Many people have a difficult time getting over trauma. People who have suffered from a significant amount of trauma often struggle with re-living the event again and again in their daily lives. This can create an unhealthy cycle. Trauma therapy is treatment for these issues that focuses on helping patients to process the grief and trauma associated with an event or experience, thus reducing the chances of it returning.
Trauma therapy for adults has been shown to be highly effective in reducing symptoms and improving life quality, just like with children's traumatic experiences as well. In this article we address top 10 questions asked by our patients about how trauma therapy works.
Answering top 10 questions asked by our patients
Q1: How does trauma therapy work?
A1: Many people have a difficult time getting over trauma. People who have suffered from a significant amount of trauma often struggle with re-living the event again and again in their daily lives. This can create an unhealthy cycle that keeps the patient stuck in a state of grief and trauma, unable to process what happened or move on. A trauma therapist helps the patient through this cycle to find peace and healing. Through processing the traumatic event, they help people understand what they are feeling, think, and experiencing physically when they are triggered by certain events or actions that bring back the painful feelings of the traumatic event. They help people process grief and trauma by working with them in a safe environment and teach them coping skills that can be used in daily life so they can experience less pain and distress.
Q2: How do trauma therapists help people understand what they are feeling and thinking?
A2: First, a trauma therapist helps the patient to identify when it is that they are struggling. Then, he or she asks the patient to tell them what it is that they are thinking and feeling during these experiences. Therapy sessions can be long in length, depending on how much trauma the person suffered from, but it generally takes place once a week for an hour or two. The therapist serves as a guide to help the patient through this process so that he or she can feel empowered about his or her healing process.
Q3: How does trauma therapy help people live life without reminders of their trauma?
A3: Every time someone is triggered by a traumatic event, they may feel anger, fear and/or sadness, among other emotional reactions. They may even feel anxious or start to shake and have a negative perception of themselves. Those with PTSD have flashbacks that are very painful and vivid. As the patient continues to heal, they will eventually be able to deal with these experiences in a healthy way. The trauma therapist helps patients process the grief and stress associated with an experience or event either through art therapy or other types of expressive activities that are beneficial to his or her healing process.
Q4: How do people with PTSD deal with the symptoms?
A4: Each patient is different, but there are certain ways that trauma therapists help their patients. First, they help them find ways to cope with and manage their symptoms, whether it is through medication or other types of treatment. The focus of therapy often involves helping the patient to understand how their situation has been affecting their life and relationships. The therapist also teaches various coping skills to help them live better lives. Trauma therapy can be very effective in reducing symptoms that can harm a person's quality of life including depression and anxiety, among other disorders.
Q5: How does trauma therapy help with negative thoughts and beliefs?
A5: Negative thoughts and beliefs about the trauma experience, as well as self-fulfilling prophecies that are held from daily life experiences are often a part of a trauma patient's resistance to experiencing relief from their traumatic symptoms. The therapist encourages patients to understand the negative thoughts that they have about themselves and their situation, to develop new positive thoughts regarding what has happened to them, and works on the issues caused by self-fulfilling prophecies in a way that is beneficial to their healing process. In this way they help patients reshape how they perceive themselves.
Q6: How do people with PTSD heal from trauma?
A6: Whenever one of these patients is triggered by a traumatic event, he or she experiences the past trauma and re-live the traumatic experience all over again. The goal of trauma therapy is to help patients work through the most intense feelings, thoughts, and fears that are associated with their experiences. Through the process, they learn to cope with constant reminders of the traumatic event and strengthen their coping abilities through art therapy. Some patients will go through physical processes such as relaxation techniques or guided imagery where a therapist will guide someone telling them what to think about during their sessions. They also learn how to manage themselves better so that they feel more at ease in their daily lives.
Q7: How long will the trauma therapy last?
A7: Trauma therapy can be a lifelong process of healing. When patients are ready and have achieved the level of healing that they are comfortable with, they will no longer need to see a therapist. If a person feels that he or she needs more help after some time then they may go back to their therapist to achieve the level of healing that's right for them. In cases where people aren't satisfied with their treatment, they can visit a therapist at any time and discuss ways in which therapy can be improved.
Q8: How do people with PTSD feel when they are treated by trauma therapists?
A8: Since they are working to overcome the feelings of grief and trauma that they experienced, patients with PTSD feel relief whenever they meet a therapist. They often feel more confident in themselves and their abilities to cope. Seeing a therapist helps these patients understand what happened and how it affected them so that they can move forward without feeling stuck in a state of trauma and pain. They feel empowered about their healing process as well, which can be very helpful as it's a way to understand their experiences and let go of the pain. In this way, trauma therapy can be very satisfying for the patient and can help them overcome their struggles and live a more balanced life.
Q9: What is the goal of trauma therapy?
A9: Trauma therapy has many goals that work together to help someone with PTSD get better. Psychologists and psychiatrists often use a variety of tools, such as art therapy and guided imagery, to help people. They are also trained to help patients understand their triggers, how they feel when they are triggered and how to cope with those experiences. Through this process, patients learn how to live a better life without the constant pain of their trauma haunting them.
Also Read: Understanding the impact of music therapy
Q10: Who can benefit from trauma therapy?
A10: Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event and is still struggling with their feelings about it can benefit from trauma therapy. Those who experience PTSD after experiencing trauma, such as violence or sexual abuse, are often met by a therapist in order to help them overcome their symptoms. Patients with PTSD may require long-term therapy or brief interventions from time to time when they need more help dealing with their experiences. It all depends on the individual patient and what helps them heal.
Takeaway
If you or someone you know is dealing with persistent trauma symptoms, please contact a mental health professional for treatment. By understanding how and why trauma works, trauma therapy can help you heal from the past and learn to live a better life.
Written by Harshita Sevaldasani
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