Solutions
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.
Creativity is another effective form of trauma rehabilitation. Creative therapies can range from art and dance to creative writing. These treatments are extremely effective because they allow our minds to process, actualize and articulate events in multiple formats over which we have control. In this way, creativity helps us understand our experiences, and provides an outlet for our feelings. Often, through these outlets, we find witness in other people and therefore feel less alone in our suffering. In one of author Amberly Lago’s blogs, she writes, “Trauma induces creativity, and creativity induces post-traumatic growth.”
Creativity
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.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR therapy, is a hands-on process that physically manipulates your brain to 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 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.
Meditation is possibly the most accessible form of trauma treatment out there. It’s free and you can do it almost anywhere. Research has shown that regular meditation reduces symptoms of PTSD, particularly in war veterans. Meditation also reduces stress hormones, which helps with anxiety and depression. There are many styles of meditation. The easiest way to get started is on YouTube!
Meditation
Yoga can be a calming activity that allows people to connect with their bodies in a safe way. Though it may not be seen as a traditional trauma therapy, yoga has been shown to help cure PTSD and treat other symptoms of trauma. The National Library of Medicine did a study in which 31 participants with PTSD were assigned a 10 week yoga-trauma-therapy program, and 29 were assigned to a women's health program. The study found that at the end of 10 weeks, 16 out of 31 people in the yoga-trauma-therapy program no longer met the PTSD criteria, whereas only 6 of the 29 participants in the women’s health program showed signs of progress.