A traumatic memory can be a memory of an event or events where you have felt in danger, your life physically threatened and extremely frightened or it can be something causing you unresolved grief, fear, anger, sadness or PTSD.
TRAUMATIC EVENTS house fire mugging being held at gunpoint/knifepoint being attacked a car crash being involved in an accident natural disasters witnessing something awful sudden death of a loved one watching someone you love or an animal suffer abuse/sexual abuse violence burglary
Shock and denial are common after a traumatic event where you use this mechanism as a way to protect yourself. You can feel numb or act like the event never happened.
For example, after I experienced an attack I went into work the next day! Looking back I was going through the shock and denial stage, just pushing it away or burying it was easier than facing up to it.
A client who was held at knifepoint just went about her life not realising she was suffering from PTSD.
Many people re-live the event over and over again experiencing flashbacks. The memory never leaves them and can keep them stuck emotionally.
If you've experienced trauma then I know you may feel constantly under threat. Your body is your brain's number 1 job is to keep you alive. So you can imagine the amount of stress it puts on the mind and body when you constantly feel under threat living in fear?
The truth is you really don't have to live that way. Life can be so much better than suffering through a traumatic memory day after day.