Trauma Isn’t Logical — And That’s the Point

⚠️ Trigger Warning

This post discusses trauma, including references to violence, abuse, and grief. Please read with care and step away if it feels overwhelming.

Understanding Trauma: Why Logic Doesn’t Apply

Over the past nine years of study and practice, I’ve immersed myself in learning about trauma; how it affects the brain, shows up in the body, and shapes behaviour. My academic journey took me from a BA in Psychology to an MA in Forensic and Legal Psychology, where I studied criminal behaviour, victimology, and the impact of trauma on those who have experienced violence. Later, in my BA in Integrative Counselling and Creative Art Psychotherapy, I focused on therapeutic treatments for trauma, culminating in a thesis on trauma from violence and its treatment options.

My work has given me a close-up view of trauma as well. I’ve worked with women recently released from prison, supported capital cases in the U.S., and sat alongside therapy clients navigating the aftermath of violence and abuse. Across these experiences, one key lesson has become clear: when trauma enters the picture, logic doesn’t. Trauma changes how information is processed, how memories are stored, and how people respond, both immediately and years later. That’s why trauma responses often appear “illogical” to an outside observer.

Why Trauma Responses Are Misunderstood

It’s common for people to misinterpret trauma responses. A grieving parent at a press conference may be judged if they are “too calm” or “too emotional.” Survivors of abuse may be questioned for speaking about their experiences in a controlled or calm way. From my research and experience, these judgments are misplaced. Trauma affects everyone differently, depending on how their brain and body process the event. There is no “right” way to respond to trauma. Responses are about survival, not performance.

Why logic doesn’t apply to trauma

To understand why, it helps to look at how the brain stores memory. Normally, information we experience travels a long route through the brain before being stored. This allows it to be filed away clearly, linked with time, facts, and context.

But when something traumatic happens, the brain often takes a shortcut. Instead of travelling the longer route, the information takes a shortcut to the amygdala, the part of the brain that controls fear and strong emotions. This “fast track” helps us survive in the moment, but it means the memory is not processed in the same way as other memories.

The result? Trauma often gets stored as raw emotion and sensation rather than as a clear, logical memory. This is why trauma survivors may experience flashbacks, body memories, or sudden surges of fear, even when they “know” logically they are safe. It’s also why someone might appear calm while speaking about something devastating, or feel detached when recalling an event that shattered their life.

It’s not about choice, weakness, or character. It’s about survival.

What this looks like in real life

When we understand how trauma is stored in the brain, it becomes clear why trauma responses often look “illogical” from the outside.

• A survivor may know they are safe now, but their heart races when they hear footsteps behind them. Their nervous system is reacting as if the danger is happening all over again. The body hasn’t caught up with what the mind knows; that the threat has passed.

• Someone who has been in a serious car accident might logically know that driving again is safe, but still feel panic every time they get behind the wheel. The body remembers the terror of the crash, and that memory can override the rational knowledge that not every car journey will end in danger.

• A parent may appear calm, flat, or detached while speaking about the most painful experience of their life. This isn’t because they don’t feel the pain, it’s because their brain is protecting them from being overwhelmed by shutting down emotional expression in that moment.

These responses are not about choice, weakness, or performance. They are about survival. Trauma alters the way memories are stored and how the body reacts, so responses that might look confusing from the outside often make perfect sense when we understand what trauma does inside the brain and body.

How art therapy supports trauma recovery

In my own research and practice, I have seen how art therapy offers unique benefits for people who have experienced trauma. Unlike traditional talk therapies, art therapy works on multiple levels of the brain and body, meeting trauma where it lives.

Creative art therapeutic intervention is often described as a three-part cycle (Hass-Cohen & Carr, 2008):

1. The sensory level – Engaging with art materials stimulates both hemispheres of the brain, promoting regulation and calming the nervous system.

2. The image level – The artwork becomes a safe container for feelings and memories that may be too difficult to verbalise. For survivors of violence, abuse, or childhood trauma, this can offer a vital way to communicate what words can’t.

3. The cognitive level – Reflecting on the image can help integrate hidden information, restore distorted beliefs, and gradually process traumatic memories.

Clients move through these levels cyclically: from creating to reflecting, to creating again. This process reinforces a sense of safety and control, something trauma often takes away.

Final thoughts

Trauma is not logical, and recovery doesn’t come from “thinking your way out of it.” What might look confusing or contradictory from the outside is, in fact, the body’s survival system at work.

Art therapy provides a space to process these survival responses safely, through creativity, reflection, and gentle exploration, so that healing can take place.

If you’re carrying the weight of trauma, know that your reactions make sense. They are not flaws, but signs of how your brain and body kept you safe. And with the right support, it is possible to process what once felt unmanageable and move toward healing.