What Is Trauma Therapy?

After experiencing a traumatic event, the body can cause some emotional responses to stimuli that it perceives as a threat. Trauma therapy is something that can help with learning positive coping mechanisms for healing from trauma-related mental health disorders. These are necessary skills needed in order to properly cope and begin to heal from any traumatic experiences an individual may have experienced in their lifetime. It can help to prevent chronic conditions like depression, anxiety, and addiction.

What is Trauma Therapy?

Trauma therapy is a mental health service that is effective in helping people to heal from experiences that may have resulted in traumatic responses to stimuli. Trauma therapy can be an effective and positive way to learn coping skills that can help an individual to make it through trauma responses, with minimal impact on their daily life.

Types of Trauma Therapy

Trauma can be detrimental to those who experience it. The response to trauma can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms and behaviors. Trauma therapy is available to help unlearn negative behaviors and replace them with positive ones. But what types of therapy are used for trauma?

There are different forms of therapy used to alleviate symptoms of different mental health conditions: 

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a form of therapy in which bilateral eye movement (left to right) is used rhythmically while simultaneously releasing emotions blocked by trauma. This is effective in allowing an individual to process the trauma. The goal is to help someone heal from trauma and other unpleasant life experiences.
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): Able to be performed on an individual or group basis, CPT challenges someone to think about their perspective on why the event happened. It also challenges the individual to take a look at their thoughts and beliefs that they have developed since the event occurred.
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): Mainly used for children and adolescents, TF-CBT addresses unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. 
• Prolonged Exposure (PE): Therapy using PE is just as it sounds. An individual is exposed to the source of their fear in order to overcome it.

These types of therapies are extremely effective in helping those who experience trauma to heal.

What is the Trauma Therapy Process?

There are different techniques and processes used to help those who are struggling. Those techniques can include things like imaginal exposure, in vivo exposure, written account, impact statement, and cognitive restructuring strategies. All of these techniques aim to help someone through the process of healing from trauma. 

Trauma Therapy and PTSD

PTSD is a direct result of traumatic experiences. Whether it be things during active duty in the military, or as a result of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse. Trauma therapy is beneficial for those who struggle with PTSD as it helps the person heal and makes their lives easier. 

Trauma Therapy and Depression/Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are common mental health conditions for people of all ages, races, social classes, and backgrounds. Struggling with these can be a result of some form of trauma. Using trauma therapy for depression and anxiety can benefit the individual struggling. Depression is a serious condition that causes isolation and mood changes. Anxiety causes a massive disruption in everyday life for those who experience symptoms.

Being able to live life normally, through healing traumas, can lead to better overall well-being for individuals with depression and anxiety. Traumas can lead to the development of these conditions, and healing trauma can help to alleviate the symptoms to reach a more fulfilling life. 

Trauma Therapy for Addiction Recovery

Quite a few people who struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol have experienced trauma of some sort during their lifetime. Oftentimes this trauma causes poor coping mechanisms, such as turning to substances to find relief from the resulting feelings. It’s uncomfortable and unpleasant to face emotions, especially with no guidance.

Trauma therapy is highly effective in addiction recovery. When someone struggling with addiction begins healing their trauma and learning healthy coping skills, they have different places to turn other than drugs and alcohol as a means of getting through feelings. 

Healing From Trauma

Traumatic experiences can begin to reshape the life of the person who experiences the trauma. Trauma can lead to depression, anxiety, as well as addiction in some who have a hard time coping with these feelings. There is hope, though. Trauma therapy is available for those who need it, and we can help. At Louisville Addiction Center in Louisville, Kentucky, we offer comprehensive care for those who are in need. We strive to prove a safe and healing environment for those under our care.

If you or a loved one are struggling, contact us today.