What is Trauma-Specific Therapy?
Whether you survived an earthquake, crime or terrible accident, were told of a loved one’s sudden death, witnessed a
shooting, or experienced a sexual assault or police brutality, you may find yourself feeling “changed” by what you’ve endured. People have incredible strengths in the face of such disaster, but at times it is too much - even for very capable people - to heal on their own. That is where trauma-specific therapy can help you restore life to its rightful place, even if you are forever
changed by what you’ve experienced. Not every therapist uses the same approach; I'm utilize a number of therapies including Prolonged Exposure and Narrative Exposure Therapy, always in the context of solid general psychotherapy and anti-oppression framework. These are some elements of the trauma-specific therapy I do in my own practice.
Features of Trauma-Specific Therapy
- Helping you calm and soothe yourself
- Increasing your awareness of, and access to, inner strengths and outside resources
- Processing specific memories, through carefully guided talk, writing, drawing, or with children, through play
- Challenging yourself to re-connect and do non-dangerous things you've been avoiding since the traumatic event(s)
- Challenging trauma-based thinking, so that you can restore a healthy mental framework for living
- Making meaning of what happened, and how it has affected your deepest self and your family
