Each person’s experience of trauma is unique, shaping their path through suffering and recovery in deeply personal ways. Yet, the common thread woven through trauma is a profound loss of control over one’s sense of safety. This loss often creates an immediate impact: our brains are wired to respond to threats quickly, priming us to avoid future dangers. This reaction can lead to misplaced traumatic memories within the brain, a concept central to treatments like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing).

Loss runs deeply through trauma—from the initial experience to the continued struggles survivors face as they attempt to re-establish safety, often coping in ways that may be either productive or maladaptive. The journey of trauma recovery can be painful, surrounded by a sense of powerlessness.

Trauma can result from countless situations, whether a natural disaster, an abusive relationship, or other experiences. In each case, survivors faced a loss of control, leaving them feeling powerless. Recognizing this loss as a starting point is critical in trauma treatment.

As mental health professionals, we understand how language shapes self-awareness, relationships, and healing. One area to reconsider is the language we use around trauma responses—particularly the term “triggered.” The word “trigger” suggests a weapon, which when pulled, causes harm and spirals beyond control. This association subtly implies that those with trauma responses are dangerous or need containment.

Shifting to language that describes these responses more neutrally—like “activated”—offers an alternative. “Activation” implies something that can be deactivated, often without collateral damage to others. This subtle shift in language provides more space for individuals to use de-escalation techniques. It counters the unconscious belief that certain emotional states are unstoppable, encouraging the view that “activation” can be managed with tools like breathing exercises or grounding techniques.

Empowering clients in their recovery process is vital. Shifting focus from pathology to potential reinforces that recovery is about re-establishing control. Pathology is the study of disease, which occurs without one’s consent. But trauma doesn’t have to be something that people merely “live with”—it can be trained to fit within one’s life framework, rather than restructuring life around it. Trauma may shape them, but it does not have to control them.