Q&A: Understanding Trauma and Meaningful Healing with Kaitlin Thompson, LCSW, CADC, MBA

Trauma affects far more people than many realize—and its impact reaches well beyond the mind. It can shape how individuals see themselves, relate to others, and move through the world. Yet for all the increased conversation around trauma in recent years, misconceptions persist about what trauma truly is, how it manifests, and what healing looks like. 

To help deepen understanding, Compass Health Center’s Brittney Teasdale sat down with Kaitlin Thompson, LCSW, CADC, MBA, Director of the Center of Excellence at Compass Health Center. Thompson has spent nearly two decades working across trauma, substance use, and mental health treatment settings. In this conversation, she shares her clinical perspective on how trauma shows up in the body and mind, why stigma and language still matter, and what meaningful healing can look like—both in treatment and beyond. 

This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and flow. The speaker’s original meaning and intent have not been changed. 

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Q&A 

Brittney Teasdale: Kaitlin, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today. I know you’ve worked in trauma-focused care across a number of different settings, and I’d love to start by hearing about your background before coming to Compass—and what led you here. 

Kaitlin Thompson, LCSW, CADC, MBA: 
I graduated with my MSW in 2014 and started out working primarily with veterans. I specialized in substance use treatment and earned my certification in alcohol and drug counseling. Working with veterans is where I began learning more about trauma and receiving specialized training. 

Initially, I approached it through a veteran lens, but over time I expanded that to include civilian experiences as well. I worked with veterans for six years, both in housing and PTSD treatment settings. Shortly after that, I transitioned to Compass, where I served as Director of our Trauma Program in Chicago before moving into my current role. 

Even before graduate school, I’d been working in the mental health field since 2007 in various settings—group homes, residential detox—so I had quite a bit of experience before earning my social work degree.  I then went on to earn my MBA in Healthcare Management in 2023 to be more effective in implementing trauma-informed practices in a more systematic way.   

BT: What about trauma and substance use specifically, within the context of mental health, interests you most? 

KT: 
Substance use is so intersectional with nearly every mental health diagnosis. For any diagnosis that exists, there’s someone coping with it through substance use. It’s such a common coping tool that can either worsen existing symptoms or create new ones. It’s deeply intertwined with many people’s mental health experiences, and I wanted to understand it better. 

With trauma, once I was exposed to the work, it just grabbed me. Already from life experiences and previous work, I understood how powerfully trauma impacts people’s development and growth—and how it shows up throughout their lives. But what was even more powerful was witnessing people confront their trauma, learn new ways to cope, and transform through that process. Learning concrete interventions, being able to share them, and then seeing people successfully recover is incredibly rewarding.  

BT: How do you define trauma? It’s a word that’s used a lot more now, but how do you define it clinically? 

KT: 
There are a few working definitions I use, depending on context. The DSM defines trauma, in the case of PTSD, as exposure to an event involving threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence—either directly, by witnessing it, or by learning it happened to a close friend or family member. 

However, I prefer a more expansive definition that includes things like severe psychological manipulation, neglect, the consequences of oppression, such as racial trauma, or chronic fear for safety, such as experiences with housing instability, poverty, or relational intimidation. SAMHSA has a great framework called the “3 Es”: Event, Experience, and Effect. 

There’s an event (or series of events) that a person experiences as harmful or traumatic; the experience is personal—two people can go through the same thing, and for one it’s life-changing while for another it’s not; and the effect refers to the impact on daily life—dysfunction, symptoms, or barriers to living fully. 

It’s also important to recognize that trauma is both psychological and physiological. It’s an injury to the nervous system that disrupts a person’s sense of safety and connection. Trauma exists on a spectrum—from acute, one-time events like car accidents to chronic relational or developmental trauma that spans years and often happens within relationships. 

BT: That’s really helpful. It’s great that trauma is being talked about more, but understanding it with that nuance is so valuable. What are some of the most common misconceptions you see about trauma? 

KT: 
One big misconception is that trauma “only counts” if it’s as severe as what a war veteran might experience. People often think, “My trauma doesn’t count unless it’s catastrophic or extreme.” 

Another is that time alone will heal it—that people “should” be over it by now or handle it on their own. Lastly, many believe if they’re functioning—holding a job, caring for kids—it’s not really affecting them. But I’ve worked with many high-functioning individuals who are exhausted, emotionally numb, hypervigilant, not sleeping, and struggling in relationships while still “holding it all together.” 

BT: For people like that—those who are functioning but still struggling—how do they know when it’s time to seek care? 

KT: 
If daily life feels like a constant battle, that’s a good sign you could use some support. Even if you’re getting everything done but it takes everything out of you and leaves no room for joy or peace, it’s worth reaching out. If you’re feeling dissatisfied with yourself or disconnected from the world around you, therapy can help create some breathing room. 

BT: Where does stigma fit into all of this? How does language play a role in keeping people from seeking help? 

KT: 
Stigma is everywhere—rooted in family messages, cultural and societal norms, and media portrayals that blame victims. It tells people something’s wrong with them, when really they’re having a completely appropriate response to an abnormal or overwhelming situation. 

There’s also this idea that seeking help is weakness—that strong people “tough it out.” So language around strength, asking for help, and what it means to have experienced trauma all matter a lot. 

BT: You mentioned trauma living in the body—can you expand on that? 

KT: 
The body’s response to trauma is largely rooted in the autonomic nervous system. When something scary happens, our sympathetic response activates—preparing us to run or fight. During danger, the body redirects energy away from processes like digestion or the immune system toward survival. 

