Guide to Trauma Therapy
Traumatic experiences are nothing new. At any given time, these events can occur to thousands of people around the world. Though some people can seem to move past the effects of such events, others struggle to process them – even if they don’t realize what is going on. The team at A Seed of Hope Family Counseling Center in Portage and Kalamazoo, MI, share some important information about trauma therapy below and how it can help.
Types of Trauma Therapy Can Address
Traumatic events come in many forms, but they all have one thing in common: they create deep, distressing feelings, thoughts, and emotions about the event. While the specific events might differ, some common ones include:
- Natural disasters
- Auto accidents
- Sustaining a severe or life-threatening injury
- Assault or abuse
- House fires
- Bullying
- Imprisonment
- Combat
Keep in mind that it’s not the type of event itself but your emotional response to it that dictates whether it is traumatic.
Signs Therapy Could Be Right for You
Trauma can create various types of symptoms and at varying degrees that therapy can help you overcome. The following are just a few of these symptoms:
- Nightmares or flashbacks about the event
- Chronic anxiety, depression, or fear
- Being hypervigilant
- Practicing avoidance behaviors
- Withdrawing from friends and loved ones
- Deep fear or refusal to leave home
- Being hypersensitive or feeling completely numb
- Thoughts of self-harm
- Living with shame or guilt
- Being highly impulsive
- Developing compulsive behaviors, typically related to the event or the feelings involving the event (for example, having to check your door locks several times after a break-in)
Benefits of Therapy for Trauma
Two of the most beneficial parts of trauma therapy are a non-judgmental ear and validation. Even well-meaning loved ones can have a hard time understanding what you’re going through.
A therapist, on the other hand, understands the impact of trauma and helps you understand that your reaction is valid. From there, they will help you develop coping skills, adjust unhealthy behaviors, create a more positive mindset, and generally help you create a steadier, brighter future. Your treatment may also include EMDR therapy (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), a technique that helps people remember things without re-experiencing the same emotions.
Learn more about trauma therapy by calling the team at A Seed of Hope Family Counseling Center in Portage and Kalamazoo, MI, at (269) 743-7357.