Trauma casts a long, haunting shadow in the corners of countless lives. Manifesting as sleepless nights, crippling anxiety, or attachment issues, the effects of trauma can take its toll on even the most resilient. Yet, for too many, trauma remains a silent epidemic, often going unrecognized as the cause of troublesome symptoms.
Thankfully, there is a glimmer of hope amid this healthcare crisis: trauma therapy. Trauma-informed therapy is not just a treatment for the effects of trauma; for many, it can be an utterly life-changing intervention. These evidence-based therapies serve as a comprehensive intervention and organizational approach that examines the influence of trauma on an individual’s life and their response to behavioral health services, from prevention to treatment. However, understanding the intricacies of trauma therapy is a crucial first step before deciding whether it’s right for you.
This article serves as your guiding light in trauma therapy, acting as a comprehensive approach that delves deep into the corridors of the human psyche. Follow along as we dive into the definition of trauma-focused therapy, the different types of therapy available to address trauma, how trauma impacts the human brain, and the benefits of seeking assistance through therapy.
What is Trauma-Focused Therapy?
Trauma-focused therapy aims to support people currently experiencing or dealing with past traumas. Traumatic experiences in life, such as violence, abuse, and grief, leave profound and lasting impacts. A trauma-focused approach in therapy sessions aims to help individuals lessen these impacts.
“The fundamental principles and goals of trauma therapy, or trauma-focused therapy, are rooted in providing a safe and supportive environment for individuals who have experienced trauma,” says Deborah Harland, MSW, LCSW.
Cultivating such an environment involves exercises centered around building trust, providing psychoeducation, teaching grounding techniques, gradually exposing traumatic memories and childhood trauma, and promoting self-care and coping strategies.
The fundamental principles and goals of trauma therapy, or trauma-focused therapy, are rooted in providing a safe and supportive environment for individuals who have experienced trauma.
- Deborah Harland, MSW, LCSW
By addressing trauma directly in therapy, it can reduce distressing symptoms, prevent long-term psychological issues, and enhance feelings of safety and trust. A trauma-informed approach to therapy empowers trauma survivors on their path to recovery, without overwhelming them.
Types of Trauma Therapy
Various trauma therapy modalities exist to help individuals cope with and heal from traumatic experiences. Each approach has unique principles and techniques; therefore, it’s crucial to seek out a tailored approach. One where the therapeutic process specifically addresses individual needs and preferences.
Let’s go over some of the more common trauma therapy modalities clinicians use:
- Eye movement desensitization & reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: EMDR involves guided bilateral eye movements, or other forms of bilateral stimulation, to process traumatic memories. It focuses on desensitizing the emotional distress associated with trauma and helps individuals reprocess traumatic life experiences.
- Comprehensive resource model (CRM): CRM utilizes therapeutic techniques like mindfulness, body awareness, and guided imagery. This type of psychotherapy aims to provide skills that individuals can use to self-soothe.
- Internal family systems therapy (IFS): IFS views the mind as a collection of different “parts,” each with its own thoughts, feelings, and roles. The therapy focuses on understanding and harmonizing these internal parts to promote healing and self-awareness.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT identifies and challenges negative thought patterns and trauma-related behaviors. This type of talk therapy helps individuals develop healthier coping strategies and responses to traumatic experiences.
- Prolonged exposure therapy (PE): PE involves gradually exposing individuals to their traumatic memories or triggers in a controlled and safe manner. The aim of this form of therapy is to reduce avoidance behaviors and desensitize emotional responses to traumatic stimuli.
- Cognitive processing therapy (CPT): CPT uses cognitive restructuring techniques to address and modify unhelpful trauma-related beliefs. It encourages individuals to reevaluate their thoughts,assumptions about themselves, and their experiences.
- Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT): Specifically designed for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, TF-CBT integrates cognitive-behavioral techniques to address the child and their family’s needs. Oftentimes, this type of therapy also involves a parental figure. The overall goal is to aid parents in acknowledging and responding suitably to their children’s trauma reactions, all the while establishing appropriate behavioral boundaries.
The Different Trauma-Related Disorders
Trauma-related disorders are common mental health conditions that can have troubling consequences. One of the better-known trauma-related disorders is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A shocking 60.7% of men and 51.2% of women have experienced a traumatic event in their lifetime; each time someone experiences a traumatic event, there is the potential to trigger the onset of PTSD. These events can be anything from domestic violence and sexual assault to a car accident and time spent fighting in a war. Part of the treatment of PTSD typically involves trauma-informed care through therapy.
Trauma and How it Impacts the Brain
Trauma not only affects our psychology but also impacts our neurobiology and cognitive function. When our brains experience trauma, whether a single acute event or prolonged exposure to stress, the brain undergoes significant changes in response to the perceived threat.
Some of the neurobiological changes and symptoms of trauma that can occur as a result of trauma include:
- A stress response: When a person encounters a traumatic event, the brain’s stress response system is activated. This triggers the release of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones prepare the body for the “fight-or-flight” response, increasing alertness, heart rate, and blood pressure.
- Impact on the amygdala: The amygdala, a small structure in the brain, plays a central role in processing emotional reactions — particularly fear and anxiety. Trauma leads to hyperactivity in the amygdala, causing heightened emotional responses to perceived threats and making it more difficult for individuals to regulate their emotions.
