Shari B. Kaplan, LCSW, explains that a trigger is an event that reminds you of a time you felt powerless or unsafe, causing you to revert to old thoughts and behaviors. Trauma work means recognizing the trigger, repairing that regression, and returning to the present as your adult self.
The whole idea with trauma is you're trying to stay in the present moment. You're trying to be present for your life today. And when people talk about being triggered, they're talking about something happening that reminds them of who they were when they were powerless or unsafe. And so they're being triggered into actually a way of thinking and behaving that is at a different developmental stage. And what we want to do is be able to repair that. And we want to get you present in your life today and be in the world as your true adult self.
