Trauma Therapy
Do You Feel Overwhelmed By Past Traumatic Events?
Do you feel the need to avoid certain people or places because they remind you of an unpleasant experience? Perhaps you endured a threatening event that left you feeling unsafe and afraid. You may have endured more severe trauma such as abuse, neglect or an accident that causes recurrent and unwanted flashbacks or nightmares.
Maybe you are feeling emptiness, despair, numbness. Heightened emotions like anger, hypervigilance and sadness may be leaving you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Or perhaps your relationships with those closest to you are deteriorating because you react explosively, withdraw, or completely shut down.
Trauma symptoms vary for each person, and it may feel like life is an endless cycle of trying to survive and manage triggers. You may feel constantly unsafe or uneasy, or symptoms may flare unexpectedly.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is the lasting emotional and physical response to a distressing event or situation. It can profoundly affect the way you experience the world and how your brain and body process safety.
Typically, the trauma response will peak right after an incident and may slowly improve over a period of time, with rest and support. If the symptoms worse or persist over a longer period of time with no signs of improvement, this could be PTSD. PTSD is a chronic, diagnosable condition that requires proffessional
Trauma is not a sign of weakness, but rather a natural response to an extraordinary situation that overwhelmed your capacity to cope. It is important to know you are not alone, and that through dedicated trauma therapy, healing is possible.
Big “T” vs Little “t” Events
Big “T” events are typically extraordinary, specific events that pose an immediate threat to life or safety and tend to be more linked to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Little “t” events are more subtle, ongoing situations or events, that may not pose an immediate danger, but that contribute to chronic stress or suffering.
Both can equally cause individuals to experience trauma.
Big “T” events are the most severe, and what people most often think of when they think of trauma; death of a loved one, car accidents, assault or abuse, military deployment or combat (see our Assessments page for more information on VAC Assessment and Therapy, or book online here).
Little “t” trauma, are events that can affect people in traumatic ways but may not be as severe as a Big “T” Trauma or meet the criteria for PTSD. However, these events can still be extremely distressing and interfere with one’s daily functioning (i.e. appetite, sleep, physically, socially, relationally, academically, work). Little “t” trauma can include non-life-threatening injuries, relational stressors (i.e. bullying, emotional abuse, harassment), and loss of friendships or relationships. These events may be less obviously traumatic, and so individuals may feel shame or dismiss their feelings as an ‘overreaction’. It’s important to remember, your feelings are valid.
No matter the cause, living with trauma or PTSD can feel like you’re carrying a heavy weight around with no way to ease the burden.
Experiencing Trauma is more common than you think.
Unfortunately, nobody is immune to trauma. There are several issues in today's culture that may contribute to people feeling traumatized—being bullied at school or work, feeling constantly excluded from social activities, or an intense conflict with someone.
For others, ongoing economic and political issues have negatively affected the peace of mind and financial safety of so many people. The fear of inflation and an impending recession has caused economic trauma in terms of major financial stress and anxiety, especially post-pandemic.
It is normal to be concerned about what the future holds. However, when these feelings leave you feeling anxious or stuck, it can often result in wanting to “numb out” with unhealthy distractions. Over-using substances, binge eating, excessive shopping, promiscuity, or social withdrawal are some of the ways people try to numb or escape unwanted feelings.
You may be doubtful that recovery from trauma is achievable, or that you’ll ever feel like yourself again. However, you are not alone. Trauma can disrupt your sense of peace, however, therapy can help to restore it, and help you to learn to let go of past traumas, seek healing, resolve the pain and re-discover joy.
What to Expect from Trauma Therapy Sessions
Often, people don't recognize how their life is impacted by trauma and how much energy they expend trying to keep it at bay. Trauma can also impact your ability to trust yourself and others, and so it can be incredibly difficult to take the first step in seeking help.
Our trauma and PTSD treatment sessions are focused on the ultimate goal of helping you to achieve healing so you can get back to living a more peaceful life.
An important aspect of therapy is learning various skills and techniques that can help you to identify triggers, process your experiences and find relief from trauma and PTSD symptoms.
