What is Trauma-Based Therapy?

#22 in the series: What I Wish I had Known Before Beginning Therapy

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What is a trauma-based therapy? Trauma-informed therapy and trauma-based therapy are somewhat interchangeable terms. I prefer the term trauma-based as a personal preference because, in my mind, it implies a deeper understanding of trauma than merely being informed. Trauma-based therapies should include the following characteristics:  (I will elaborate more on these in the future.)

• Trauma-Based Therapy Emphasizes Emotional Safety

• Trauma-Based Therapy Encourages Empowerment and Agency

• Trauma-Based Therapy is Grounded in Neuroscience

My insatiable curiosity about all the modalities being used by professionals to help clients process trauma has led me to either participate in or observe the healing impact of the following list of therapy modalities. I will eventually highlight each one of these, but for now, I have included a link for additional information.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• Sand Tray Therapy

• Internal Family Systems (IFS)

• Trauma-Focused Equestrian Therapy

• Brain Spotting

• EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy/Tapping)

• Lifespan Integration

• Havening (Not well known,I have found it to be effective!)

• Art Therapy

• Somatic Therapy

This list is not exhaustive as it only includes those forms of therapy with which I have had some degree of experience. Many therapists use elements of several modalities. This can also include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is a treatment that focuses on the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It has proven effective in changing thought and behavior patterns; it does not address the underlying trauma held in the body. For this reason, I do not include CBT in the list even though elements were incorporated into my therapy alongside trauma-based modalities.

Resources Specifically for Children Impacted by Trauma:

Traits of trauma-sensitive, attachment-focused treatments include: (Source)

• Are grounded in attachment theory and recognize the importance of working toward healthy attachment and building resiliency.

• Address the child’s traumatic stress – including feelings of fear, shame, grief and loss.

• Are experiential (do not depend on talk therapy). Talk therapies and those dependent on behavior modification (reward/punishment systems) are not usually successful with our children.

• Enhance emotional regulation and teaches self-regulation skills.

• Involve the parent/caregiver in the therapy, providing parenting strategies and recognizing the critical importance of therapeutic parenting.

Additional information about therapies that are specifically for attachment-focused child therapy can be located at the Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN) website. ATN also provides a Directory of Providers.

Note: All information and resources presented in these newsletters are drawn from my personal story and do not replace professional psychological care for mental health issues. My legal and ethical advice is always to seek professional help.