ABSTRACT
This chapter examines a multitude of theoretical positions that can be applied to a critical understanding of trauma. The concept of “trauma” is derived from the Greek term for “wound” (Layder, 2004). Distressing events or stressful situations may result in a difculty in “coping” or “functioning” following a particular event or experience. They are usually dened as “psychological experiences” which are potentially life-threatening, or where there is a signicant threat to one’s physical or sense of well-being (Powell, 2012). An individual’s reaction is different, but most people who experience a potentially traumatic event may or may not recover well with the help and management from “professional experts.”
