As a Therapist: Why I’m Obsessed With How “Off Campus” Handled Trauma

Amazon Prime’s new show Off Campus, based on the book series by Elle Kennedy, does more than offer an easy binge.

I started the romance series after a friend’s recommendation, completely expecting a cute story for us to giggle about.

But what I found was a cute AND powerful story of trauma, healthy relationships, and the impact of writing your own narrative.

Keep in mind, the post below has SPOILERS! Please only read if you’re ready for them :)

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The Reality of Trauma

There’s so much to say about this.

Most of the story and development follows Garrett’s history with domestic violence and Hannah’s history with sexual assault.

It’s rare for media to show an accurate depiction of the long-lasting effects of trauma. From Hannah’s panic attacks to Garrett feeling the weight of fearing he’d act like his father, the show highlights how complex these experiences are, and how memories and panic can interfere with daily living.

Both of these characters move through their healing journey, showing struggles with trust, connection, and self-blame — all very real impacts of trauma.

Healthy Relationships

I spent most of the show gushing over the deep conversations and beautiful depictions of friendship.

These characters struggle to tell others about their experiences, and nobody pressured them to speak when they weren’t ready. In fact, they even show the characters keeping the others’ secrets, respecting their autonomy and privacy.

The healthy communication was really *chef’s kiss,* and there are so many moments where the characters have organic conversations where they prioritize giving each other space to show up authentically with their concerns, rather than stewing on any conflict or making the situation about themselves.

I especially loved seeing the hockey team do this. They highlighted consent, trust, and vulnerability - all while being these amazing athletes. Most portrayals of college athletes on tv show the womanizing “cool guy” who couldn’t care less, or the one who gets away with hurting others with no accountability.

But these guys all genuinely support each other and keep each other in check. They talk about their limits and the right way to go about situations. They lean on each other for trust and support.

And - one of my favorite things that is genuinely lacking in too many shows - is a healthy relationship between parents and their children.

We see this with Hannah and her parents. The conversation she has with her mom was so beautiful and it really reminded me of what therapy sessions tend to look like.

Rewriting the Narrative

In that conversation, Hannah’s mom tells her that nothing that happened when she was a teen was her fault. This conversation propels her into writing about a past version of herself that she’s been afraid of for years - a creative and loving person who’s felt locked away because of trauma.

The show so beautifully shows that the past, with all its beautiful and painful parts, come together to create a part of the story we see today.

In all their struggles, these characters were never diminished into being defined by their trauma. They moved through these memories with the strength and love of their supporters. They realized they were so much bigger than the people that hurt them, and that they could create a new story where they were in control - rather than feeling stuck in the narratives where they were not.

For Garrett, this meant realizing that he was not his father, and that he was not responsible for any of the actions he - or his future stepmother - took. He found passion in his personal connection to hockey, rather than feeling like he was living under the shadow of his abuser.

Even other characters like Allie discovered the freedom in making her own decisions about her relationship and interests, rather than feeling stuck in what felt safe and inauthentic for her.

All in all, it was a wonderful way to show the growth and identity-development that happens often during college.

The Future and Why This Matters

It’s easy to feel when characters are written inauthentically. They actually end up being kind of tone-deaf and I, personally, spend most of the time rolling my eyes or cringing.

More often than not, depictions of trauma are brash and distasteful. We see so many representations of unhealthy ways of reacting and stories that glorify what you really shouldn’t do. More dangerously, because of this, they’re actually often triggering for others who have gone through similar experiences.

There are better ways to do it. And I believe Off Campus did a great job.

When we see these narratives that are so reflective of what real life looks like being handled with care and consideration, they teach audiences what to expect — and what not to settle for.

That’s why this is so important to see.

Audiences are finally getting a glimpse into what’s healthy. Into constellations of emotions, consensual relationships, and what healing actually looks like.

And I’m SO here for it.