We may work to enhance your self-awareness, build upon grounding and mindfulness exercises, and practice breathing techniques. You will also learn more about your own emotional and physiological reactions to triggers.
In therapy, you can feel safe and relaxed in a space where you can feel comfortable speaking about trauma and PTSD without the fear of being judged.
We want to show you that you do not have to be defined by your past traumatic experiences. We strive to help you reclaim your power and move toward healing so you can replace shame, insecurity, guilt, and depression with self-love, confidence and joy.
With the help of our experienced, compassionate therapists, you will be met and guided along your healing journey to receive insight into your trauma and PTSD symptoms and understand the impact they have had on your life. We work towards helping you develop coping skills, experience acceptance, and find the courage to change and heal.
Trauma and PTSD Treatment Approaches
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are two of the most common approaches we use in trauma therapy.
However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and our therapists will work collaboratively with you to find the most aligned approach, and meet you where you are at.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based therapy that is backed by rigorous scientific study and is recommended as first-line treatment for PTSD and other problems related to trauma. You do not have to talk directly about what happened to you. Similar to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you will learn to become aware of how your thoughts lead to certain behaviours and emotions and identify the specific thoughts and beliefs that are keeping you stuck experiencing the same symptoms. By changing your thoughts, you can change how you feel.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured therapy that encourages you to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness of the emotion associated with the trauma memories. It is a gentle trauma treatment that goes beyond traditional talk therapy and focuses directly on your memory, and is intended to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms that might be coming up from this memory.
EMDR allows you to be guided through a trusted, step-by-step healing process with interactive components including history taking, preparation, assessing target memories, processing the memory to adaptive resolution and evaluation of treatment results. Processing of a specific memory is nuanced but can generally be completed in a few sessions. EMDR therapy differs from other trauma focused treatments in that it does not include extended exposure to the distressing memory, detailed descriptions of the trauma, challenging dysfunctional beliefs about the trauma, or homework assignments.
Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a form of CBT developed on the therapy that avoiding traumatic memories or reminders keeps the present, PE provides a structured and supported environment to gradually confront these triggers. By processing the event by talking through it, and safely reengaging with places and activities that were previously being avoided, you will learn that the memories and triggers are no longer a danger. This will typically take place gradually over 8+ sessions.
Common Concerns About Trauma Therapy…
I don't want to have to "relive" my trauma or have to tell my story again. It was horrible.
We will honour the pace of healing that feels right for you so that therapy feels like a safe and supported process. It is possible to embark on a safe and gentle journey of healing, without comprehensively or painfully revisiting your particular areas or events of concern. We honour the pace our clients need and will not force them to talk about anything they are not ready to process yet.
What if I get triggered during the treatment process? I'm not stable enough for trauma therapy.
You are awake, present, and aware at all times during sessions. Should you become distressed, there are proactive strategies you can use to regain a sense of calm before proceeding. You also always have the option of stopping the session/process at any time should you choose to do so.
You can experience recovery from trauma without directly "re-enacting" it so you won't be re-traumatized. Research shows that therapy does not make symptoms worse and that it is possible to notice some positive changes and forward movement toward healing in just a few sessions.
Therapy is too expensive and time-consuming.
While therapy does involve a commitment of time and financial resources, given the impact that trauma symptoms can have on your productivity, health, concentration, sleep, quality of your relationships, and overall well-being, many consider it a worthwhile investment.
Please also check with your insurance provider to see if you have coverage for counselling services in your benefit package.
It Is Possible To Heal From Trauma And Learn To Truly Feel Peace And Happiness Again
If trauma and PTSD have prevented you from feeling calm, safe, and happy, therapy at Aligned Minds strives to give you the tools you need to get back on your feet and retake control of your life.
Once you’re ready to begin your recovery journey, you can start trauma and PTSD therapy and find out more about how treatment can help you. Please call us at (825) 509-5455 or email us at hello@alignedminds.ca to arrange a free, 15-minute consultation.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Warmly, Aligned Minds®
"To be aware of a single shortcoming
in oneself is more useful than to be aware of a thousand in someone else."
Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama