Understanding the Different Types of Trauma: And How Therapy Can Help

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Different types of trauma can impact our mental and physical health in various ways. In the best selling book, The Body Keeps The Score, Dr van der Kolk observes that 'the effects of trauma can be devastating for sufferers, their families and future generations.'

But while trauma is for many people an emotionally and psychologically debilitating condition, there is hope. Dr van der Kolk reminds us that with the right support, healing is possible. Whether it stems from a single incident or long-term experiences, trauma affects not just the mind but also the body and relationships too.

This article explores the different types of trauma, how they manifest, and how trauma-informed therapy can help individuals move towards recovery and reconnection.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma refers to the psychological and physiological response to events that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope. While it’s often associated with overtly distressing events, trauma is highly subjective. What is traumatic for one person may not be for another.

As trauma expert Dr Bessel van der Kolk explains, “trauma is not the story of something that happened back then, it’s the current imprint of that pain” (van der Kolk, 2014). In other words, trauma lingers — in the nervous system, in relationships, and in a person’s sense of self.

Relevant reading: The Myth of Normal

Different types of trauma

Psychological research and clinical practice often distinguish between several types of trauma, each with distinct causes and potential impacts. What follows is a brief outline of the primary recognised different types of trauma. We will review the most common origins of the trauma and associative symptoms reported by sufferers.

Type 1 trauma (single-incident trauma)

Also known as acute trauma, this type is the result of a one-off, shocking event that causes a significant emotional response. Common examples include:

• Car accidents

• Natural disasters

• Assault or violence

• Sudden bereavement

• Medical emergencies

  
  

Individuals experiencing Type 1 trauma often present with symptoms such as flashbacks, hypervigilance, or panic. Therapeutic approaches such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT) have been shown to be highly effective in supporting recovery.

Relevant theory: The fight-flight-freeze response, initially described by Cannon (1929) and later expanded upon through Polyvagal Theory (Porges, 2011), helps explain how the body reacts to sudden threats by activating protective survival responses.

Type 2 trauma (chronic or repeated trauma)

Type 2 trauma develops in response to prolonged or repeated exposure to distressing experiences. These might include:

• Childhood neglect or abuse

• Domestic violence

• Bullying or harassment

• Living in unstable or unsafe environments

The impact of chronic trauma tends to be cumulative, affecting emotional regulation, self-perception and interpersonal functioning. It often contributes to symptoms associated with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), as described by Judith Herman (1992).

Therapeutic approaches: Longer-term therapies such as psychodynamic therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) are particularly effective for supporting individuals recovering from long-standing trauma.

Complex trauma and developmental trauma

Complex trauma is typically rooted in early life and arises in the context of relationships – particularly when caregivers are abusive, neglectful, or emotionally unavailable. This form of trauma, often overlapping with developmental trauma, disrupts foundational aspects of psychological growth, including:

• The ability to trust

• Emotional regulation

• Self-worth and identity

• Attachment and relational safety

Attachment Theory Insight: British psychologist John Bowlby’s attachment theory posits that early caregiving relationships shape how we view ourselves and others (Attachment Three Volumes). When those bonds are ruptured or unreliable, the long-term impact can manifest as anxiety, avoidance, or disorganised attachment styles.

How trauma affects the body and mind

Trauma doesn’t just live in the mind – it lives in the body. It can manifest physically as:

• Chronic tension or pain

• Gastrointestinal difficulties

• Sleep disturbances

• Fatigue or immune issues

• Sensations of numbness or detachment

Somatic theories, particularly van der Kolk’s body-based framework and Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, help explain why trauma may lead to nervous system dysregulation and how healing must include both the psychological and physiological aspects of experience.

How therapy supports trauma recovery

Effective trauma therapy is not about reliving the past - it's about building the capacity to feel safe, connected, and whole in the present.

Evidence-based trauma therapies include:

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing):Helps reprocess distressing memories, particularly for single-incident trauma.

• Somatic Experiencing: A body-based approach that focuses on discharging stored survival energy.

• Internal Family Systems (IFS): Helps individuals work compassionately with internal 'parts' shaped by trauma, such as protectors, critics, or vulnerable inner children.

• Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT): Designed to address shame, self-criticism and emotional sensitivity, which often develop through complex or relational trauma.

• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT): Integrates trauma processing with skills for managing triggers and building resilience.

You are not broken – You are responding to pain

Trauma symptoms are not flaws or failings – they are adaptations. They reflect the body and mind’s best attempts to stay safe in unsafe environments. Therapy offers a structured, compassionate space to explore these patterns, restore connection, and reclaim a sense of calm and confidence.

Taking the first step towards healing

If any part of this article resonates with you, you are not alone — and you don’t have to navigate this on your own. Trauma-informed therapy can support you to process the past, reconnect with yourself, and move towards a more grounded and empowered future.

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References

• Bowlby, J. (1988). A Secure Base: Clinical Applications of Attachment Theory. Routledge.

• Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books.

• Porges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation. W. W. Norton.

• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.

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About Dr Laura Allen –

Dr Laura Allen is a Chartered Psychologist and Integrative Therapist with expertise across a range of therapeutic modalities. A published author in the field of Positive Psychology, she offers personalised one-to-one support, provides supervision for fellow practitioners, and plays an active role in shaping the future of the profession through her work with the British Psychological Society’s assessment team.