Rethinking the Pathologization of Trauma: A Functional Contextual Perspective on Conceptual and Clinical Implications: Rethinking the Pathologization of Trauma

Kaasım Fatih Yavuz

doi:10.63175/tjts.63

Authors

Kaasım Fatih Yavuz Turkish Association for Contextual Science and Psychotherapies https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3862-2705

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63175/tjts.63

Keywords:

Trauma Reification, Functional Contextualism, Process-Based Psychotherapy, Clinical Conceptualization of Trauma, Posttraumatic Growth

Abstract

The expanding focus on trauma has advanced clinical awareness and treatment; however, trauma is increasingly framed as a reified internal pathology rather than a contextual learning history. This editorial critically examines the conceptual and clinical consequences of this shift, emphasizing how trauma-based explanations may overshadow present behavioral and environmental processes that sustain distress. From a functional contextual perspective, traumatic experiences are understood as formative events whose influence depends on current contexts rather than fixed internal deficits. The discussion highlights the organizing effects of clinical language on self-concept and considers posttraumatic growth as evidence against deterministic models of trauma. The paper argues for process-oriented, context-sensitive formulations to enhance conceptual clarity and clinical effectiveness.

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Rethinking the Pathologization of Trauma: A Functional Contextual Perspective on Conceptual and Clinical Implications