Trauma & Emotional Regulation Glossary (A–Z)
Calm, plain-language definitions for trauma responses, nervous system language, grounding tools, and emotional regulation terms — written to be supportive, accessible, and non-graphic.
Content note:
This glossary includes trauma-related terms. If anything feels heavy, you can pause, skip, or return later.
You’re allowed to take this in small pieces.
Quick Skills Toolkit
- Grounding: name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.
- Breathing: inhale 4, hold 2, exhale 6 (repeat 5 times).
- Temperature reset: sip cold water or hold something cool in your hands.
- Sensory safety: headphones, sunglasses, soft texture, dim lighting.
- Micro-movement: slow shoulder rolls, stretch hands, gentle walk.
Reminder: skills don’t need to “fix” everything — they just help you get steadier.
Nervous System Map (Simple)
Safe / Settled
You can think, connect, and problem-solve.
Signs: steady breathing, clearer thoughts, softer body.
Mobilized
Fight/flight energy. Your body thinks danger is near.
Signs: restless, tense, racing thoughts, urgency.
Shutdown
Freeze/collapse energy. Your body protects by going low.
Signs: numb, tired, blank mind, disconnected.
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s noticing where you are and choosing a gentle next step.
NZ + Global Support
Crisis Help
Mental Health Services
If you feel unsafe right now or you’re worried about someone else, please seek immediate help.
🇳🇿 New Zealand – crisis & support
- Emergency: Call 111 if you are in immediate danger.
- Need to talk? Call or text 1737 (24/7).
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 TAUTOKO (0508 828 865).
- Youthline: Call 0800 376 633 or text 234.
- Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
For ongoing support: GP, community mental health teams, school counsellors, or trusted supports.
🌍 Global options
- Outside NZ: use your local emergency number (often 112 or 911).
- Find local crisis lines: search “crisis helpline + your country”.
- Prefer text/chat: look for message-based crisis support in your region.
This page is educational and not a substitute for medical or crisis care. If you are in immediate danger, contact emergency services.
Language matters:
Trauma-informed language focuses on safety and choice.
- Instead of “What’s wrong with you?” → “What happened to you?”
- Instead of “Overreacting” → “Your nervous system is trying to protect you.”
- Instead of “Calm down” → “Would you like space, support, or a quieter option?”
Tip: Search filters the definitions below in real time.
Letter A
- Adaptive Coping
- Skills that support safety and wellbeing (instead of harmful coping).
- Aftercare
- What you do after a hard moment to recover safely (rest, water, support, quiet).
- Alexithymia
- Difficulty identifying or describing emotions.
- Anchor (Grounding Anchor)
- A sensory focus that brings you back to the present. Example: “I focus on the texture of my sleeve.”
- Attachment
- How we connect and feel safe with others, shaped by early relationships.
- Arousal (Nervous System)
- Your body’s activation level — calm, alert, or high-alert.
- Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
- The system that manages stress response, breathing, heart rate, and regulation.
- Avoidance
- Staying away from reminders of trauma to feel safer.
Letter B
- Body Memory
- Trauma stored in sensations/tension rather than clear memories.
- Boundary
- A limit that protects your time, energy, and wellbeing.
- Breathing Regulation
- Using breath patterns to help the body settle.
- Bracing
- Automatic tension in the body as if preparing for threat.
- Burnout
- Exhaustion from prolonged overload or stress.
Letter C
- Co-Regulation
- When someone helps you feel safe/calm through presence and support.
- Compassion Fatigue
- Emotional depletion from caring for others over time.
- Cortisol
- A stress hormone that increases during threat.
- Coregulating Cues
- Signals that help the body feel safe: soft tone, warmth, predictability.
Letter D
- Dysregulation
- When emotions/body responses feel too intense or too shut down.
- Dissociation
- Feeling disconnected from body, thoughts, or surroundings.
- Distress Tolerance
- Tools to ride out intense feelings safely until they pass.
- Downshift
- Intentionally moving your body toward calmer states (quiet, warmth, slow movements).
Letter E
- Emotional Flashback
- A wave of emotion that feels like the past is happening now.
