When Treatment Hurts: Understanding Medical and Clinician-Associated Traumatisation
- Marta Kudrnova
- May 21
- 5 min read
When we think about trauma, we often imagine accidents, abuse, or violence. But there is another kind of trauma that many people endure: one that takes place in a setting meant to heal—the medical system.
For some people, hospitals and clinics represent hope, care, and recovery. For others, they are sources of lasting fear, distress, and emotional pain. This experience is often described as medical anxiety, which can sometimes be rooted in or develop into medical trauma. Medical trauma is a complex psychological and physiological response to medical procedures, injuries, or treatments. When psychological harm stems specifically from the behaviour or attitude of a healthcare provider, it is referred to as clinician-associated trauma.
In this blog, I explore medical and clinician-associated trauma, its manifestations, and why discussing this topic is so important. My personal and professional interest in this area stems from over twenty-five years of working in healthcare, during which I have met hundreds of people traumatised within medical settings. As a therapist, I draw on a comprehensive understanding of the clinical environment, as well as the dynamic and often invisible power imbalances that can shape a patient’s experience of care.
Understanding Trauma
Psychological trauma is not defined solely by the event itself, but by the impact it has on us. Trauma occurs when an experience overwhelms our ability to cope, leaving a lasting imprint on our body, mind, and sense of self. It is often rooted in fear, helplessness, powerlessness, or a loss of control.
Trauma is highly subjective. What may be traumatic for one person might not be for another. This subjectivity is influenced by many factors, including:
Personal history
Support systems
Coping mechanisms
Cultural context
Developmental stage
When we do not realise that a difficult experience was more than we could handle at the time, we may blame ourselves for how we reacted or for how long it takes to “get over it.” But recognising that some situations simply exceed what we, as humans, are built to tolerate can shift this narrative. It allows us to meet ourselves with compassion rather than self-blame and to understand that these responses were not failures, but our best attempts to survive something that felt too much to bear.
What is Medical Trauma?
Medical trauma refers to the psychological, physical, and emotional impact of distressing or frightening medical experiences. Some medical events can be not only physically painful but also deeply emotionally challenging. Medical trauma can affect patients, as well as their family members and loved ones who witness these events.
For example, partners of birthing people may experience trauma after witnessing emergency situations during childbirth. Medical trauma can also impact healthcare professionals exposed to high-stress situations and the suffering of patients, sometimes leading to burnout, emotional numbness, or vicarious trauma.
Examples of medical events that can leave psychological scars include:
Stays in the intensive care unit or undergoing emergency surgeries
Frightening treatment experiences
Receiving a serious or life-altering diagnosis
Experiencing painful procedures or treatments
Feeling ignored, disrespected, or unsafe during care
Childbirth
Witnessing a loved one undergo distressing treatments (vicarious trauma)
Common reactions to medical trauma include:
Medical anxiety
Avoidance of medical appointments
Anxiety or panic attacks in healthcare settings
Post-traumatic stress symptoms such as intrusive thoughts, nightmares, hypervigilance, or involuntary memories
What Is Clinician-Associated Trauma?
Clinician-associated trauma occurs when a sceptical, unempathic, or dismissive attitude from a healthcare provider causes psychological distress. A lack of humility among medical professionals, where clinicians are unwilling to acknowledge the limits of their knowledge or the complexity of a patient's condition, can also contribute.
This is common in multisystemic or rare conditions, and women’s health issues. For example, long COVID, fibromyalgia, unexplained pain syndromes, endometriosis, etc. These conditions often involve a lack of straightforward diagnostic criteria, persistent symptoms and frequent misdiagnosis.
Sources of harm include:
Dismissive or invalidating attitudes or gaslighting of symptoms
Medical neglect or failure to listen to patient concerns
Experiences of medical racism, sexism, or other biases
Coercive care or lack of informed consent
Unsafe physical touch or uncomfortable communication
Perceived or actual mistreatment by medical providers
Responses to clinician-associated trauma may include:
Distrust in healthcare providers
Fear or avoidance of medical appointments
Feelings of helplessness or powerlessness
Self-doubt or internalised blame
Loss of trust in one’s own body or judgment
Why Talking About Medical and Clinician-Associated Trauma Matters
Unhealed trauma from medical experiences can have profound consequences, including:
Avoidance of doctors or medical settings
Delayed diagnosis or treatment
Loss of trust in healthcare professionals and systems
Doubt about one’s own body and lived experience
These effects can seriously compromise emotional and physical well-being, sometimes worsening preventable conditions or prolonging suffering. Vulnerable groups—including those with chronic illnesses, marginalised communities, and individuals with prior trauma histories—are especially at risk of retraumatisation within healthcare.
Open discussion helps by:
Breaking the silence and stigma around medical trauma
Validating that harm can occur even in healing settings
Acknowledging emotional injuries as real as physical ones
Creating a foundation for accountability, healing, and systemic change
How to Heal
Healing from medical and clinician-associated trauma takes time but is possible. Key steps include:
Trauma-informed therapy: Working with therapists familiar with medical trauma provides vital emotional support.
Patient advocacy: Learning to set boundaries, ask for respectful care, and advocate for oneself in medical settings.
Seeking trauma-informed care providers: Choosing healthcare professionals trained to support trauma survivors.
Peer support: Connecting with others who share similar experiences to reduce isolation.
As a therapist, I support people who have been impacted by medical trauma by helping them make sense of their experiences and reconnect with a sense of agency. We work together to understand the emotional weight of what they’ve been through, process complex feelings, and gradually rebuild confidence and self-trust. A meaningful part of healing involves recognising where harm occurred, allowing space for grief and anger, and acknowledging the pain that remains. Over time, people often find they can begin to trust themselves again, advocate for their needs, seek support, and feel more grounded in medical settings.
Final Thoughts
Talking about medical trauma is vital because it validates the emotional and psychological impact of medical experiences, especially those involving pain, powerlessness, or lack of informed consent. When patients and families share their stories, they raise awareness in society and healthcare, encouraging more compassionate, trauma-informed care. Naming medical trauma helps break the isolation survivors feel and creates space for empathy, systemic change, and better outcomes for all patients.
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