Trauma is an unfortunately common experience, with roughly 70% of adults encountering some form of it during their lifetimes. For children and youth, the statistics are equally concerning, with about 33% experiencing community violence that can lead to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Given the unique ways individuals process traumatic events, finding the most effective therapy can be challenging. However, numerous trauma therapy techniques have proven to be beneficial in helping people navigate their healing journeys.
What Are the Different Types of Trauma Therapy?
Therapists and counseling centers employ a variety of trauma therapy methods to support individuals dealing with trauma and PTSD. While some techniques have been in use for decades, others are more recent developments. Not every method will be suitable for everyone, but many have shown significant effectiveness in aiding recovery from traumatic experiences.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, commonly known as talk therapy, is an essential and powerful tool in the journey of healing from trauma. This therapeutic practice provides a safe and confidential space for individuals to discuss their experiences, emotions, and thoughts with a trained professional. Through this process, patients can work through the complexities of their trauma and embark on a path toward recovery.
A critical element of successful psychotherapy is the establishment of a trust-based relationship between the therapist and the patient. This relationship serves as the foundation upon which deeper healing can occur. When patients feel safe and understood, they are more likely to open up and share their innermost thoughts and feelings. This openness is crucial for several reasons:
- Validation and Understanding: Patients often struggle with feelings of isolation and misunderstanding. A therapist who listens without judgment provides validation and helps the patient feel understood. This alone can be profoundly healing, as it counteracts the loneliness and alienation that trauma can cause.
- Emotional Expression: Trauma often involves intense emotions that may have been suppressed or unacknowledged. Psychotherapy offers a space for patients to express these emotions freely. This emotional expression is a key component of healing, as it allows individuals to process their experiences and begin to release the hold that trauma has on their lives.
- Insight and Awareness: Through dialogue and reflection, patients gain insights into their behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. Understanding the connections between past experiences and present-day challenges empowers individuals to make conscious changes and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
- Skill Development: Therapists equip patients with tools and strategies to manage symptoms and improve their overall mental health. Techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and self-compassion practices are often integrated into psychotherapy to enhance resilience and foster a sense of control over one’s life.
- Neuroplasticity and Healing: The therapeutic process also taps into the brain’s capacity for neuroplasticity—the ability to form new neural connections and pathways. By engaging in therapeutic conversations and practicing new ways of thinking and behaving, patients can rewire their brains, reduce the impact of traumatic memories, and build a more resilient mindset .
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a highly effective and evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and modifying negative thought patterns and behaviors. It is widely used to treat a variety of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more.
Core Principles of CBT
- Identification of Negative Thought Patterns:
- Cognitive Distortions: CBT helps individuals recognize cognitive distortions—unrealistic and harmful ways of thinking such as black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, or overgeneralizing. These distortions often contribute to negative emotions and behaviors.
- Automatic Thoughts: Patients learn to identify automatic thoughts that arise in response to certain situations. These thoughts can often be negative and self-defeating, such as “I’m a failure” or “No one likes me.”
- Modification of Negative Thought Patterns:
- Cognitive Restructuring: This process involves challenging and changing negative thoughts to more balanced and realistic ones. For example, replacing “I always mess up” with “I made a mistake, but I can learn from it and improve.”
- Evidence-Based Thinking: Therapists encourage patients to examine the evidence for and against their negative thoughts. This helps patients see their thoughts more objectively and reduces the power of negative thinking.
- Behavioral Interventions:
- Behavioral Activation: This technique involves engaging in activities that are enjoyable or meaningful to reduce depression and increase positive experiences.
- Exposure Therapy: For anxiety disorders, gradual exposure to feared situations helps patients reduce avoidance behaviors and learn that they can cope with anxiety-provoking situations.
- Skill Development:
- Problem-Solving Skills: CBT teaches effective problem-solving techniques to handle difficult situations more constructively.
- Relaxation Techniques: Methods such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness are often incorporated to help manage stress and anxiety.
Benefits of CBT
- Empowerment and Self-Efficacy:
- Active Participation: CBT encourages patients to take an active role in their therapy, fostering a sense of empowerment and control over their mental health.
- Skill Building: Patients learn practical skills that they can apply in their daily lives, enhancing their ability to cope with challenges independently.
- Short-Term and Structured:
- Time-Limited: CBT is typically a short-term treatment, often lasting between 12 to 20 sessions. This makes it accessible and practical for many individuals.
- Goal-Oriented: Therapy sessions are structured and focused on specific goals, allowing for measurable progress.
- Wide Applicability:
- Versatile: CBT can be adapted to treat a wide range of mental health issues and is effective for individuals of all ages.
- Complementary: It can be used alongside other treatments, such as medication or other forms of therapy, to enhance overall effectiveness.
If you want to learn more about CBT, I encourage you to check out our on-demand course: New Innovations in the Treatment of Anxiety – Using Neurobiology, Self-Havening & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Transform Anxiety from Adversary to Ally.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Developed initially for survivors of sexual assault, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is now widely used for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions. It is a powerful therapeutic approach designed to help individuals alter trauma-related beliefs and emotions, similar to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). At its core, CPT focuses on how trauma impacts the way people think, feel, and behave, and it equips individuals with positive strategies to address and process their traumatic experiences.
