Do I Need Trauma Therapy?

Trauma is any event that causes psychological or physical distress. You can experience trauma through living through it, witnessing it, or even through second-hand accounts. 

A number of events can be considered traumatizing. However, whether or not something is traumatic is dependent on how your system reacts to it. Something that is considered traumatic for someone may not be traumatic for someone else.

We all go through difficult times or situations. For the most part, when they’re done, they’re done. When trauma occurs, the body continues to relive it. Luckily there is treatment available for trauma.

To know if trauma therapy is for you, look for signs of:

• Consistent feelings of anxiety and depression
• Flashbacks and nightmares
• Physical symptoms
• Change in behaviors
• Developing negative coping mechanisms

If trauma therapy is a good match for you, several therapy options address this ailment directly.

Signs You Need Trauma Therapy

Trauma confuses. It can make it hard to know exactly what you’re experiencing. Everyone will experience trauma differently, but many experience the following symptoms.

Related Article: Trauma

Consistent Feelings of Anxiety and Depression

It’s normal to be on edge for a little bit after a traumatizing event. However, if anxiety and depression continue long after the event, that’s a sign you could use professional care.

You don’t have to wait for symptoms to last a long time or get to a certain intensity. If you’re experiencing anxiety and depression consistently you can always seek therapy.

Flashbacks or Nightmares

Memories from traumatic events aren’t always stored correctly, and can cause flashbacks and nightmares. If you’re experiencing flashbacks and nightmares surrounding a traumatic event, that could be an indication that you need trauma therapy.

Physical Symptoms

Symptoms of trauma can manifest physically. These are some of the physical symptoms that trauma can produce:

• Tense muscles
• Difficulty sleeping
• More easily startled 
• Headaches while thinking about the event

If you’re experiencing these symptoms after experiencing a traumatic event, you can benefit from seeking trauma therapy.

Change in Behavior

After being traumatized, you may find it hard to enjoy what you used to. People who are traumatized have a difficult time engaging in life in a meaningful way. It can change your behavior and dull your enjoyment.

Others may also begin to notice a difference in your behavior or mood. If friends and family are noticing things that you don’t, it could be a helpful indicator that trauma is affecting you more than you realize.

Developing Negative Coping Mechanisms

Coping mechanisms can help you work with difficult emotions, thoughts, and situations. However, some coping mechanisms aren’t as helpful as they could be.

Emotional numbness is a negative coping mechanism that stops uncomfortable feelings but also removes good emotions as well. If you’re experiencing this you may find it hard to enjoy things.

Many people turn to substance abuse after a traumatic event to cope. If you find yourself coping with traumatic memories with substance abuse, trauma therapy is a good option for you.

Therapy For Trauma

At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we take a trauma-informed approach to everything we do. Whatever form of therapy you’re in, you’ll be receiving care that considers trauma, even if that’s not what you’re here for

Even though we take this approach, some therapies are made to directly address trauma. The goal of trauma therapy is to help people process the feelings and emotions surrounding traumatic events. 

You don’t need a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to benefit from trauma therapy.  Anyone who has experienced trauma can benefit from these forms of therapy. And it doesn’t matter what event caused trauma, each of these therapies can be helpful for anyone who has experienced it.

Somatic Experiencing

The symptoms of PTSD are often thought of as psychological only. However, PTSD and trauma in general can cause physical symptoms in the body.

Somatic experiencing taps into the mind-to-body connection and addresses the psychological symptoms as well as the physical. It encourages clients to become more aware of bodily sensations and how they relate to trauma.

Related Article: Somatic Experiencing

EMDR

Talking about traumatic events often elicits a physical and emotional response that can make it difficult to continue. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) gets rid of most of the talking and instead uses bilateral stimulation to help people work through their trauma.

Instead of starting by talking directly about traumatic experiences, EMDR uses the brain’s natural process of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep to restore traumatic memories that weren’t stored correctly to begin with.

Related Article: EMDR

Internal Family Systems

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a form of therapy that examines the whole of a person by identifying sub-personalities. IFS follows the thought that we’re all made up of different sub-personalities that create a whole. 

It’s believed that these parts of us should be equal in order to live a healthy life. Once you learn how to make these parts work together, you can learn how to manage and process grief and trauma.

Some find this form of therapy helpful because it encourages reframing the conversation in a way that helps people accept their whole person—including the wounded part.

Related Article: Internal Family Systems

Forward-Facing Trauma Therapy

Forward-facing trauma therapy (FFTT) is focused on leaning into feelings and approaching trauma openly. To do this you’ll learn to identify triggers and reduce symptoms of trauma. Once you’re comfortable with relaxation techniques you’ll be encouraged to work through your trauma. 

The goal of FFTT is to see what life looks like beyond trauma and who you want to be. It does this by changing your thoughts and reactions to trauma by facing it head-on in your own time.

Related Article: Forward Facing Trauma Therapy

Trauma Therapy at Sequoia Behavioral Health

All these trauma therapies and more are available at Sequoia Behavioral Health. If you’re looking for a place to receive treatment or are still wondering if it’s right for you, contact us to start a conversation.