Trauma Therapy Calgary
Trauma is a profound emotional physiological response triggered by a distressing or life-threatening event. It can leave lasting imprints on an individual’s psyche, affecting their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. The following delves into the world of trauma – what it is, symptoms, therapeutic approaches, and how it is approached at Wellness Psychology.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma encompasses a wide spectrum of experiences, from acute incidents like accidents, violence, or natural disasters to chronic situations such as abuse, neglect, or prolonged stress. These events overwhelm an individual’s coping mechanisms, leaving them emotionally scarred. Trauma can manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, or other psychological disturbances.
Trauma Symptoms
There are a number of symptoms of trauma and can include:
Flashbacks: Vivid re-experiencing of the traumatic event.
Nightmares: Disturbing dreams related to the trauma.
Hyperarousal: Heightened anxiety, irritability, and hypervigilance.
Avoidance: Efforts to evade reminders of the trauma.
Emotional Numbing: Feeling detached or emotionally distant.
Physical Symptoms: Headaches, fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. When a person experiences trauma there is usually a time of adjustment and coping that eventually leads to one getting better. PTSD is the condition where the individual experiences worsening symptoms after the trauma, where things are not getting better but worse. Symptoms of PTSD include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, avoidance of trauma reminders, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. PTSD affects mental, physical, and social well-being.
Counselling for Trauma & PTSD
Trauma psychologists, trauma therapists, or trauma specialists are professionals that specialize in trauma-related mental health issues. They assess, diagnose, and treat trauma survivors using evidence-based therapies. Trauma psychologists are equipped with specialized training and guide clients through healing processes.
There are a number of different modalities a trauma therapist can use to help individuals heal from trauma and PTSD including:
Prolonged Exposure (PE): Gradual desensitization to trauma triggers. Exposure therapy helps individuals confront their fears until they no longer evoke distress.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): Challenging distorted beliefs related to the trauma. CPT aims to reframe negative thought patterns.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): Tailored for children and adolescents, TF-CBT combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma processing.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR involves bilateral stimulation (eye movements or taps) to process traumatic memories. It helps release emotional blockages.
Mindfulness-Based Therapies: Techniques like mindfulness meditation enhance emotional regulation.
Medication: Antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may alleviate PTSD symptoms.
Trauma and PTSD therapy can also be in the following forms:
Individual Counselling: One-on-one sessions allow trauma survivors to explore their experiences, emotions, and coping strategies.
Group Therapy: Connecting with others who share similar experiences fosters validation and mutual support.
Family Counselling: Involving family members helps rebuild trust and improve communication.
Why Choose Us?
At Wellness Psychology, one of our psychologists practices Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), which is an evidence-based PTSD treatment for the healing of trauma. ART is similar to EMDR in using bilateral stimulation to help the brain and body process trauma they experienced that they didn’t have the chance to when the trauma occurred. ART could be described as being more direct and focused on a particular incident or theme of trauma as compared to EMDR which tends to be more open in focus. ART also differs from other PTSD counselling therapies in that an individual doesn’t have to talk about their trauma, rather it engages in a natural process that occurs during REM sleep. This is a huge benefit to ART, as well as how quickly in can process trauma and help with PTSD – in as little as one to three sessions.