• Mental Health

Trauma-Focused Therapy: How to Start Your Healing Journey

Healing from trauma is not always a linear experience. Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event in someone’s life.  It can be messy and challenging to move forward from traumatic events because of the memory of the emotion. 

Trauma-focused therapy is about understanding why a person has the emotional response they do to a traumatic event in their past. A therapist wants to uncover what the event was and how it relates to other experiences in a person’s life. 

What is Trauma?

At least 70% of people have had a traumatic experience at some point in their life. Trauma is an extreme emotion tied to harmful experiences in a person’s life. For example, sexual assault, domestic violence, a car accident, or the sudden death of a loved one can all be tied to trauma. Experiencing trauma may affect your mental, physical, and cognitive health.

What are the Different Types of Trauma?

Trauma activates a particular part of the brain. The amygdala influences emotional reactions to different stimuli in your everyday life.

The type of trauma a person experiences influences the kind of treatment you receive. Trauma that stems from childhood is different from a singular traumatic experience you go through as an adult.

The three main types of trauma are:

• Acute trauma: Short-term trauma from a singular traumatic experience like a natural disaster or accident.

• Chronic trauma: This type of trauma is long-term and can go on for years. Domestic violence, addiction, and long-term illness are all examples of chronic trauma.

• Complex trauma: Multiple events in life can cause complex trauma from multiple sources like childhood abuse and dealing with discrimination.

Who Benefits from Trauma-Based Therapy?

Trauma-based therapy can be effective for anyone who has experienced traumatic events in their life. It’s especially beneficial for people who work in high-stress environments where their lives are at risk daily. 

Trauma-based therapy is often recommended for people with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). This type of therapy can also help people with:

• Sleeping disorders

• Childhood trauma

• Frequent nightmares

• Social isolation

• Bullying

• Grief related to trauma

What are the Benefits of Trauma-Focused Therapy?

Trauma is a part of life for everyone. However, it can be difficult to navigate on your own. Trauma therapy provides the tools to manage trauma and continue to grow from your past experiences.

Benefits from trauma-focused therapy you may experience include:

• Preventing self-harm and self-hatred

• Practicing safe coping strategies

• Improving your self-esteem

• Addressing past issues with self-worth

Types of Trauma-based therapy

There are many different avenues a therapist can take in trauma-based therapy. The following types of therapy have trauma-based therapy treatments options, but may also branch off into other types of therapy methods:

EMDR therapy: Using eye movements or following certain sounds to process traumatic memories.

Prolonged exposure (PE): Gradual exposure to traumatic memories through talk therapy.

Cognitive behavioral therapy: A therapist helps you with forming healthy habits and changing thoughts that lead to harmful behaviors.

Cognitive processing therapy: This form of therapy focuses on breaking down potentially harmful beliefs and writing out traumatic memories with a healthcare professional.

Narrative therapy: A therapist helps you to tell your own story about your life to shape the way you see yourself and how you interact with the world around you.

What are the Risks Associated with Trauma-based Therapy?

Many health experts have different theories about the effectiveness of certain trauma-based therapy techniques. One controversial innovative approach is using horror films in trauma-based therapy.  

This form of exposure therapy involves using horror films to expose a person to fear when they are not in actual danger and help them find a sense of control. Some health experts believe this can help people take authority over emotions often attached to traumatic memories. However, more research is needed to verify the effectiveness of this technique.

Generally, there is a risk of dissociation when receiving trauma-based therapy. Dissociation is having complete disregard for treatment practices. This can happen if the person being treated feels threatened or avoidant when it comes to confronting their trauma.

How to Find a Therapist

It can sound scary to have to talk about a harmful situation with a stranger. However, finding a therapist you trust can help you learn coping skills for managing trauma. Be sure to take your time choosing a therapist you feel comfortable with. 

If you don’t have health insurance, many community organizations, schools, and clinics offer access to therapy for a lower price. Some therapists may also offer flexible rates depending on your income.

If you don’t feel comfortable having therapy in person, there are many options for online treatment. Online mental health services can still work with your schedule and open you up to a bigger pool of providers that specialize in trauma-based therapy.

Where Can I Learn More About Caring for my Mental Health?

Finding a treatment that works for you is all about taking that first step. Online programs offer many options for finding accessible mental health support. LifeMD works with insurance plans that cover mental health services for at least 95% of our patients.

Get started today and start putting your mental health first.

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