Raquel Hopkins, a licensed therapist and author, is sparking conversation across social media after posting a bold and thought-provoking message on Instagram, urging people to reconsider what they label as “trauma.”
Her viral post, captioned “Every hurt doesn’t require healing. Sometimes you’re just living,” takes direct aim at what she sees as a growing tendency to pathologize normal life experiences under the umbrella of trauma.
“Yes, the body keeps the score,” Hopkins wrote, referencing the popular trauma recovery book. “But of course it does if you keep thinking the same thoughts, telling the same stories, and interpreting every hard thing as a wound.”
Is It Trauma — or Just Life?
In a video accompanying the post, Hopkins challenges viewers to reflect on how they interpret discomfort. She differentiates between genuine trauma—“an experience so impactful that it alters how you function mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually”—and everyday challenges that require growth, not healing.
“We’re creating a mindset that treats discomfort like it’s something we have to escape from rather than something we build the capacity to face,” she said.
She explained that trauma is subjective, but warned against overusing the term for every emotionally difficult experience. For Hopkins, this growing trend risks making people feel broken when they are, in fact, simply being stretched by life.
Reclaiming Resilience in Mental Health
Hopkins, known for her accessible and candid take on mental health topics, believes that language shapes perception—and that today’s therapeutic culture sometimes risks reinforcing fragility rather than building resilience.
She encourages a shift toward capacity-building rather than immediate self-diagnosis.
“Am I labeling this as trauma because it’s hard,” she asks in the video, “or because it’s genuinely overwhelming my ability to function?”
A Therapist’s Message Goes Mainstream
Hopkins’ message is resonating beyond just mental health circles. Her post has drawn thousands of likes, comments, and shares, with many praising her for challenging the popular narrative and inviting followers to reexamine their inner narratives.
In the post’s closing line, she invites viewers to check out her eBook, calling it “the foundation you need” to build capacity and shift from seeing pain as damage to viewing it as a catalyst for growth.
