For anyone living with trauma, managing it for years may feel like performing a one-person show. You’re handling everything on your own, perhaps afraid to ask for help or unaware of the kind of help that’s available. Whether you know it or not, unresolved trauma has a way of creeping into every aspect of your life: work, home life, relationships. Today, let’s name some of the causes of trauma and talk about the potential benefits of trauma therapy for you.
Trauma therapy is designed to treat patients whose traumatic experiences have kept them from living a healthy life. Some patients may have turned to using drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with the feelings connected to a traumatic experience. Interventions for trauma include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Helping a patient learn to manage their emotional response to traumatic memories is one goal of a program offering intensive trauma therapy.
What is trauma therapy?
Trauma therapy is designed to treat patients whose traumatic experiences have influenced their lives in negative ways. Intervention for trauma directly addresses the symptoms that appear, such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Isolation
- Insomnia
- Flashbacks
- Emotional outbursts
- Panic
A patient in trauma therapy learns to understand the response to these symptoms is important. Finding strategies to cope with these feelings is more productive than attempting to ignore them or turning to drugs and alcohol as a way to manage them.
What models are used in trauma therapy?
Evidence-based interventions are used in trauma therapy as they have been practiced and proven over time to help trauma survivors begin healing. These models are used one at a time and several may be integrated into the same program. The list below is a sample of the kinds of interventions used in trauma therapy.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is used to help patients focus on specific problems related to trauma. The goal is to make them aware of their thoughts and feelings about those experiences. Once they’re aware, the thoughts and feelings can get reshaped into productive responses.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a multi-step process to guide a patient towards reducing the emotional response to trauma. It begins with planning for treatment through sharing traumatic experiences in therapy and learning coping tools. The main element of EMDR is using eye movements and negative thoughts as a way to desensitize patients and lessen their emotional response to thoughts about their trauma.
Meditation and mindfulness training is used to help calm a patient and make them aware of what’s occurring in their body when traumatic memories appear. Taking time to focus on the physical results of intense feelings helps them connect what trauma is doing to their bodies. As the awareness increases, they can begin to find ways to actively calm themselves through physical activity.
Group process or individual therapy are additional interventions used in treating trauma. Trauma counselors can work with patients one-on-one in person or online through virtual sessions. Group therapy allows individuals to connect with others who are learning the same skills to manage their response to traumatic experiences.
What are some causes of trauma?
Trauma can come from abuse, whether it’s physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Experiencing an accident or witnessing the death of a loved one can be traumatic. The list of causes also includes losing a cherished item as a child or growing up in an unstable home. Adult trauma patients don’t necessarily know every cause of their own trauma. An early cause that was not resolved can be worsened by a new traumatic experience, too. Trauma counselors help people get to the root of the issue and trained to help uncover hidden or forgotten trauma.
Benefits of Receiving Trauma Therapy
The benefits of receiving trauma therapy can be viewed in two parts: awareness and coping skills. Treatment measures responses to anxiety and introduces patients to new ways to manage those responses. These therapies are designed to help patients anticipate their own trauma triggers and learn safe, productive responses. They can help manage mood swings, too. For patients in trauma therapy, it may be the first time they have been in a safe and supportive place to begin processing their traumatic memories.
Find Trauma Therapy at Origins Counseling Dallas.
Women and men tend to experience different forms of trauma. The gender-specific program at Origins Counseling offers an intervention that’s customized to the needs of each group. Therapy for trauma often appears alongside substance use disorders, especially in women. At Origins Counseling, treatment for trauma is integrated into a program to help patients begin recovering from drug and alcohol use.
Origins Counseling is a new program in Dallas, Texas, made available by a well-known care provider offering a range of treatment programs targeting the recovery from substance use, mental health issues, and beyond. Our primary mission is to provide a clear path to a life of healing and restoration. We offer renowned clinical care for addiction and have the compassion and professional expertise to guide you toward lasting sobriety. For information on our programs, call us today: 561.841.1264.
