Complex Trauma: What It Is and How to Heal From It
What is Complex Trauma?
Complex trauma happens when you go through repeated, ongoing trauma over an extended period. It’s not just one major event; it’s about constantly being in situations that make you feel unsafe, neglected, or out of control. This kind of trauma often starts in childhood, but it can happen at any stage in life. Unlike a single traumatic incident (think of a car accident or natural disaster), complex trauma keeps showing up, chipping away at your sense of security and well-being.
When you’ve been exposed to complex trauma, it can leave deep marks on how you see the world, how you relate to people, and even how you see yourself. You might not even realize that trauma is at the root of a lot of the challenges you face day-to-day. Complex trauma can also lead to PTSD and depression.
5 Examples of How Complex Trauma Develops
1. Chronic Childhood Neglect
Imagine growing up in a home where your emotional needs were constantly overlooked. You weren’t physically abused, but your caregivers didn’t give you the love, attention, or emotional validation you needed. Over time, you may have learned to disconnect from your emotions as a survival strategy. This can show up as difficulty identifying or expressing how you feel, and you might even find yourself ignoring your emotions entirely. As an adult, you may feel emotionally numb or detached, struggling to connect with others on a deeper level.
2. Emotional Abuse or Manipulation
In emotionally abusive environments, you might have been made to feel small, insignificant, or constantly criticized. Over time, this can lead to deep-seated feelings of shame and low self-worth. You might develop coping mechanisms like people-pleasing or staying silent to avoid conflict. Spiritual bypassing could also become a way of coping, where you rely heavily on spiritual practices to "rise above" your pain or avoid dealing with unresolved emotions.
3. Growing Up in a Dysfunctional Family
When you grow up in a chaotic or dysfunctional home where things like addiction, mental illness, or domestic violence are present, you learn to stay hypervigilant. You may constantly scan for danger, even when there isn’t any. This can develop into anxiety and hypervigilance in adulthood. Your nervous system stays on high alert, making it hard to relax or trust that things are okay. You might also feel disconnected from your body, almost like you’re living outside of yourself, always on guard.
4. Religious Trauma
If you grew up in a strict religious environment that was more about control and fear than love and guidance, this can be traumatic too. Maybe you were constantly told you were sinful or that your natural emotions were "bad." Over time, this can create a lot of guilt and fear around just being yourself. You might feel disconnected from your body, not trusting your own desires or instincts because you were taught they were wrong. You could also use spiritual bypassing to avoid dealing with the emotions or trauma that stemmed from this experience.
5. Repeated Exposure to Violence or Abuse
If you’ve lived through ongoing violence, either as a victim or as a witness, your body and mind might always be in survival mode. This kind of trauma makes it hard to feel safe, even when you are. Symptoms like anxiety, disconnection from your body, and trouble regulating emotions are common. You might also experience flashbacks, trouble sleeping, or feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells.
What to Look Out For: Have You Been Through Complex Trauma?
You might not be sure if what you’ve experienced qualifies as complex trauma. It’s not always obvious, especially if you’ve normalized those experiences. Here are some signs to watch for:
Emotional Numbness: If you feel like you’re disconnected from your feelings or have a hard time identifying what you’re actually feeling, this could be a sign of trauma. You might find yourself saying, “I don’t know how I feel,” or “I just feel empty.”
Constant Anxiety or Hypervigilance: Do you feel like you’re always on edge or that something bad is going to happen, even when everything seems fine? That’s your body stuck in survival mode.
Trouble Trusting Others: If you find it hard to trust people, or you push them away even when you want connection, trauma might be part of the picture. Complex trauma can make it tough to form healthy, trusting relationships.
Avoidance or Over-reliance on Spirituality: If you use spiritual practices to avoid dealing with your feelings or personal issues, that could be a sign of spiritual bypassing. This happens when you skip the hard emotional work by focusing too much on spiritual concepts.
Disconnection from Your Body: If you often feel like you’re not “in” your body, like you’re detached from physical sensations or even from pleasure, that’s a common response to trauma. You might have learned to disconnect as a way of coping with pain or fear.
5 Ways to Heal from Complex Trauma
Healing from complex trauma isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, but there are methods that can help you reconnect with yourself and start healing the wounds you might not even know are there.
