Trauma therapy

what is Trauma therapy?

Trauma therapy is a form of mental health treatment aimed at helping individuals recover from the psychological effects of traumatic experiences, encompassing a wide range of mental health treatments, and trauma-related conditions.

A traumatic experience is often defined as an event far outside of the norm, causing emotional damage. Common forms of trauma include physical or sexual abuse, natural disasters, serious accidents, combat exposure, and witnessing violence. Trauma can also be experienced indirectly, through a loved one or close friend. Witnessing someone else survive a harrowing event can leave its own emotional scars.

Trauma therapy approaches include, but are not limited to, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), somatic experiencing. These therapies aim to process and integrate traumatic memories, reduce trauma-related symptoms, and improve overall emotional well-being, helping individuals regain a sense of safety and control in their lives after a traumatic event.

Forms of Trauma Therapy

Trauma therapy encompasses various approaches tailored to address the effects of traumatic experiences. Each form aims to promote healing and resilience in individuals affected by trauma. Forms of trauma therapy can include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is a structured, goal-oriented modality that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. In treating trauma, CBT helps individuals challenge and reframe distorted beliefs related to traumatic events. It teaches coping strategies to manage distressing emotions, and in turn, control trauma-related behaviors.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapeutic approach that uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or taps, to help process traumatic memories. It focuses on the concept that eye movement can play a role in accessing certain memories within the brain, and guided eye movement can help reprocess trauma.

EMDR facilitates reprocessing these memories in a way that reduces their emotional intensity and negative impact, to reduce traumatic symptoms.

Somatic Experiencing

Somatic experiencing is a body-oriented approach to trauma therapy that focuses on restoring the parasympathetic nervous system's natural regulation through physical awareness, guided mental imagery, and reprocessing.

Somatic experiencing emphasizes tracking and releasing physical sensations associated with trauma and utilizing relaxation techniques to help reduce physical reactions to trauma.

Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)

Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) is a structured therapeutic approach that helps individuals construct a coherent narrative of their life experiences, including traumatic events. This storytelling approach aims to integrate fragmented memories into a cohesive life story. Narrative exposure therapy promotes emotional processing and reduces the distress associated with traumatic memories through an approach that helps people distance themselves from their experiences, while viewing them through a different perspective.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)

Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) is a behavioral therapy for trauma that involves systematically confronting avoided trauma-related stimuli. Through repeated exposure to traumatic memories, situations, or reminders, PE helps individuals process and reduce the emotional distress associated with these experiences.

Prolonged exposure therapy does not force people into situations they cannot handle. The process is gradual, and client consent and cooperation are central. Techniques within prolonged exposure therapy include imaginal exposure (revisiting the trauma in imagination) and in vivo exposure (confronting trauma-related situations in real life).

Trauma Therapy at Resolutions

Trauma-related treatments at Resolutions aim to help clients reduce trauma symptoms and reprocess their traumatic event, giving them back control over their lives. Learn more about our bespoke trauma therapy programs at Resolutions by contacting us today.