Big "T" Traumas

Francine Shapiro, a well-known trauma psychologist, talks about little t and big T traumas, meaning that trauma comes in different sizes. Trauma can be caused by a single event or through the impact of ongoing abuse over time. Some individuals who experience extreme or repeated trauma develop severe symptoms of trauma and have great difficulty functioning. Big “T” events are things such as a natural disaster, physical assault, sexual assault, death or a horrible accident.

Little “t” Traumas

There are smaller traumas that also effect people. Little “t” events such as being bullied or excluded, can be devastating to a person who is experiencing them. Little “t” traumas include experiences such as:

• Repeated rejection and invalidation
• Bullying, being teased, name calling
• Being discredited or ignored
• Homelessness
• Living in situations where you lack control
• Having extended hospitalizations, or
• Abandonment by family, relatives, friends

It is important to understand that trauma is based on the individual’s experience and perception of the experience. Everyone experiences trauma differently, and so one person may respond differently than another who has gone through the same experience.