By Ivonne Mata M.S., LPC-Associate, NCC

The holiday season is upon us, which means for some this can mean they will be reuniting with loved ones and revisiting familiar environments. For some this can be an incredibly difficult time that can activate trauma or trauma triggers by the environment and relational dynamics that come with the holiday season.
The American Psychological Association identifies trauma as an emotional response to a significantly distressful event. There are three different types of trauma; acute trauma, chronic trauma, and complex trauma.

• Acute trauma occurs after a single incident, such as a serious car accident.
• Chronic trauma occurs when the trauma is repeated or prolonged over a period of time, such as domestic violence or abuse.
• Complex trauma can occur when an individual experiences or is exposed to various traumatic events, often experienced interpersonally.

The holidays can expose clients to unsafe interactions for individuals who have experienced trauma. Therefore, it is important for clients to be aware and mindful of their feelings and environments. It is okay to not go to holiday events that will harm, hurt, or trigger you. Making alternative plans and creating a safe place to protect mental, physical, and emotional health can limit further exposure or triggers to trauma. If clients are unable to avoid being in hurtful environments, client can utilize coping skills they learned in therapy to help them through challenging situations. Understanding boundaries prior to attendance can help identify conversational, physical, and emotional limitations during the events. Clients can also create a designated safe person that can be present during the attendance, take breaks, and practice breathing exercises if situations become too overwhelming. Clients can practice grounding themselves by bringing an item with them they can have access to such as a rock or stress ball kept in their pocket. While the holiday season can bring challenging moments, clients have the option to choose where and with who they want to spend their time with during and outside of the holiday season. Clients can also work with their providers in therapy to process their feelings and create coping skills tailored to the clients needs.