Before we start creating a list of the best types of trauma therapy, let's first explain what trauma therapy means.
When someone experiences a traumatic event, they will probably suffer from PTSD, a post-traumatic stress disorder, which means that the person will have to continue their life with ''reliving'' the memories daily.
Many triggers can wake up your trauma and bring back memories. It is important to note that not everyone will get post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing traumatic events in life.
But if your symptoms are lasting more than a month (and after the loss of a child I believe they are), it's a good thing to start thinking about trauma therapy.
How does trauma affect our brain? When MRI of people with trauma were compared to the results of those who haven't experienced traumatic events in life, it was clearly visible that people with PTSD have issues with storing and processing memories. They also have time coding time frame issues. People with trauma tend to connect words with memories.
Trauma that lasts for a long period of time is known as complex trauma.
How does trauma therapy work? When you seek professional help, you will learn how to relieve your traumatic memories, but be in the safe of the present. Therefore, people with PTSD have to go through everything that has happened, yet to help their brain understand that the event is now over and that there isn't a potential threat in the presence.
Best and most effective types of therapy for trauma survivors:
- EMDR. The first trauma therapy is known as reprocessing and it comes with eye movement desensitization. As mentioned above already, the professional will help you to relive all those memories that hunt you, but in a safe place and with therapeutic guidance. Sometimes, your therapist will have to use certain lights or sounds to help you remember every single detail of the event.
- CRM. The comprehensive resource model is known for helping you with different breathing techniques, while the therapist will use various images to help you connect with a trauma completely. Once that happens, you will be ready to talk about it and share your emotions. Very soon, you will learn how to look at the event from a different perspective. CRM is great for many reasons, but mostly because once you experience trauma completely and relive it to its core, you will be also ready to set it free.
- CBT. You have probably heard about cognitive behavioral theory at least once in your life. This type of therapy was mostly used for depression, and anxiety, but also for relationship issues. What it does is that it finds and triggers your core beliefs that are responsible for bringing distress.
- CPT. In 12 sessions, you will learn some very powerful techniques that will help you to create healthy and strong coping mechanisms. This means that CPT is capable of helping people with trauma continue their lives and function as once before on a daily basis.
- PE. Prolonged exposure therapy works in a way its name already says. People will trauma usually have avoidance behavior, but here you will learn to face everything that frightens you until you realize that it cannot hurt you anymore.
- TF-CBT. Same as CBP we mentioned in this list, but is made for children and adolescents.
- NET. Represents a short-term approach to therapy and can be useful when you need a little bit of help to continue. This type of therapy can be used in groups as well, so it may be a great choice for bereaved families. While practicing NET, your therapist will help you to write down all the events of your life, both positive and negative ones. Then, you will be ready to deal with your emotions and memories related to all those events.
Which of these trauma therapies would be the best choice for you?
Emma1
28 Dec 2023, 09:15