previously viewed as insignificant were still impacting us on a deeper level. For me, this realization deepened as I progressed through my Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST) training. Each level of study and practice has revealed new layers of healing and peace I hadn’t experienced before.
Recently, I experienced a long-lasting sense of awareness and calm during an event that would have 100% sent me into fight or flight. It confused me because I genuinely did not understand why I felt so calm in a moment of serious stress. Then it dawned on me that I must have integrated a part of myself that previously triggered that knee-jerk stressful reaction.
Taking BCST has changed my life. I've entered a level of peace and stillness I hadn’t known before. It was shocking to me when something that typically brought me a lot of stress no longer affected me. That's when I realized just how much BCST had been helping me. I am currently a level III, meaning I have spent nearly 150 hours dedicated to learning and practicing this modality. With each level I notice a deeper and longer-lasting change.
This is why I love Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. It helps reach the root of trauma and settle your nervous system. You don’t have to talk through your trauma. You don’t even have to know what it was.
Your body already knows what it needs. We just have to provide the space for it to process - in safe stillness, not stress. BCST lets the body complete what was interrupted during moments of stress and distraction. It gently and safely meets the nervous system where it is stuck without re-traumatizing oneself. This is where true regulation begins. Not by forcing the body to let go, but by creating a space where it can do so on its own.
When we stop getting in our own way and sit in stillness - peace, awareness, and resilience have room to rise.
Would you like to become more aware of what your body is quietly communicating?
If this conversation that I had with my husband resonated with you, chances are your body is ready for a deeper kind of support. BCST can help you notice and respond to the subtle sensations and signals your body is sending without needing to revisit past stories or memories.
Book a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy session. Let your nervous system unwind in a safe, quiet space.
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I am currently a level III practitioner in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy and am working toward becoming a registered Craniosacral Therapist, with an expected completion date in 2027. While continuing my education, I offer BCST sessions for free as I gain hands-on experience. Because spaces are limited between levels, I encourage you to reach out soon if you are interested in experiencing this gentle and supportive therapy.
Thank you for reading! I genuinely hope you found something new or valuable in this post. If you have any questions or want to learn more, feel free to reach out. I’m grateful to do this work and happy to support anyone who is interested or in need however I can.