The magnitude of an act’s heinousness is measured not by how it appears on paper, but by the width, breadth, and depth of the harm it causes, especially when intentional.
Trauma is far more than “something bad happened.” It deeply affects a person’s biology, identity, safety, capacity to relate, and quality of life.
When that kind of rupture is inflicted by someone in power—particularly someone meant to protect—it’s not just personal harm. It’s social harm. It tears at the fabric of connection and belonging. And when a system enables or excuses it, the harm spreads and deepens even further.
We can’t heal what we won’t acknowledge. We can’t prevent what we won’t measure. And we can’t measure trauma without including its context, especially the betrayal, the imbalance of power, and the silence and suffering that follow.
To be trauma-aware is to see harm for what it is. To name it, trace it, and refuse to excuse it. That’s the first step toward accountability and collective healing.
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About Shay Seaborne, CPTSD
Shay Seaborne CPTSD teaches Relational Neuroscience for stress reduction, trauma recovery, and community building. Shay has studied the neurobiology of fear / trauma /PTSD since 2014 and Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) since 2019. They write, speak, teach, and make art to convey their experiences as well as their understanding of the neurobiology of fear, trauma theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology concepts, and principles of trauma recovery. A native of Northern Virginia, Shay settled in Delaware to sail KALMAR NYCKEL, the state’s tall ship. But once they finally had mental health insurance, their life rapidly changed. The standard treatment for PTSD nearly killed them. The psychiatric abuse began a cascade of negative medical encounters that repeatedly caused additional harm and the development of severe Medical PTSD.
Shay wishes everyone could recognize that "mental health problems" are symptoms of dysregulation, our mainstream culture is neuro-negative, and we can heal ourselves and each other through awareness, understanding, and safe connection.