- Altered prefrontal cortex function: The prefrontal cortex, responsible for rational thinking, decision-making, and emotional regulation, becomes impaired by trauma. Chronic stress and trauma can weaken the prefrontal cortex’s ability to control emotional responses, leading to difficulties in managing emotions and making sound judgments.
- Neurotransmitter imbalances: Trauma disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, affecting mood regulation and emotional stability. For example, trauma leads to alterations in the levels of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters associated with mood disorders.
Benefits of Trauma-Focused Therapy
Trauma-focused therapy can be highly effective. Effectively navigating through psychological trauma involves a lot of hard work to process and address it. That work happens in therapy. It serves as a safe place to gather the tools and knowledge to successfully navigate life after experiencing something traumatic.
Helps Process Traumatic Memories
Trauma therapy often includes techniques to process and integrate memories of traumatic events, such as EMDR, trauma-informed stabilization treatment (TIST) model, or IFS. The goal is to reduce the emotional charge associated with traumatic memories.
Reduces Fear and Avoidance
One of the primary benefits of trauma-focused therapy is helping people confront their fears and gradually reduce avoidance behaviors. Trauma survivors often develop intense fear responses to triggers associated with their traumatic experiences. These triggers can be situations, people, places, or internal emotional states.
Trauma-focused therapy helps individuals look at their fears through techniques like exposure therapy. Exposure therapy involves gradual and controlled exposure to trauma-related stimuli in a safe and supportive environment. This exposure allows individuals to slowly face and process their traumatic memories and reactions, reducing fear and avoidance over time.
Improves Coping Mechanisms
Trauma-focused therapy equips individuals with valuable coping skills that help them manage distressing emotions and reactions.
Some common coping skills taught in therapy include:
- Grounding techniques: These techniques help individuals stay connected to the present moment, reducing the intensity of traumatic flashbacks or intrusive thoughts.
- Emotional regulation: Trauma-focused therapy helps individuals identify and regulate intense emotions, preventing them from becoming overwhelmed. This may involve recognizing triggers and implementing strategies to manage emotional responses.
- Stress reduction: Trauma survivors often experience heightened stress levels. Therapy teaches stress reduction techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation or guided imagery to alleviate stress and anxiety.
Builds Trust
Trust between the therapist and the client is paramount in any therapy — especially trauma-focused therapy. Many trauma survivors struggle with trust issues, often stemming from traumatic experiences involving betrayal or violation of boundaries. Building trust within the therapeutic relationship is essential for the therapeutic process to be effective.
Trauma-informed therapists employ various strategies to foster trust, including:
- Empathy and active listening: Therapists provide a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to share their experiences. Participating in active listening and showing empathy conveys that the therapist is genuinely committed to understanding the client’s perspective.
- Consistency and reliability: Therapists maintain a consistent schedule and uphold professional boundaries, demonstrating reliability and commitment to the client’s well-being.
- Respect for autonomy: Therapists respect the client’s autonomy and choices, encouraging them to participate actively in their trauma treatment decisions.
Challenges Problematic Beliefs
Trauma often leads to the development of problematic beliefs about oneself, others, and the world. These beliefs can be deeply ingrained and contribute to feelings of helplessness, shame, or self-blame.
Trauma-focused therapy is designed to address and transform these negative beliefs. In therapy, individuals work with their therapist to identify and challenge these problematic beliefs through techniques like cognitive restructuring.
Cognitive restructuring involves recognizing and reframing negative thought patterns. For example, a survivor of childhood abuse may have developed a belief that they are inherently unlovable. Through therapy, they may understand that this belief results from their traumatic experience and work to replace it with more positive and accurate beliefs about their self-worth.
There are numerous case studies illustrating the transformation of problematic beliefs through trauma-focused therapy. These stories often showcase individuals who, with the support of therapy, shifted from feelings of worthlessness and self-blame to a healthier sense of self-compassion and self-esteem. This transformation can have profound and lasting effects on a person’s well-being.
Teaches Emotional Regulation
Clients learn skills to manage and regulate overwhelming emotions, including techniques like mindfulness, deep breathing, and grounding exercises. The goal is to help clients cope with emotional distress without becoming overwhelmed, as retraumatization can occur when the nervous system is overwhelmed.
Builds Resilience and Post-Traumatic Growth
Trauma therapy aims to help clients build resilience and discover opportunities for post-traumatic growth. This involves finding meaning, developing a sense of self-compassion, and cultivating a new optimistic outlook on the future.
Recovery is Within Reach
The benefits of trauma-focused therapy are undeniable. It equips individuals with the tools to reduce fear and avoidance, empowering them to confront their deepest wounds. It fosters improved coping skills, enabling individuals to navigate life’s challenges with newfound resilience. It builds trust, a foundation upon which the therapeutic relationship is built. It also challenges problematic beliefs, paving the way for profound personal transformation.
The path to healing from trauma may not be straightforward, but recovery is possible with proper understanding, patience, and resilience.
If you’ve suffered from trauma and find that it is impacting your quality of life and daily functioning, seeking therapy could be beneficial. A therapist can help by providing a specialized treatment plan to deal with the impacts of trauma, guiding you toward living a happier, healthier life. Check out Grow Therapy’s provider finder to learn about in-person and online therapy options available to you.
