Print ArticleMany methods of therapy have been developed for survivors of trauma. All methods share the following guidelines:
- Therapy always is individualized to meet the specific concerns and needs of each unique trauma survivor, based upon careful interview and questionnaire assessments at the beginning of (and during) treatment.
- Trauma therapy is done only when the patient is not currently in crisis. If a patient is severely depressed or suicidal, experiencing extreme panic or disorganized thinking, in need of drug or alcohol detoxification, or currently exposed to trauma (such as by ongoing domestic or community violence, abuse, or homelessness), these crisis problems must be handled first.
- When a shared plan of therapy has been developed within an atmosphere of trust and open discussion by the patient and therapist, a detailed exploration of trauma memories is done to enable the survivor to cope with post-traumatic memories, reminders, and feelings without feeling overwhelmed or emotionally numb.
- The goal of “trauma focused” exploration is to enable the survivor to gain a realistic sense of self-esteem and self-confidence in dealing with bad memories and upsetting feelings caused by trauma; trauma memories usually do not go away entirely as a result of therapy, but become manageable with new coping skills.
- Trauma exploration can be done in several ways, depending upon the type of post-traumatic problems a survivor is experiencing. (See “Types of PTSD” for more information.)
Uncomplicated PTSD involves persistent reexperiencing of the traumatic event, avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma, emotional numbing, and symptoms of increased arousal. It may respond to group, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, pharmacological or combination approaches.
Group Treatment
Group treatment is practiced in VA PTSD Clinics and Vet Centers for military veterans and in mental health and crisis clinics for victims of assault and abuse. A group of peers provides an ideal therapeutic setting because trauma survivors are able to risk sharing traumatic material with the safety, cohesion, and empathy provided by other survivors. It is often much easier to accept confrontation from a fellow sufferer who has impeccable credentials as a trauma survivor than from a professional therapist who never went through those experiences first-hand. As group members achieve greater understanding and resolution of traumatic themes, they often feel more confident and able to trust. As they work through trauma-related shame, guilt, rage, fear, doubt, and self-condemnation, they prepare themselves to focus on the present rather than the past. Telling one’s story (the “trauma narrative”) and directly facing the grief, anxiety, and guilt related to trauma enables many survivors to go on with their lives rather than getting stuck in unspoken despair and helplessness.
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