Trauma is complicated. It can be obvious, with a clear cause, and symptoms that seem to make sense. Or, trauma can be buried beneath depression, anxiety, and anger, without any recognizable origin. The causal event may have occurred a week ago, or half a century in the past.

To help survivors of trauma make sense of what they're experiencing, psychoeducation is a natural place to begin. Psychoeducation can help by normalizing the experience of trauma, and by giving a name to the enemy. It can help your clients build the confidence they need to know they can get better.

Our What is Trauma? info sheet offers a basic overview of trauma, including a definition, information about risk factors, symptoms, and common treatments. This printout was designed to be used with new clients and their families as an introduction to trauma.