If “Mad Men’s” Don Draper had grasped how trauma impacted his life, chances are pretty good that the AMC series would have portrayed a very different story. Why? Because trauma influences how our brains work. And as upsetting, devastating or debilitating a deeply disturbing event or perceived threat can be, people who experience trauma can and do find healing.

Studies show that one out of 22 adults has been impacted by trauma, and new research indicates that nearly two-thirds of the adult population have had at least one traumatic episode in their lives. But what does trauma look like? Is it always as escalating as the events that took place in Ferguson? Or can it also include day-to-day situations, like not being able to make ends meet? Find out in this week’s Mental Health Matters podcast, when Executive Director Tom Duff, MSW, LCSW discusses with Saint Louis Counseling’s Coordinator of Trauma-Informed & Racial-Equity Programs Kerri Gallen, MSW, LCSW, how being trauma-informed, along with building relationships and showing awareness and empathy, will help individuals and communities heal.