Getting Unstuck – Trauma and the Path to Healing
There are many resources and options available for your path to healing.
In a previous article, we talked about what trauma is. We discussed that most humans suffer at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. We talked about how the brain is a problem solver that sometimes get stuck on a loop, trying to make sense of what has happened to us. For those who find their mental health has been negatively affected, or they have developed chronic, life-interrupting consequences such as PTSD, what is the best way to heal? The good news is there are many tried and tested trauma recovering resources to choose from.
Which is Best For Me?
Because trauma affects so many parts of the body, and because trauma has been part of the human condition for centuries, a lot of treatments and studies have been conducted. In this article we will cover some traditional, as well as non-traditional or supplementary, treatments. Although one type may help most individuals who try it, your healing will be just as individual as your trauma experience. For instance, some things that affect the timeline of your healing from trauma treatment include: your personality, temperament, the specific event, age and maturity, the depth of affiliation with your practitioner, health status, your attachment type, and many other factors. Accordingly, do not be discouraged if you try one method and it has little effect. Eventually, through courage and exploration, you will find the right combination of healing techniques for you.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, probably the most popular form of talk-therapy, is very effective in helping individuals heal from trauma. Just like it sounds, this method typically involves a therapist talking to you about your thoughts and feelings. By speaking about what is on your mind, and what brought you to therapy, a trained clinician helps you understand that much of your thought patterns contribute significantly to your overall emotions. For instance, reoccurring thoughts that are untrue or distorted lead to painful feelings and unhealthy behavior. Hence, understanding our thought patterns, and labeling them, assists with changing mindset and behavior, as well as expedites healing. Additionally, many trauma survivors keep distressing events a secret. Therefore, the mere act of speaking about distressing memories is a healing experience. CBT is a proven method for treating a vast array of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
2 types of CBT therapy for trauma:
This type of therapy delves into your past, including traumatic experiences, to try and help you understand how you see yourself. This model is usually longer term and involves deep analysis of your family origin. Understanding your risk factors for exposure to trauma, will help you navigate relationships and experiences better.
This type of practice deals more with the here and now. Designed to typically be short term, it focuses on specific behaviors, how they are learned, and therefore can be unlearned. As an illustration, studies have shown that talk-therapy in conjunction with trauma-focused CBT, have been very successful.
Somatic (Body) Work
Turning from addressing trauma via the brain, there is ample evidence that traumatic experiences are stored in the body. Specifically, somatic work involves physical exercises to help release and heal “trapped” trauma. The difference between talk-therapy and somatic therapy is the emphasis is on unconscious, automatic responses all humans have to expereinces in their environment. For instance, everyone’s nervous system has the ability to be triggered into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. When we learn to recognize the sensations and states of our bodies, and what makes them flare, we can also develop skills to regulate our bodily reactions. Consequently, much of somatic work for trauma centers around mindfulness, bodily feeling recognition and labeling, and breath work. It is a deeply compassionate and intuitive encouraging methodology.
2 types of Somatic Therapy for trauma include:
This type of practice focuses on integrating mind and body through gentle movement. The focus on healing trauma here is to feel your way through. Intuit, rather than analyze. By getting back in touch with our bodily senses, this methodology teaches that healing is learning and experiencing, not solving or achieving.
This type of therapy teaches that “the body is the path”. Accordingly, to address trauma through this work, instead of “thinking in a top-down process, as is the case with most contemporary approaches, somatic meditation involves a bottom-up process, wherein [there is connection] with the inherent, self-existing wakefulness that is already present within the body itself.”
Other types of therapy or supplementary options to explore:
- EMDR
- Tapping
- Art and dance
- Polyvagal theory (nervous system regulation techniques)
- Inner child work
- Carl Jung Shadow Work
- Group therapy/support groups
- Acupuncture
- Cold water plunges
- Psychedelic-guided therapy
- Transcendental Meditation
- Breath work
- Hypnotherapy
- Journaling
- Massage therapy
- TRE (trauma releasing exercises)
- Medication
The Journey Begins with You
This article is by no means an exhaustive list of the different types of therapies available for trauma. However, it is certainly a place to start. To those who might be hesitant to seek assistance – perhaps you are feeling nervous, afraid, or otherwise unwilling to face difficult memories. Remember shame keeps us locked in place. When in reality, everyone deserves to feel safe, supported, and cared for. Moreover, when considering what your next steps in your healing journey will be – trust that your body will tell you what is best. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Experiment. Along the way, there may be missteps. Yet there will always be something learned. In other words, take heart! Venture out! The first step to overcoming the intrusive and incessant symptoms of trauma is to find the courage to seek help.