Ideally, once the danger passes, the parasympathetic system helps us calm back down and return to baseline. But in chronic trauma, that second part doesn’t always happen. The nervous system stays on high alert, as if waiting for the next threat. 

Over time, that constant activation starts to wear the body down. We see correlations between trauma and chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, fatigue, fibromyalgia, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. 

BT: I’m familiar with The Body Keeps the Score—it’s one of the more well-known books on this topic. Is that something you reference as well? 

KT: 
Yes. The Body Keeps the Score is a great resource for understanding how the body is impacted by trauma. I just caution people that it can be heavy and potentially triggering, especially early in recovery, because it can resonate so closely with personal experiences. But it offers excellent insight into how the nervous system responds to trauma. 

BT: At Compass, we treat trauma and PTSD through specialized programs. Could you speak about our treatment model—what makes it unique and what people should know? 

KT: 
Our program combines group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and skills-focused groups. We address the whole system—what’s happening environmentally, mentally, and physically. 

We draw from three main evidence-based modalities: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Together, they create multiple doors to healing—because no one formula works for everyone. 

CPT focuses on thoughts: understanding the beliefs that arise from trauma, recognizing when they’re unhelpful, and reshaping them. DBT helps with emotion regulation, crisis skills, and grounding—particularly helpful when the mind feels too fast to manage cognitively. ACT builds psychological flexibility and integrates mindfulness and acceptance, helping patients change their relationship with their thoughts. 

We also place a strong emphasis on outcomes. Compass values data-driven care, and on average, our patients experience about a 45% reduction in symptoms post-treatment based on standardized measures of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. These outcomes help guide our care and ensure we’re on the right track. 

BT: And then there’s that integrated component too—mental health, trauma, and substance use often need to be treated simultaneously. 

KT: 
Exactly. It’s rare for trauma to exist in isolation. Many patients also experience mood disorders, anxiety, OCD, or substance use. Our model treats these conditions simultaneously rather than sequentially because research shows that integrated care leads to faster improvement and helps prevent relapse. 

BT: What does healing from trauma really look like—for those who feel like they’ll never heal or that their trauma defines them? 

KT: 
Healing isn’t about erasing memories or going back to who you were before trauma. It’s about regaining a sense of control, purpose, and connection. Therapy doesn’t make life less hard—it makes you more confident in your ability to handle the hard parts. 

Avoidance is one of the biggest symptoms of PTSD, but it also perpetuates it. The more we avoid, the smaller our world becomes. In treatment, we help patients learn to engage with life despite fear or anxiety and live in alignment with their values. That’s what creates meaningful healing. 

BT: For friends or family supporting someone with trauma, what can they do to help? 

KT: 
As a friend or family member, the instinct to “fix” things is strong, but the most supportive thing you can do is listen, believe them, and validate their experience. Safety comes from relationship, not from advice. 

Normalize help-seeking—encourage them to take the step toward treatment and let them know you’ll be there with them. At Compass, we emphasize family involvement, offering education and therapy to help loved ones stay connected through the process. Healing happens in community, and family members can be anchors—not by fixing, but by listening. 

BT: And what happens if trauma goes untreated long-term? 

KT: 
It varies for each person, but often life becomes smaller and more centered on managing symptoms rather than finding meaning. Avoidance tends to grow—people might start skipping social events, errands, or relationships that feel too difficult. Over time, their world narrows, and disconnection can take hold. Relationships strain, confidence erodes, and joy becomes harder to access. 

BT: Thank you for touching on that. Before we wrap up, what excites you most about where Compass’s trauma programs are headed? 

KT: 
I think our trauma program is already very strong, but we’re always evolving. We use data collection to identify optimal treatment lengths and tailor individual experiences. We’re expanding integration between trauma and substance use programming, ensuring patients can address multiple needs simultaneously. 

Through the Center of Excellence, we’re advancing our standards of care across sites—really building a system where trauma-informed care isn’t specialized, it’s standard. 

BT: What would you say to someone who’s been living with trauma symptoms for so long that they feel those symptoms are just who they are? 

KT: 
Trauma can convince you that you’re too far gone or broken, but that’s not true. Trauma is treatable. Healing is possible with the right care. Even though it may always be part of your story, trauma doesn’t have to define you or control you. en, but that’s not true. Trauma is treatable. Healing is possible with the right care. Even though it may always be part of your story, trauma doesn’t have to define you or control you. 

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Bios

Kaitlin Thompson, LCSW, CADC, MBA, is Director of Center of Excellence at Compass, with a focus on trauma and substance use treatment.  She previously was the Director of our Chicago Trauma Program until she moved down to the DFW area in Texas about 3 years ago. She earned her MSW at the University of Chicago and has over 15 years of experience working directly with individuals in the mental health field.  Additionally, she earned her MBA from Northeastern University in Healthcare Management in 2023 to expand her work to a macro systemic level.  She has specialized training and certifications in trauma and addiction, has led numerous community presentations throughout the years, and has multiple research publications. 

Britt Teasdale is a writer, photographer, and creative strategist. As Associate Director of Brand and Content at Compass Health Center, she has spent nearly a decade shaping narratives that translate complex clinical ideas into stories that resonate, reduce stigma, and help families access care. She holds a degree in Broadcast and Investigative Journalism, MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing, and began her career as a reporter. She is also co-host of Compass’s forthcoming podcast, You Only Know What You Know.