You may have heard the word trauma used commonly and easily, applied to simple frustrations or difficult situations. You also may have heard the term PTSD used to describe traumatic experiences. Both examples show how mental health terminology can filter into the general cultural conversation and either be used in a pejorative or inaccurate way.
One distinction that may surprise you is that not all traumatic experiences fit a diagnosis of PTSD. It is important to intervene with all traumatic experiences, although one needs to be cautious of mislabeling a diagnosis. In keeping with the theme of careful attention to distinctions between important terms and symptoms, in this Assignment you focus on the full continuum of trauma.
• Identify the types of trauma that may or may not meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD.
• Provide an example of how a client may be traumatized without meeting the criteria for PTSD.
• Explain the importance of addressing all trauma.
