Written By: Lynne Cole | Last Updated: April 2023
Lynne Cole is a qualified therapist and counsellor in Wakefield with decades of experience helping people through trauma therapy.
What is Trauma Therapy?
Trauma therapy focuses on relieving the psychological effects of traumatic experiences, allowing the survivor to process negative memories and change detrimental behaviour patterns.
Definition of Trauma
In therapy, trauma is defined as a distressing experience or series of experiences that threaten one’s physical and/or mental well-being and causes long-term psychological and emotional damage. Physical trauma refers to injuries, and it may be involved in events which cause emotional trauma but is not necessarily so.
Why It’s Important to Get Therapy for Trauma
Over fifty per cent of people will suffer at least one traumatic experience in their lifetimes, and the effects of such experiences can last for many years and cause severe distress and behavioural changes in survivors. [1] Trauma therapy can help mitigate these effects and greatly decrease the resulting negative emotions. Many health and behavioural problems such as addiction can spring from or be worsened by trauma, so it is important to take trauma into account when treating these.
Types of Trauma
There are three main types of trauma:
Acute: caused by a single distressing incident.
Chronic: caused by prolonged stress over a long period.
Complex: caused by multiple traumatic experiences.
There are many types of traumatic experiences within these categories, including abuse, neglect, unstable home life, mental illness, accident or natural disaster, or witnessing loved ones suffering trauma.
Common Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma can have many different negative effects, but here are some of the most common:
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns (too much, too little, at different times).
- Physical symptoms (nausea, muscle tension, headaches, digestive upsets, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, sweating, chills, etc).
- Intrusive memories (inability to stop thinking about the traumatic event).
- Mood swings and extreme negative emotions (anger, fear, depression, etc).
Types of Trauma Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CBT is a form of talk therapy, based on the concept of a feedback loop. Negative emotions lead to negative thoughts and physical symptoms, making you feel worse. CBT aims to break the cycle by identifying negative thoughts and replacing them with hopeful ones. For example, if someone suffered trauma from a car accident, their negative thoughts might include “It is dangerous to ever get into a car”. CBT would require that person to identify the emotions and physical feelings resulting from this thought, then think about whether the thought is truly accurate or helpful; perhaps they could think about how many people drive every day without any accidents, or remember that they have taken steps to make sure their driving is safer. More helpful thoughts ideally lead to calmer emotions, which results in fewer negative thoughts happening in the first place. CBT requires focus and commitment from the client, but is useful for treating many different conditions, including trauma.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
EMDR is a method of processing and reducing the impact of traumatic or negative memories or unhelpful feelings and beliefs (such as “I am not good enough” or “I will always be distressed about this”). It works with bilateral stimulation; lights or sounds stimulate the left and right eye or ear in rapid succession, while the client thinks about the unpleasant memory and its effects. By stimulating different parts of the brain, the memory or belief is dealt with by different parts as well, rather than sticking in the emotional stage. This will not make the memory or belief disappear, but helps the client see it in a different way and not focus so strongly on the negative feelings.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy allows the client to view their problems separately from themselves, avoiding judgment or blame. The principle is that events are connected in sequence, forming a “story”. Many stories apply to each person, and narrative therapy helps the client to draw out positive stories instead of negative ones, frame events in context, and reinterpret events to learn from them and develop good coping skills.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapies are derived from the work of Freud, and include methods you may be familiar with from popular culture, such as Rorschach inkblots and dream analysis. The therapy aims to draw out repressed emotions and memories for processing, and to recognise recurring patterns. The therapist acts as a sounding board for the client to express emotions, identify problematic behaviour patterns, and work on coping skills.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy aims to connect thoughts and emotions to the body; stress can cause physical reactions, so examining one’s physical feelings can help identify emotions, and calmer emotions result in a healthier body. Similarly to CBT, feedback loops can result from physical stress reactions making one more anxious, so somatic therapy includes techniques such as breathing exercises and eye positioning to bring emotions back under control.
Who Can Benefit from Trauma Therapy?
Most people have at least one experience which counts as traumatic in their past. Some of the most common categories of severe trauma include:
Victims of Sexual Abuse
While sexual abuse is often considered inappropriate to discuss, it’s sadly common; one in six people in the UK has been sexually abused in childhood, and one in four women have been abused or assaulted as adults. The numbers are lower for men, but still quite high – one in eighteen. [2] Such experiences can severely damage self-esteem, self-image, and one’s romantic and sexual interactions with others in the future.
Survivors of Domestic Violence
Five per cent of UK adults experienced domestic abuse in the year 2022. [3] This is defined as physical or emotional abuse committed by a partner or member of the family. Often these situations are very hard to leave, as the abuser may control access to money or threaten children or other family members to make the victim obey, and they may attempt to track the victim down if they do successfully leave. Children witnessing domestic abuse are also likely to be traumatised even if they are not directly harmed themselves.
Combat Veterans
PTSD first became known by medical science during World War One. It was originally known as “shell shock”, referring to bombshells. War and other forms of combat are deeply traumatic, as those involved are at risk of death themselves and are also concerned for the wellbeing of their comrades and potentially their entire nations. Soldiers often struggle to adapt to civilian life again.