Counseling (Therapy)
Therapy is one of the most effective ways to heal from complex trauma. A trauma-informed therapist can guide you through understanding your triggers, processing painful memories, and developing healthier ways of coping. Therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, or Somatic Experiencing are particularly helpful for trauma recovery.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy can help you explore the deeper roots of your trauma. It provides a safe space to unpack the past and understand how those experiences shape your current behaviors, emotions, and relationships. Through this, you can start to rewrite your internal narrative and build a healthier self-image.
Mindfulness and Body Awareness
Reconnecting with your body is crucial in healing from trauma. Practices like mindfulness, yoga, or somatic therapy help you become more aware of how your trauma lives in your body. This can help you release stored tension and trauma and start to feel more present in your own skin.
Building Supportive Relationships
Having a strong support network is essential. Trauma often makes you feel isolated, so finding people who offer understanding and empathy can be incredibly healing. Whether it’s friends, family, or a support group, being around people who genuinely care can help you rebuild trust in others.
Creative Expression
Sometimes, words aren’t enough to express what you’ve been through. Creative outlets like art, music, or journaling can help you process your emotions in a different way. It allows you to give voice to your trauma and emotions without having to articulate them directly, which can be incredibly freeing.
How Complex Trauma Relates to Autism and ADHD
Complex trauma can have a significant impact on individuals with autism and ADHD. Autistic individuals and those with ADHD may already experience heightened sensitivity to stress and emotional challenges, making them more vulnerable to the effects of repeated trauma. Complex trauma can amplify difficulties with emotional regulation, social interactions, and executive functioning, which are often areas of challenge for those with autism or ADHD. Additionally, masking behaviors—common in autistic individuals—can be a way of coping with trauma, but this can lead to further internal distress and feelings of isolation. Understanding the intersection between neurodiversity and trauma is essential for providing the right support and care.
The Role of Trauma in Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations for Autism and ADHD
When evaluating someone for autism or ADHD, especially adults, it's crucial to consider the impact of trauma, including complex trauma. Trauma can influence how symptoms present, sometimes mimicking or masking signs of neurodivergence. Without understanding the trauma component, individuals may receive inaccurate diagnoses or miss out on the full picture of their mental health. Incorporating trauma assessments as part of a comprehensive psychological evaluation helps ensure that any history of trauma is addressed, leading to more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans that are sensitive to both neurodiversity and past trauma.
Final Thoughts
Complex trauma can deeply impact your life, but it doesn’t define you. Healing is possible, and you don’t have to go through it alone. By understanding the symptoms, recognizing how trauma shows up in your life, and taking steps toward healing, you can begin to reclaim your sense of self and build a future where you feel safe, whole, and connected.
Complex Trauma Therapy for Adults in Nashville, TN
If you’ve experienced complex trauma and are ready to start your healing journey through therapy/counseling, reach out to Worthy Counseling Center today. Their team of compassionate, trauma-informed therapists is here to support you every step of the way. You are worthy of healing, and we’re here to help you get there.
Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations in Nashville, TN
If you are looking for more clarity on your diagnoses, wherever you are in your treatment journey, psychological testing can help. At Zephyr Care, we are committed to providing comprehensive psychological evaluations that are neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-informed. Whether you are seeking an evaluation for autism, ADHD, or both, we take into account the full scope of your experiences, including any history of trauma. Our goal is to create a safe and supportive environment where you feel understood and validated. If you're ready to take the next step in understanding yourself or your child, reach out to us today for compassionate care tailored to your unique needs. We provide evaluations in person in Nashville, TN as well as virtually to people in most states. To schedule an appointment or learn more, contact us today.
Author: Tyler Nicodem
Tyler Nicodem is a therapist and owner of Worthy Counseling Center in Nashville, TN. Worthy Counseling Center seeks to help those within the LGBTQIA+ community and those with religious trauma find hope, healing, and wholeness in their lives. Tyler serves on the leadership board for the Tennessee Association of Pastoral Therapists. Prior to his therapy work, Tyler was in professional ministry for 8 years across many different denominations. In his spare time Tyler loves to cook, renovate houses, and golf.
Editor: Heather Joppich, PhD
Dr. Joppich is a Licensed Psychologist and owner of Zephyr Care Mental Health. She specializes in neurodiversity-affirming assessments for autism, ADHD, and mental health concerns.
