Over the last decade or so, the idea of trauma-informed therapies — healing for people who have previously been through distressing events—has surged in popularity in mental health circles. The method focuses on the devastating effects that trauma can have on your life and how it affects your behavior, feelings, and mental health. In practice, the challenge of introducing trauma-informed care efforts into any setting is that it needs to be done in a way where the change creates a new, safe, and supportive environment that also promotes healing in the recovery process. In this post, we will discuss how effective these therapies are, their advantages, and their approaches.
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care
Understanding that trauma is widespread and impacts everyone’s lives, trauma-informed care emphasizes a more holistic perspective on therapy. Such an approach recognizes what a person has gone through, adapting standard trauma informed therapies to the specific barrier or roadblock trauma creates. The approach emphasizes safety, trust, collaboration, and empowerment and aims not to re-traumatize someone. By emphasizing these components, therapists help people reclaim their sense of agency and resourcefulness.
Guiding Principles Behind Trauma-Informed Therapies
Several basic principles set the stage for trauma-informed therapies. Safety is maintained throughout the in-depth therapeutic process so the client feels protected on the one hand. At the same time, by working with you, therapists ensure that all sorts of intervention work is done correctly. Trust and transparency matter, too, as they also contribute to the development of a strong therapeutic alliance. Partnership fosters engagement in recovery, and empowerment helps them regain control of their lives. Awareness of trauma contextualized according to the cultural, historical, and gender-specific experiences deepens therapy, offering a more individualized response.
Modes of Trauma-Informed Therapy
Many different styles can be used within the trauma-informed care model to meet all types of needs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is conducive to trauma-informed care as it aids in making sense of negative thinking and dysfunctional behaviors. In short, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a trauma therapy that mainly deals with trauma memories and works to decrease distress and emotional triggers. Somatic therapies (e.g., Sensorimotor Psychotherapy) focus on the mind-body connection and how trauma is stored in the body and/or expressed through the body. We can rewrite our stories through narrative therapy, giving our minds and hearts tokens of healing, power, and love. Although developed for borderline personality disorder, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is also effective at treating emotional dysregulation in trauma survivors.
Challenges and Considerations
Trauma-informed therapies provide many advantages, but there are potential implementation challenges. That means therapists must ask themselves, “Does this feel safe to my client? How would this affect a traumatized person? Are my interventions too triggering?” Adapting therapy to the individual involves the need for flexibility and a constant stream of reconceptualization based on the idiosyncratic experiences of those coming to treatment. Cultural competence is a critical factor, as therapies must consider cultural backgrounds and diversity. Also following that point is another crucial consideration, which is the potential for secondary trauma among therapists, whereby therapists may take on the emotional burden of dealing with trauma survivors. This makes self-care and oversight critical elements of therapist resiliency and competency. Addressing these challenges is imperative to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of trauma-informed care.
Final Thoughts
A closer look at trauma-informed therapies shows that they are highly effective for people dealing with traumatic experiences and stressful events. These therapies emphasize safety, trust, collaboration, and empowerment, making people feel safe inside and in their environment, an essential aspect of recovery. Models such as CBT, EMDR, and somatic therapies provide individualized approaches for various requirements. Despite the challenges, the advantages of trauma-informed care prove its worth in healing and resilience time after time. And as more practitioners adopt this style, people in recovery can look forward to a more promising future.
Trauma-informed therapies greatly help to reduce the stigma associated with treatment by building a sense of belonging. It creates a culture and environment where people are validated and supported throughout every stage of their treatment process.