First Responders
Emergency service workers deal with stressful and dangerous situations all day, every day, with strong pressure to perform perfectly. Often they witness people die or suffer serious harm, and they may often be in danger of death themselves. Such constant stress can make it harder to do their jobs in a fair and competent manner, thus risking further harm, and knowing this is likely to cause more anxiety, so it is important for first responders to maintain their mental health as well as possible.
Individuals with PTSD
Many other events can also cause PTSD, such as being caught in an accident or natural disaster, suffering bullying at school, or experiencing the loss of a parent at a young age. If you think you may have PTSD, don’t downplay the event that caused it; if it’s causing you problems, it’s important. Feel free to talk to a therapist or counsellor about past distressing events of any kind.
The Trauma Therapy Process
Initial Assessment
A trained professional leads the client through a questionnaire, asking simple yes or no questions about past experiences and possible symptoms. If there are signs of trauma, they will discuss it further with the client to discover more details and identify the best course of action and treatment methods.
Setting Goals
Goals follow the SMART method; specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The therapist and client discuss their desired goals and the time frame to achieve them in. For example, someone with agoraphobia caused by a traumatic experience might want to be able to visit a new town during a holiday in a certain number of months.
Treatment Plan
The therapist and client discuss the best methods for treating the client’s specific problem and what the client will find most comfortable, and set a schedule that might cover a certain timeframe, or a certain number of sessions.
Coping with Trauma After Therapy
Ideally, therapy will teach you skills that you can use in future as well as coping with the past. If further trauma happens afterwards, you will be able to use your newfound coping methods to reduce the impact and be more resilient in general.
Relaxation Techniques
Relaxation can decrease the anxiety and mood swings caused by trauma. There are many types, ranging from simple body scans, visualisations, and progressive muscle relaxation, to full alternative medicine treatments such as massage and aromatherapy. Exercise and physical activities such as yoga and tai chi can also reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Ask your doctor and therapist for suggestions.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness refers to the practice of focusing on the present moment, which is a useful way to bring oneself out of a bad memory. Try listing things you can see, hear, smell, etc in your current surroundings to bring yourself out of a flashback or panic attack. Focusing strongly on your food as you eat it can also help you to eat more healthily and enjoy your food more.
Cognitive Restructuring
As used in cognitive behavioural therapy (see above), cognitive restructuring involves identifying and then challenging unhelpful belief patterns. Once the unwanted thought is identified and noted, it is easier to examine the evidence and determine that it isn’t true. Writing negative thoughts down and making notes is often helpful.
Tracking Progress
Journals provide many benefits; writing down negative thoughts can help clear them from your mind, and with written evidence you will be able to see how putting effort into your treatment makes the negative thoughts and moods decrease in strength and frequency. If you aren’t comfortable writing your thoughts out in full, assigning a score to your mood each day or marking a calendar with different colours (for example, red for very bad, green for very good, and blue for average) can be a similarly useful method of keeping references.
Closure
Perfect resolution to an issue is often not possible – for example, if a loved one died when you were young, you won’t be able to discuss your relationship or your life afterwards with them. However, it is possible to find meaning in a traumatic experience, to live a healthy life afterwards, and to move on emotionally. Closure must be internal, not external.
Trauma Therapy FAQs
How Long does Trauma Therapy Take?
There is no set time at which you’ll start feeling better, but some improvement can often be seen in as little as one session. NHS therapy courses usually last eight to twelve weeks; if you feel you need more, discuss options with your therapist and doctor. Do not be ashamed if you need more help; needing more or fewer sessions doesn’t mean the trauma was more or less bad or that there’s anything wrong with how you are processing it.
What are the Benefits of Trauma Therapy?
Many people report great changes in their quality of life after therapy helps them develop better coping skills, rebuild their self-image, overcome low self-esteem, and reintegrate into a healthy social life. Even simply having a listening ear and someone who understands one’s trauma can improve mood greatly.
Can Trauma Therapy Help with Anxiety and Depression?
Anxiety and depression often result from trauma, and techniques for improving mental health often target anxiety or depression specifically. That said, you may also need prescription medicine to affect the chemical changes these conditions cause, such as SSRIs. Consult your GP.
How do I Find a Trauma Therapist?
Your doctor may be able to recommend a therapist in your local area, or you can search online. Some therapists not near you may offer online or phone appointments, so talk to them as well.
What should I Look for in a Trauma Therapist?
Talk to potential therapists before signing up for a course. Some will offer a free or reduced-price taster session to get to know them. Look for one with experience dealing with your specific type of trauma, and find one you get along with personally. Check their credentials and read prior client’s reviews to ensure they’re trustworthy.
Importance of Seeking Trauma Therapy
Trauma can cause long-term psychological issues and make it hard to lead a truly happy life. With some help, you can find enjoyment and meaning in life and move on to better emotional health.
Resources for Finding a Trauma Therapist
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/counselling/england?category=trauma-and-ptsd
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/trauma/treatment-and-support/
https://www.bacp.co.uk/search/Therapists?q=trauma
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/trauma.html
[1] https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_adults.asp
[2] https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-informed/statistics-sexual-violence/
[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwalesoverview/november2022