Trauma Shows Up In Many Ways…

Trigger Warning: post about Trauma and support

Yesterday I was tidying up my resource folder at work and came across a collection of helpful activities I’d gathered over time.
These exercises are designed to support people when they’re feeling overwhelmed or triggered. It reminded me how important it is to share these tools every now and then (even if they were shared before) because so many of us are quietly carrying more than others can see.
Please share it with anyone who might need it.

TRAUMA SHOWS UP IN SO MANY WAYS
Trauma isn’t just one dramatic event. It can be anything that overwhelms our ability to cope and it leaves an imprint on how we see the world, how safe we feel, and how we respond to everyday life, often without us even realising it.
You are not broken. You are a human being who has been through something hard.

HOW TRAUMA CAN SHOW UP
It doesn’t always look like what we expect. It can appear in quiet, unexpected ways:

• In your body: tension, a racing heart, fatigue, pain without a clear cause, or feeling disconnected from yourself.

• In your thoughts: flashbacks, intrusive memories, difficulty concentrating, or a constant feeling of not being safe.

• In your feelings: sudden waves of sadness, anger or fear, feeling numb or empty, or emotions that feel too big for the moment.

• In your relationships: difficulty trusting others, withdrawing, people-pleasing, or feeling on edge around conflict.

• In your behaviours: avoiding certain places or situations, difficulty sleeping, or finding ways to cope with the overwhelm.
• When triggered: a smell, a sound, a word, something small can bring your nervous system back to a past moment of pain.

EXERCISES TO TRY WHEN YOU FEEL TRIGGERED
These are gentle tools you can use anywhere, anytime. They help bring you back to the present moment and remind your nervous system that right now, you are safe.

1. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
Notice 5 things you can SEE, 4 you can TOUCH, 3 you can HEAR, 2 you can SMELL, 1 you can TASTE. Anchors you to the present through your senses.
(This is also a great exercise for children)

2. Box Breathing
Breathe IN for 4 counts → HOLD for 4 → OUT for 4 → HOLD for 4. Repeat 4–5 times. Signals to your body that you are safe.

3. Butterfly Hug
Cross your arms over your chest and gently tap your shoulders alternately, like butterfly wings. This self-soothing technique is used in trauma therapy and can be immediately calming.

4. Cold Water Reset
Splash cold water on your face or hold it on your wrists. This quickly slows the heart rate and helps bring you out of fight-or-flight mode.

5. Safe Place Visualisation
Close your eyes and picture a place where you feel calm and safe, real or imagined. Notice every colour, sound, smell and texture. Spend a few minutes there.

6. Body Scan & Release
Slowly move your attention from your feet upward through your body. Where do you feel tension? With each breath out, gently allow it to soften and release.

7. Name What’s Happening
Say to yourself: “This is a trauma response. I am safe right now.” Naming the experience can interrupt the brain’s alarm system. It’s a small but powerful act.

8. Movement & Shaking
Trauma is held in the body. A short walk, stretching, or gently shaking your hands and arms can help discharge stored stress energy. Animals do this naturally and so can we.

9. Write It Out
Write what you’re feeling without editing yourself, not for anyone to read, just to get it out of your head and onto the page.

10. Connect with Someone Safe
Sometimes the most powerful tool is another person. A phone call, a text, sitting near someone you trust. You don’t have to carry it alone.

WHERE TO GET SUPPORT, AUSTRALIA
Frankston & Mornington Peninsula
Peninsula Health Mental Health Triage
1300 792 977
(24/7 crisis support, assessment & referrals)

Mind Australia, Frankston
1300 286 463
(Prevention & Recovery Care programs)

Victoria
Lifeline, 13 11 14 (24/7) or text 0477 13 11 14
Beyond Blue, 1300 22 4636 (24/7)
GriefLine, 1300 845 745 (Midday–3am, 7 days)

National
Blue Knot Foundation (Complex Trauma)
1300 657 380

1800RESPECT (DV & Sexual Assault)
1800 737 732 (24/7)

SANE Australia
1800 187 263

Kids Helpline (ages 5–25)
1800 55 1800 (24/7)

13 YARN (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples)
13 92 76 (24/7)

Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467 (24/7)

In an emergency, always call 000.

Healing is not a straight path but it is always possible.
Be gentle with yourself today.

Jessica