Believe it or not, more than 70% of us will experience trauma during our lifetime, and more than 30% of us will experience four or more traumatic events. Trauma is a part of daily life as it will impact us directly or the life of a loved one. Therapy is a useful and powerful treatment for trauma. It can help a person better understand their experience, provides strategies to cope with complicated feelings caused by trauma, and offers tools to manage negative thoughts or behaviors.
What is Trauma?
To determine the best therapy for trauma, it’s important first to understand what trauma is. SAMHSA’s concept of trauma, also known as the “Three E’s of Trauma,” is one of the best definitions. It states that trauma can stem from events experienced by an individual that have lasting negative impacts on their lives and well-being.
This concept of event(s), an individual’s experience of event(s), and the adverse effect(s) of the event(s) on the individual help explain trauma.
There are also three main types of trauma:
- Acute – resulting from a single incident.
- Chronic – repeated and prolonged; an example is domestic violence.
- Complex – exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events and often invasive and interpersonal in nature.
The symptoms of trauma are vast, but common symptoms are likely to include flashbacks or intrusive thoughts, anxiety, depression, or physical symptoms such as headaches or lack of energy.
Choosing the Best Therapy for Trauma
How do you choose the best therapy for your trauma? Every person’s experiences are unique, and when it comes to trauma, there is not a clear one-size-fits-all solution. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatment options. Let’s start by exploring five of the most effective and common therapies for trauma.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and change thought patterns and behaviors.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) helps participants learn to regulate emotions and develop their skillset around mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps individuals work on accepting the difficult thoughts and emotions around their trauma rather than avoiding them or struggling against them.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI) helps participants identify, clarify, and increase their motivation around their goals for healing.
- Family System Therapy. Whether it is acute, chronic, or complex trauma, family system therapy helps family members understand the effects of trauma and improve communication and relationships within the family unit.
Because everyone’s trauma is unique and experienced in a personal way, it is important to speak with a treatment professional. There are many factors to consider when selecting therapy. Is it acute, chronic, or complex? What is your comfort with any of the approaches? How much time and energy are you prepared to give at this stage of your healing?
No single therapy type is “best” for everyone, and the reality is that finding the best therapy for you may even be a combination. A great next step would be to connect with a treatment professional that can listen to your personal story and provide recommendations. While the variety of treatment options and the nature of the therapy may feel overwhelming, healing is possible.
Support from Buddy’s Ranch
Buddy’s Ranch exists to help people find healing and improved well-being. Our caring and experienced therapists and counselors are here to listen to your personal story and want to develop a path to healing collaboratively with you. We offer judgment-free care with compassion and empathy, and we offer holistic programs that include evidence-based therapies. If you or a loved one are ready to take steps towards healing from your trauma, we hope you will reach out to us today to discuss what a path forward might look like for you. You can do this. We want to help.