How Therapy Helps Trauma

Over the past few decades, trauma has become increasingly recognized and acknowledged as a mental health issue. Research into the effects of trauma began in the 1960s after the Vietnam war, but the term “PTSD” did not appear in the DSM until 1980. Up until that point, “shell shock” (as it was then called) was fairly limited to soldiers who had experienced combat. Gradually, other types of “trauma,” for example near-death-experiences of any kind, experiences of violence or witnessing violent events: usually one-off events. 

These days, fortunately, there is much more research into trauma and the term itself includes a much more diverse range of experiences, including emotional abuse, neglect, poverty, parental absence, and more. However, treatment options and success is still quite experimental. Medications prescribed for people with trauma include anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. But having trauma is not like having a broken leg. Trauma is intrinsically linked to our subconscious, our memories and our experiences, and those places are where we need to look to treat it 

Therapy has also grown in popularity in the last few decades, and has proven to be one of the most effective treatment options for dealing with trauma. Most therapies help patients to acknowledge and come to terms with traumatic events that have happened to them, and learn skills to remain in the present moment – where the trauma is no longer a threat. 

The four most common types of therapies are listed below:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, also known as CBT, is founded on the idea that much of our psychological suffering is caused by learned patterns of behavior and/or thinking, and that with CBT, we can unlearn these patterns or learn new ones. CBT is a collaborative treatment approach that consists of a client and therapist working together to identify unhelpful thoughts and replace and/or address them. A CBT practitioner can help a client to develop coping mechanisms, break down anxieties and projections and therefore respond accordingly, and to replace unhelpful behaviors with helpful ones. CBT is mainly used to treat depression, anxiety, eating disorders or any other serious mental health problems. 

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, just like CBT, is a talking therapy. However, DBT is specifically catered to people with very intense emotions, such as people with Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, or people presenting witn suicidal behavior. DBT is also more of a long term solution, whereas CBT is short-term and very goal-oriented. Dialectical Behavioral Therapists put an emphasis on accepting your reality and who you are regardless of the experiences around you. The sessions also help you learn ways to manage your feelings, and cultivate relationships in a healthy, sustainable way, as well as helping you learn how to regulate your anxiety and emotions. 

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic Therapy is similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in that trauma is healed through talking and interpreting emotions with a therapist. This type of therapy can be lifelong, as it may take a while for a therapist and client to build up a therapeutic relationship with enough trust to allow a client to really get to the root of their problems. However, it is one of the most effective treatments for all kinds of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD and more.  

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR therapy, is a hands-on process that manipulates your brain to remember and process your trauma differently. Each hemisphere of your brain processes information through different emotional responses. EMDR stimulates each hemisphere separately in order to control the emotional response to a particular event. Firstly, a therapist will have you identify the event and the emotions that come with it. Secondly, you will redefine the event in a positive or more realistic/present way, while you move your eyes back and forth between an object, stimulating both hemispheres of your brain. This process is called bilateral-stimulation. This therapy has been found to cure any events ranging from PTSD to panic attacks and generalized anxieties. 

These are just a few of the therapeutic approaches to treatment of trauma out there. Which one might work best for each person will vary from individual to individual. But the future is bright: many people these days are able to heal from trauma and go on to live full and happy lives.