One of the central goals of CPT is to help individuals understand and change their negative thoughts and beliefs about themselves, others, and the world, which often develop as a result of traumatic events. These maladaptive beliefs can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, anger, and fear, which can significantly impact a person’s overall mental health and quality of life. By addressing these thoughts and beliefs, CPT helps individuals develop a more balanced and accurate perspective, reducing the emotional distress associated with their trauma.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
At the heart of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the concept of dialectics, which involves balancing acceptance and change. This approach recognizes that individuals need to accept themselves and their current situation while simultaneously working towards positive change. This balance is crucial for individuals with intense emotions who often feel invalidated or misunderstood.
DBT is a highly effective therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the late 1980s. Originally designed to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), it has since proven valuable for a range of mental health disorders, particularly those involving intense emotions, suicidal thoughts, and self-destructive behaviors. DBT combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices, providing a comprehensive framework for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and acceptance.
Moreover, DBT’s emphasis on acceptance aligns well with the needs of trauma survivors. Radical acceptance, a key DBT skill, encourages individuals to acknowledge their reality without judgment. This acceptance creates a foundation for healing and empowers individuals to move forward without being paralyzed by their past. Another one is the Behavior Chain Analysis to understand what triggered your anxiety.
In our clinical practice, we often integrate DBT with other techniques to provide a holistic approach to trauma treatment. One such method is the Havening Techniques®, which leverages the power of touch to foster neuroplasticity and self-healing. By combining these modalities, we can create a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses both the emotional and physiological aspects of trauma, leading to more robust and lasting healing.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
The core idea behind (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) EMDR is that trauma can overwhelm the brain’s natural ability to process information, leading to distressing memories being improperly stored in an isolated and unprocessed form. These unprocessed memories can trigger intense emotional and physiological reactions whenever they are recalled or when situations remind the individual of the trauma. If you want to learn more about the neuroscience aspect of it, I encourage you to watch this clip.
During an EMDR session, the therapist helps the patient access these distressing memories while guiding them through a series of bilateral stimulations. This bilateral stimulation involves moving the eyes back and forth, following the therapist’s fingers, or experiencing alternating taps or sounds. The process of dual attention—focusing on the traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation—facilitates the brain’s ability to reprocess the memory.
Group Therapy
Group therapy is a therapeutic approach that brings together individuals who are facing similar issues or challenges, creating a supportive and collaborative environment for healing and growth. This form of therapy offers a unique set of benefits that individual therapy might not provide, including the opportunity to connect with others who understand firsthand what each member is going through. It leverages the power of group dynamics to foster emotional resilience, provide social support, and enhance personal development.
These sessions are typically facilitated by one or more trained therapists and consist of a small group of individuals, usually between six to twelve members. The sessions can be open or closed: open groups allow new members to join at any time, while closed groups have a set membership for a specific period. Sessions can be structured around specific themes, such as grief, addiction, or trauma, or they can be more general, addressing a range of mental health issues.
Benefits of Group Therapy
- Shared Experiences: One of the most powerful aspects of group therapy is the realization that one is not alone in their struggles. Hearing others share their stories and challenges can be profoundly validating and comforting. This shared experience helps to reduce feelings of isolation and alienation, which are common in many mental health conditions.
- Sense of Community: Group therapy creates a sense of community and belonging. Members often form strong bonds with each other, offering mutual support and understanding. This camaraderie can be incredibly healing, providing a safe space where individuals feel accepted and valued.
- Mutual Support and Encouragement: In group therapy, members can give and receive support, encouragement, and feedback. This mutual exchange fosters a sense of empowerment and helps individuals feel more capable of managing their issues. Group members can offer unique insights and perspectives that can inspire new ways of thinking and coping.
- Learning from Others: Group therapy provides an opportunity to learn from the experiences of others. Members can see how others handle similar problems, which can offer practical strategies and coping mechanisms. Observing the progress of others can also instill hope and motivation to pursue one’s own healing journey.
- Improved Social Skills: For those who struggle with social anxiety, communication issues, or interpersonal difficulties, group therapy offers a safe environment to practice and improve social skills. Members can work on their communication, empathy, and conflict resolution skills in real-time, with immediate feedback from both peers and therapists.
- Cost-Effective: Group therapy is often more affordable than individual therapy, making it accessible to a broader range of individuals. This cost-effectiveness allows more people to benefit from professional mental health support.
For more information on our therapy groups, please visit our service page at https://drtruitt.com/group-therapy-services-2/. Feel free to explore how joining a group can help you find community, support, and new coping strategies to navigate your mental health journey. You can also check out our individual therapy services at https://drtruitt.com/individual-therapy-services/.
Brainspotting
Brainspotting is a relatively new and innovative therapeutic technique developed by Dr. David Grand in 2003. It is designed to help individuals identify, process, and release trauma and negative emotions through the use of guided eye movements. This approach builds on the concept that where you look affects how you feel, leveraging the brain’s natural ability to heal itself by targeting specific eye positions to access and process deeply stored emotional and traumatic memories.
