Have you looked into trauma therapy but hesitated because you don’t know what to expect? In this article, hear a licensed trauma therapist answer the question “How does trauma therapy actually work?”
People can feel a lot of anxious anticipation before an initial therapy session, especially if they’re seeking therapy to address trauma. They may have heard about, or had their own experiences of, becoming re-traumatized in a therapy session. These are understandable concerns, and in an effort to address them, I’m sharing how I approach working with clients who come to me for trauma therapy:
Beginning trauma therapy by getting to know each other
Once you’ve decided to reach out to a therapist for an initial phone consultation, you’ve started the process of finding out if you and the potential new therapist are a good fit. This call, and the initial session you may schedule, are hopefully helping you figure out if you feel comfortable talking to this therapist.
From the therapist’s perspective, in the first few sessions I’m assessing how I can help you, and I’m also genuinely just talking with you and getting to know you. This might feel surface level, especially if you’re coming to therapy expecting to dive in deeply right away.
Therapy may be one of the first chances you’ve had to feel safe and heard, and it can be tempting to let everything out all at once. But don’t be surprised if your therapist encourages you to talk about other aspects of yourself and your life rather than focusing in on the trauma right away.
In these early stages, I want to learn about not just the problems you’re facing, but also what’s going okay or even really well right now. Getting to know you as a whole person and learning about your strengths is important information that will help me to help you later on.
Helping you find relief from trauma symptoms
Sometimes there are immediate symptoms you’re dealing with that really get in the way of important things like sleep, work, school, family or other responsibilities. Sometimes these include physical symptoms of stress and anxiety, like headaches, stomachaches, body tension, nervous energy, and insomnia. You may also be having difficulty regulating your emotions, or experiencing nightmares, flashbacks, or symptoms of depression. These may need to be stabilized first before we can address underlying concerns.
Our initial sessions may incorporate techniques and exercises that help you to feel grounded and develop skills to better manage your symptoms. I use a holistic, mind-body approach, which includes somatic techniques, and also incorporates cognitive skill-building.
As we work on symptoms, clients may also begin to examine negative beliefs about themselves and become aware of other long-term impacts of complex and developmental trauma. This work can take some time, and at this stage I often find myself encouraging clients to be patient with themselves.
Resolving trauma triggers
Working at a pace that’s comfortable for you, we’ll also begin to more directly address experiences of past trauma that are impacting you in the present day. The timeline for this looks different for everyone. It could be a few weeks into therapy, a few months, or more.
In my experience, taking the time to build trust in our relationship and working on reducing some of your most prominent symptoms provides a strong foundation. It prepares us to work more in-depth with processing experiences of trauma and addressing your nervous system’s response to trauma triggers.
Throughout this process, I pay close attention to how you’re doing during session. I help gauge how much activation in your system is enough to help you make progress, without you becoming overwhelmed. Part of trauma recovery is noticing and restoring your self-protective instincts. This includes supporting you in setting boundaries around what feels okay or not okay to talk about.
Supporting lasting healing
As we move forward you may begin to notice shifts that signify trauma recovery or healing. These can include a continued reduction in symptoms, increased sense of mental and emotional balance, stronger trust in yourself and your instincts, and a deeper sense of connection with others.
As you begin to experience and maintain these changes, you may no longer feel the same need for therapy. Sooner or later, we usually reach a point where you’re ready to end therapy, and can come away with a sense of satisfaction and closure about the work that you’ve done.
Conclusion
I hope this provides some clarity on the question “How does trauma therapy work?” Please keep in mind that this is general information about how I approach trauma therapy, and it’s definitely not intended as a substitute for professional counseling.
You’re welcome to explore and learn more about my approach to trauma therapy, or contact me to see if I might be able to help.