- Emotional Regulation
- Skills for managing emotions and returning to steadier states.
- Emotional Safety
- Feeling secure enough to be yourself without fear of harm or shame.
- Expansion (Resourcing)
- Actively increasing safety resources before deeper processing work.
Letter F
- Fawn
- Appeasing/people-pleasing to stay safe.
- Fight
- Defensive/angry energy as protection.
- Flight
- Escape/avoidance/urgency to leave.
- Freeze
- Going still/numb/unable to act.
Letter G
- Grounding
- Returning attention to the present through senses.
- Gaslighting
- Manipulation that makes someone doubt their reality.
- Glaze (Dissociative Look)
- A blank/far-away look when the mind disconnects for safety.
Letter H
- Hyperarousal
- High alert: tension, restlessness, racing heart/thoughts.
- Hypoarousal
- Low activation: numbness, shutdown, disconnection.
- Hypervigilance
- Constant scanning for danger.
Letter I
- Interoception
- Noticing internal body signals (hunger, tension, heartbeat).
- Intrusive Memories
- Unwanted thoughts/images that appear suddenly.
- Informed Consent
- Clear agreement given freely, with understanding and choice.
Letter J
- Judgement Spiral
- Self-criticism that increases distress and dysregulation.
Letter K
- Kind Self-Talk
- Supportive inner language that reduces shame and fear.
Letter L
- Learned Helplessness
- Feeling like nothing helps due to repeated stress experiences.
- Limit Setting
- Boundaries around contact, topics, or emotional labour.
Letter M
- Micro-Soothing
- Small comfort actions that support regulation (tea, music, texture).
- Moral Injury
- Deep distress after experiences that violate values or safety beliefs.
Letter N
- Nervous System
- The body system that manages safety, threat responses, and calming.
- Numbing
- Reduced feelings or sensation as protection.
Letter O
- Overwhelm
- When your brain/body has too much to process and needs safety and slowdown.
Letter P
- Panic
- A sudden surge of fear with physical symptoms; usually passes in waves.
- Polyvagal (Simple)
- A way of describing how the body shifts between safety, mobilization, and shutdown.
- Protective Parts
- Patterns that try to keep you safe (avoidance, anger, numbing, perfectionism).
Letter Q
- Quieting Skills
- Tools that help you settle (breathing, warmth, music, dim light).
Letter R
- Regulation
- Returning toward steadier emotions and body state after stress.
- Resourcing
- Building safety supports before deeper healing work.
- Repair
- Restoring trust after a rupture (accountability + changed behaviour).
Letter S
- Safety Plan
- A plan for crisis moments: signs, coping, contacts, emergency steps.
- Somatic
- Body-based (sensations, movement, breath, posture).
- Self-Compassion
- Kindness toward yourself in difficulty.
Letter T
- Trigger
- A cue that activates threat response (sound, smell, topic, place).
- Trauma Response
- The body’s protective reaction to threat — even after the threat is gone.
- Titration
- Taking healing in small manageable pieces to avoid overwhelm.
Letter U
- Unfreeze
- When the body slowly returns from freeze/shutdown into more movement and presence.
Letter V
- Validation
- Communicating that feelings make sense (without fixing or judging).
- Vicarious Trauma
- Trauma effects from hearing about or witnessing others’ trauma repeatedly.
Letter W
- Window of Tolerance
- Your coping zone where you can process emotions without overwhelm or shutdown.
Letter X
- Xenial Safety (Warm Safety)
- A felt sense of safety created by warmth, kindness, predictability, and respect.
Letter Y
- Yoga (Trauma-Informed)
- Body-based movement with choice and safety, often used for regulation.
Letter Z
- Zone of Regulation
- A way of naming states (calm, alert, overwhelmed, shutdown) to support coping.
Related Glossaries
Explore other A–Z glossaries in the Aspie Answers series:
Glossaries Hub
Glossary Index
Mental Health
Neurodiversity
Therapies & Treatments
Medical & Clinical
Coming soon (placeholders)
- Printable “Grounding Tools” mini-pack (PDF) — placeholder
- Emotion Regulation cue cards — placeholder
- Trauma-informed communication tips — placeholder