What Counts as Trauma?

In this inaugural episode of the Healing Trauma podcast offered by the Trauma Institute, Dr. Frank Anderson and Matthias Barker discuss the new era of trauma therapy. Trauma has been the word on everyone's lips, some people think that everything is trauma, and some people think that it's reserved to describe PTSD. Matthias Barker and Frank Anderson get to the bottom of what counts as trauma, and how we can start to heal. About Matthias Barker:Matthias is a psychotherapist and the CEO and co-founder of the Trauma Institute with Dr. Frank Anderson providing clinical training for psychotherapists and education for the general public on healing from trauma. Matthias is widely recognized for his unique approach to making mental health knowledge and skills accessible to the wider public. Through platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and his top-ranking Spotify podcast, Matthias delivers psychoeducational content to a following of over 3 million people. His innovative blend of engaging content and relevant mental health advice has fostered a vibrant online community centered on healing, personal growth, and moving toward what’s meaningful despite hardship. Find him on all platforms, @matthiasjbarkerAbout Frank Anderson:Frank Anderson, MD, completed his residency and was a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is both a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He specializes in the treatment of trauma and dissociation and is passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with the IFS model of therapy.Dr. Anderson is a lead trainer at the IFS Institute with Richard Schwartz and maintains a long affiliation with, and trains for, Bessel van der Kolk’s Trauma Center. He serves as an advisor to the International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP) and was the former chair and director of the Foundation for Self-Leadership.Dr. Anderson has lectured extensively on the Neurobiology of PTSD and Dissociation and wrote the chapter “Who’s Taking What” Connecting Neuroscience, Psychopharmacology and Internal Family Systems for Trauma in Internal Family Systems Therapy – New Dimensions. He co-authored a chapter on What IFS Brings to Trauma Treatment in Innovations and Elaborations in Internal Family Systems Therapy, and recently co-authored Internal Family Systems Skills Training Manual.