Trauma - All Articles

FAQ
Events like accidents, abuse, or natural disasters can cause trauma.
Trauma can alter the regions of the brain that are involved in memory and emotion.
Yes, trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
You can help someone with trauma by offering support, listening without judgment, and encouraging them to seek professional help.
Common therapies include cognitive processing therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing.

Kelsey M. Latimer, PhD, RN
Medical Reviewer
Kelsey M. Latimer, PhD, RN, is a psychologist, nurse, and certified eating disorder specialist, and is the founder and owner of KML Psychological Services.
Dr. Latimer earned her PhD and master's degree from the University of North Texas, with an emphasis in child and adolescent development and in neuropsychology. Throughout her doctoral training, she became passionate about the prevention and treatment of eating disorders, women's issues, trauma treatment, and anxiety management. She has since overseen several nationally recognized eating disorder treatment programs.
She recently earned a bachelor's in nursing from Florida Atlantic University and is in the process of completing a master's of nursing, with a psychiatric mental health focus, which will allow her to become a medication provider. In addition, she has been accepted into an intensive research training and certification program at Harvard Medical School for 2024.
Latimer's focus is on empowering people to be informed and aware of their health and well-being, which includes increasing access to care. She has made over 50 invited appearances to speak about topics such as body image, dieting downfalls, eating disorder evidence-based treatment, college student functioning, and working with the millennial generation. She has been featured in dozens of media outlets and is a coauthor of the children's book series Poofas, which helps children understand their emotions and develop positive self-esteem and self-talk.

Dakari Quimby, PhD
Medical Reviewer
Dakari Quimby, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of Southern California. He also has a private practice where he conducts individual therapy and leads programming to support workplace wellness for corporations.
Dr. Quimby specializes in treating mental health concerns for adults who are coping with the impact of past childhood and family stress, relationship challenges, or unfulfillment in where they are in life. He is passionate about conducting research examining trauma, social equity, and strategies to promote resilience amidst communities of color.

Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH
Medical Reviewer
Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH, is a board-certified internist with experience in telemedicine as well as private, government, and nonprofit clinics. She is also a health communications professional with expertise in the health media industry and a background in public health.
A passionate advocate for health equity and health literacy, Dr. Cassoobhoy is on the board of directors at the Clarkston Community Health Center (CCHC) in Georgia, a nonprofit clinic for individuals without adequate health insurance, and is an advisor for the Community Health Promoters Program at the Refugee Women’s Network. Cassoobhoy is also a member of Leadership Atlanta’s 2021–2022 class and a member of the Emory School of Medicine Alumni Board. In 2020, she was on the leadership team for the inaugural Health Disparities Solutions Summit of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Cassoobhoy received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and human biology, a master’s degree in public health, and a medical degree from Emory University in Atlanta. She was senior medical director at WebMD and senior medical correspondent at Medscape.
Cassoobhoy lives in Atlanta with her husband and their two teenagers.

Allison Young, MD
Medical Reviewer
Allison Young, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist providing services via telehealth throughout New York and Florida.
In addition to her private practice, Dr. Young serves as an affiliate professor of psychiatry at Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. She previously taught and mentored medical trainees at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She speaks at national conferences and has published scientific articles on a variety of mental health topics, most notably on the use of evidence-based lifestyle interventions in mental health care.
Young graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a bachelor of science degree in neurobiology and theology. She obtained her doctor of medicine degree with honors in neuroscience and physiology from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She continued her training at NYU during her psychiatry residency, when she was among a small group selected to be part of the residency researcher program and studied novel ways to assess and treat mental distress, with a focus on anxiety, trauma, and grief.
During her psychiatry training, Young sought additional training in women’s mental health and cognitive behavioral therapy. She has also studied and completed further training in evidence-based lifestyle interventions in mental health care, including stress management, exercise, and nutrition. She is an active member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, through which she helps create resources as well as educate physicians and patients on the intersection of lifestyle medicine and mental health.

Patrice A. Harris, MD, MA, FAPA
Medical Reviewer
Dr. Patrice Harris is Everyday Health's chief health and medical editor and the CEO and cofounder of eMed, a digital healthcare company. She is a board-certified psychiatrist in Atlanta with diverse experience as a private practicing physician, a county public health officer, and a patient advocate with experience in policy, legislative, and government affairs. She was the 174th president of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the first African American woman elected to the position. She is also a visiting professor of psychiatry at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Dr. Harris served on the AMA Board of Trustees from 2011 through June 2021 and as chair of the board from 2016 to 2017. Prior to serving on the board, she honed her broad knowledge and deep understanding of healthcare issues through various leadership roles within the AMA, including many years on the AMA Council on Legislation — and one term as chair — and on multiple AMA task forces on topics such as health information technology, payment and delivery reform, and private contracting.
Dr. Harris also led the AMA’s efforts to end the opioid epidemic, serving as chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force from its inception in 2014 until June 2021, during which time the task force worked across every state to eliminate barriers to treatment; provide patients with access to affordable, non-opioid pain care; and fight the stigma faced by those with substance use disorders.
Outside of the AMA, Dr. Harris has held leadership positions with the American Psychiatric Association, the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, and as chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition, a forum composed of leaders from America's largest metropolitan health departments. She is a member of the steering committee of the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI) and is on the board of the Georgia AIDS Coalition. She has also served on the boards of the Georgia National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Mental Health Association of Georgia
Growing up in Bluefield, West Virginia, Dr. Harris dreamt of entering medicine at a time when few women of color were encouraged to become physicians. She spent her formative years at West Virginia University in Morgantown, earning a bachelor of arts in psychology, a master of arts in counseling psychology, and ultimately her doctor of medicine degree in 1992. It was during this time that her passion for helping children emerged.
After receiving her MD, Dr. Harris completed her psychiatry residency and fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. She also served as the senior policy fellow at the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at the Emory University School of Law.
Two themes that govern Dr. Harris’s professional life are a passion to improve the lives of children, and service to others. A recognized expert in children’s mental health and childhood trauma, she has led efforts on both local and national levels to integrate public health and behavioral health into overall healthcare and to provide support for employment, housing, and education to address the social determinants of health. She has long been a mentor and role model to others, as well as an advocate.
Dr. Harris is a highly sought after speaker at national and international conferences and has given invited lectures and presentations on COVID-19, children’s mental health, childhood trauma, the integration of mental health into overall health services, health equity, health policy, and the intersection of athletics and health. She has been a guest expert on multiple national radio and television networks, including CNN, MSNBC, Fox, and NPR. She has also received numerous awards in recognition of her service and leadership.
Dr. Harris is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, an adjunct assistant professor in the Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and an adjunct clinical assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.
In her spare time, Dr. Harris loves to travel, especially if a beach destination is involved. She is both a self-described foodie and shoe fanatic who is devoted to her hometown sports teams: the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Atlanta United. The WVU Mountaineers of her beloved alma mater are also always close to her heart.

Seth Gillihan, PhD
Medical Reviewer
- Trauma. American Psychological Association.
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