An Understanding of Trauma: The Anatomy of a Wound Model
Trauma is a word that gets thrown around often. It shows up in the news, on social media, and in everyday conversation. With so many voices joining the discussion, it can be hard to know whom to trust or what to believe.
The Anatomy of a Wound is a model proposed by Dr. Bob Schuchts, a retired marriage and family therapist. It offers a helpful way to describe wounds—or traumas, which Dr. Schuchts says can be used interchangeably within the model. At a glance, the Anatomy of a Wound has three layers: the wound itself, beliefs, and vows.
Distinguishing Type A and Type B Wounds
Dr. Schuchts uses two ideas to conceptualize wounds. The first, and broader, of the two distinguishes Type A wounds from Type B wounds.
A Type A wound results from the absence of something that should have been present—for example, physical or emotional neglect, or an absence of acceptance.
A Type B wound results from bad things happening that should not have happened—for example, the divorce of one's parents or any form of abuse.
The Seven Deadly Wounds: Categories of Trauma
Dr. Schuchts also identifies seven what he calls "Deadly Wounds." You can think of these deadly wounds as wound categories, and most wounds are a variation of one of them. They are abandonment, rejection, fear, shame, confusion, powerlessness, and hopelessness.
Keep in mind that a single wound can overlap multiple categories. Holding these categories in mind is helpful when considering the relationship between wounds and beliefs.
How Trauma Shapes Beliefs
Beliefs arise naturally from wounds, and they tend to take two forms: identity lies and judgments. Identity lies are false beliefs about oneself, while judgments are false beliefs about God, other people, or particular environments and circumstances. Both are extensions of the natural human tendency to make meaning of our experiences—specifically, our experience of wounds.
For example, physical abuse by a parent would be a Type B trauma, and the resulting wound might involve some combination of rejection, fear, shame, confusion, powerlessness, and hopelessness, depending on the circumstances. Given those wound categories, emerging beliefs might include "I am not safe" (a fear belief) or "I am weak" (a powerlessness belief).
The Function and Impact of Vows
This is where vows come into play. When a belief emerges from a wound, a vow often follows as an attempt at self-reliant protection. To continue the example above, if the belief "I am not safe" emerged from the wound, a vow such as "I must protect myself" may follow.
It is worth noting that these vows can be effective at protecting us from being wounded. However, Dr. Schuchts points out the detrimental effect of vows rooted in wounds: we end up defending ourselves not only against potential wounds, but also against being loved—potentially weakening our capacity to love others in the process. He goes even further, noting that the difference between vows rooted in wounds and vows rooted in freedom or the Holy Spirit is that the latter increase our freedom to love and be loved, rather than diminishing it.
Resources for Understanding the Model
If this brief explanation of the Anatomy of a Wound model has been helpful or has caught your interest, I encourage you to explore the following resources:
For a short introduction, here is a podcast episode in which Dr. Schuchts explains the model himself: https://restoredministry.com/blog/039.
For a deeper dive, here is the first of five episodes on a podcast co-hosted by Dr. Schuchts about the Anatomy of a Wound: https://www.restoretheglorypodcast.com/episodes/12.
And for a comprehensive exposition of the model, check out Be Healed by Dr. Bob Schuchts, available wherever books are sold. His other books would also be excellent related reads.
Beginning Your Healing Journey
Encountering your own woundedness can be overwhelming. As we grow in understanding our wounds, a question naturally emerges: "What now?" If that's where you find yourself, it may be worth considering whether beginning a healing journey with a therapist at Hope Healing is right for you. At Hope Healing, our therapists have expertise in accompanying you through your wounds through Trauma Therapy. We are here to help you experience the healing you desire.