Understanding Trauma, Part 2: Stress and Trauma
Trauma is defined not by the event(s) that happen to us, but by the response our nervous system has to those events (if you missed Part 1, check it out to learn more about the function of the nervous system). By this definition, what is experienced as traumatic for one person may not be experienced that way by another. To understand this, let’s break down the difference between stress and trauma.
Self-Care During the Holidays
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa, or some combination of these or other holidays, or whether you avoid celebrations altogether, the holiday season can be a time that bounces rapidly between joy and stress. I find that during the holiday season, I experience a full range of emotions on an almost daily basis, and navigating these emotions, and the circumstances that are contributing to them, can feel like a full time job.