Here are eight evidence-based therapies that treat trauma. Keep in mind that the ‘best’ type of therapy will depend on your experience and symptoms:
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) (most effective trauma therapy for PTSD)
- Other treatments mentioned below
Ready to learn more about each one? Let’s go:
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
PE encourages individuals to face trauma-related memories and situations. Therapists will slowly expose clients to their trauma-related fears and thoughts over time so they learn how to cope instead of avoiding. Avoidance only increases distress and prevents individuals from living their lives fully.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR utilizes bilateral eye movements while patients reprocess traumatic memories. Over time this reduces trauma’s emotional charge and allows individuals to adopt more adaptive thinking about trauma. EMDR can be highly effective for those who have a difficult time talking about their trauma.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT challenges negative thoughts about trauma like “blaming myself,” “feeling guilt,” or thinking and behavior that is not serving you. It is typically comprised of writing and talking exercises that help people reframe the way they think about their trauma.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
TF-CBT utilizes traditional cognitive behavioral techniques with trauma-informed principles to help patients understand their thoughts and emotions. Together, patients learn how to calm their mind and body to create a new narrative about their trauma. TF-CBT can easily be adapted for children, teens, and families.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
ART therapy helps individuals reframe traumatic events by combining eye movement techniques, guided imagery, and cognitive interweaves. Essentially, you can imagine a different outcome to the trauma and your brain learns to store the memory this new way.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy, or body-focused therapy, operates on the belief that trauma is held inside the body’s nervous system. Instead of needing to talk about what happened like in traditional talk therapy, somatic therapy helps safely discharge pent-up survival energy. Through tracking sensations in the body, breathwork, micro-movements, and grounding exercises, your body is able to complete its natural stress cycles and return to a regulated state.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT focuses on providing individuals with skills to better manage emotions. DBT teaches mindfulness, emotion regulation skills, distress tolerance skills, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. This therapy is often used for people with intense emotions or those that self-harm.
Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)
IFS therapy promotes the idea that everyone has different “parts” of the self. Some parts may have been traumatized while others may protect the hurt parts from recalling emotional wounds. Trauma damages the spirit and causes you to turn against yourself out of shame and fear. You become reactive and experience inner conflict. But with IFS, you learn how to heal your relationship with these protective parts in a nonjudgmental space. IFS therapy can be exceptionally helpful if you’re experiencing symptoms of complex PTSD, dissociation, or feel like you’ve been deeply hurt by life.
Psychedelic-assisted Therapy
Psychedelic assisted therapies allow patients to confront trauma from different states of consciousness. Psychedelics have been shown to increase neuroplasticity, and researchers are finding it can be beneficial for treating PTSD.
How Odyssey Can Help with Trauma in Albuquerque
Everyone experiences trauma differently, and recovery may look different for you.
You may find healing through therapy, medication, mindfulness practices, or a combination. No matter what your situation is, you are not alone and there is hope.
Our team at Odyssey Counseling is comprised of trauma-informed therapists ready to help you every step of the way.
Reach out to our Admissions team today to learn more about your treatment options.
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