The staff at Tides Wellness is experienced in working with trauma, traumatic experiences, and PTSD. We have in-house specialists in trauma therapy, including EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Learn more about trauma and PTSD below, then contact us for a free consultation and get answers to your questions.
Each person responds to traumatic experiences in different ways, depending on many different factors and circumstances. There is a long list of traumatic experiences a person may have gone through. Some examples are:
- Physical abuse
- Domestic violence
- Emotional abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Witnessing a bad accident
- Seeing someone killed
Trauma survivors may come to therapy at many different points in the process, some right after an incident and others quite some time after. Many people have also experienced more than one traumatic event, which is called complex trauma. In children, trauma may show up as a child playing out a traumatic incident or as a drastic change in their behavior.
There are quite a few symptoms of PTSD that can significantly impact a person’s functioning. For some, traumatic events are followed by intense and distressing thoughts and hypervigilance. These experiences are usually accompanied by shame and self-blame, intensified by thoughts a person may have about why the incident occurred. Another common and unhealthy symptom is avoidance, and the best trauma interventions are ones that work on this avoidance right away.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based and effective treatment for trauma in children and adolescents. The treatment model begins with the PRAC skills: Psychoeducation, Relaxation, Affective modulation, and Cognitive coping. Once the child and a supportive parent/caregiver have set the foundation by understanding and using these skills, treatment moves on to the trauma narrative. This is where the child creates their story about what happened in whatever way is developmentally appropriate and most comfortable for them. This could be a typed story, a picture book, a cartoon strip, or many other forms. The child is then supported in using their PRAC skills to work through and process their story. Together, the exposure, processing, and skills help reduce the frequency and intensity of trauma symptoms.
Treating Trauma in Adults
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an adaptation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy created to help people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other traumatic experiences that may not meet full criteria for PTSD. CPT helps the client become more aware of their thoughts and feelings and process the details of the incident(s). Clients learn skills to work through the trauma by challenging and changing the thoughts and behaviors that have been keeping trauma symptoms going.