When a person experiences trauma, the brain can become overwhelmed and unable to process the event effectively, leading to the storage of unprocessed memories in the subcortical brain regions. These unprocessed memories can manifest as symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Brainspotting helps to locate and target these unprocessed areas by using eye positions to access the body’s innate ability to heal.
Havening Techniques
The Havening Techniques are a groundbreaking approach to trauma therapy that harnesses the power of neuroplasticity to create lasting change. Developed by Dr. Ronald and Dr. Steven Ruden, Havening uses soothing touch to specific areas of the body—such as the face, arms, and hands—while the individual focuses on a traumatic memory. This process helps to reduce the emotional impact of the memory and reprogram the brain to respond more calmly to related triggers. Havening can be self-applied or guided by a trained practitioner, making it a versatile and empowering tool for healing. It’s an honor to be one of the co-developers of this healing modality.
If you want to learn more about the Havening Techniques, watch this introductory psychoeducational video below:
We also have a FREE on-demand Introductory Course to the Havening Techniques.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is an innovative approach that views the mind as composed of multiple sub-personalities or “parts,” each with its own distinct roles and behaviors. These parts often develop as a response to trauma, with some parts taking on protective roles and others embodying the pain and distress of past experiences. IFS aims to create harmony within the internal system by helping individuals understand and heal these parts. Through guided self-exploration, individuals learn to connect with their core Self, a state of inner wisdom and compassion, which can lead to profound healing and integration of the fragmented parts.
Havening Techniques empowers this type of healing work with clients through the intentional integration of brain science. If you are a therapist or clinician looking to enhance your therapeutic practice, join me in our Empowering Parts Work with the Havening Techniques workshop to explore the neuroscience of parts, design new targeting opportunities with parts, and learn brand-new Havening protocols designed specifically for healing and building resilience with parts.
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback on the other hand is a leading-edge therapy that enables individuals to monitor and adjust their brain activity in real time, thereby improving their mental health and well-being. enhances the brain’s ability to self-regulate, leading to better emotional and physiological balance. This improvement can help individuals manage stress, anxiety, and emotional responses more effectively.
By altering maladaptive brainwave patterns associated with trauma and PTSD, neurofeedback can significantly reduce symptoms, including hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, and emotional numbness. It promotes relaxation and reduces the hyperactivity of brain regions associated with anxiety which can lead to long-term improved coping mechanisms.
Additionally, neurofeedback may help in addressing underlying cognitive and emotional dysregulation that can contribute to addictive behaviors. Research suggests that neurofeedback can be effective in reducing addiction-related symptoms and improving mental health outcomes, including reducing cravings, improving mood, and enhancing self-regulation.
By harnessing the power of neurofeedback, clinicians can provide individuals with the tools they need to take control of their brain health, promote resilience, and enhance their overall quality of life. It is an empowering journey of self-discovery and healing, facilitated by the remarkable capabilities of our brains to adapt and grow.
If you’re looking to explore this healing modality and you’re based in California, we offer Biofeedback and Neurofeedback program in-office and at-home training. We also offer these services for our clients and patients. To learn more, visit this link: https://drtruitt.com/neurofeedback-and-biofeedback-pasadena-los-angeles-california/.
Help Is Available
Experiencing trauma is a common part of life, but seeking help to process it is crucial. At the Trauma Counseling Center of Los Angeles, we offer a range of programs designed to help individuals confront and heal from traumatic memories.
At our main headquarters at Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates, our mental health services are tailored to meet your unique needs. Explore our trauma-informed services and approach that incorporates the Havening Techniques, a cutting-edge psychosensory therapy designed to help you harness the power of neuroplasticity for healing and growth. Our expert therapists are dedicated to providing compassionate, professional, and empowering care, ensuring that you receive the support and tools you need on your journey toward resilience and wellness.
We know that it can be difficult to put your emotions and thoughts into words, so we offer a number of different treatment methods that allow you to express yourself in diverse ways. Our methods include:
- Talk therapy
- Somatic therapy
- Brainspotting
- EMDR (Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)
- Havening Techniques
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Art, music, and poetry
- Imagery
If you or a loved one are ready to embark on a healing journey, we are here to support you. Call (626) 524-5525 today to speak with a mental health professional about the treatment options available. Taking the first step towards healing can lead to a brighter, more resilient future.
References:
- Truitt, K. (2020, May 10). Types of trauma therapy. Trauma Counseling Center of Los Angeles. Retrieve, from https://traumacounseling.com/trauma-therapy-blog/types-of-trauma-therapy/
- (2023, July 25). 8 key types of trauma therapy. Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.routledge.com/blog/article/8-key-types-of-trauma-therapy
- Laurence, E. (2023, June 28). What is trauma therapy? Types, Benefits, And More. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/what-is-trauma-therapy/
- Porter, S. (2024, March 25). Types of therapy for trauma. Choosing Therapy. Retrieved from https://www.choosingtherapy.com/types-of-trauma-therapy/
