Trauma therapy is a form of therapy that can help you deal with the emotional response caused by a traumatic event. There are many psychotherapy treatments for trauma. However, only a few are supported by extensive research and can be termed “evidence-based”. While there is no single “best trauma therapy,” people may find that they respond better to one type of treatment than to another.
These are the best treatments for trauma-related problems. Trauma-centered therapy provides a space for children and their families to learn about normal responses to trauma and, specifically, how a traumatic event has affected the child and their family. If you have suffered any type of trauma and want to seek treatment, find a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist who specializes in this form of therapy. These are some common forms of trauma that therapy can address; however, it's important to note that trauma can include any event or experience that causes emotional or psychological harm.
For BIPOC and LGBTQ+ people, Workman says it's important to work with a therapist who is well-versed in the effects of discrimination, oppression, and inequality and who can demonstrate their competence to talk about racism, racial trauma, cultural issues, and historical and intergenerational trauma. This form of therapy can help if you can't cope with the trauma you've experienced or if it's affecting your ability to function. Mental health professionals often prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat trauma-related problems, such as depression and anxiety. People who have experienced trauma and who have been repeatedly told that their emotional experiences, characteristics or reactions are not reasonable and unacceptable may suffer even more and develop chronic difficulties, Workman says.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most talked about disorders that can result from trauma. Participating in trauma-focused therapy can help your child learn to identify, understand, explore, and express memories and feelings related to trauma. An advantage of trauma-focused therapy is to help your child redevelop their internal (emotional, psychological, relational) and physical (touch, environment) senses of safety through activities and discussions that focus on these areas. Trauma can include a wide range of situations, ranging from serious injury, sexual violence and life-threatening events to chronic abuse and neglect, harassment and homelessness, says Kelly Workman, PsyD, a psychologist at Columbia University Medical Center who specializes in treating trauma.
The trauma-centered therapeutic approach was first developed in the 1990s by psychiatrist Judith Cohen and psychologists Esther Deblinger and Anthony Mannarino, whose original intention was to better care for children and adolescents who had suffered sexual abuse. Early trauma can cause guilt, anger, feelings of powerlessness, self-harm, misbehavior, depression, and anxiety. These trauma-focused activities may look different depending on age, traumatic experience, environment, or location.
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