Trauma work

Trauma therapy is a branch of psychotherapy (talk therapy) designed to manage the impact of traumatic events on people's lives. Also called trauma-focused therapy, it helps people process abusive, dangerous, frightening, or life-threatening experiences.
Healthcare practitioners can improve patient outcomes by identifying trauma symptoms and developing a comprehensive understanding of how trauma affects individuals and communities. Trauma-informed therapy focuses on recognizing trauma symptoms and understanding their root causes. The therapy provides a safe and supportive environment for patients, addressing their individual experiences and needs and fostering healing and resilience. This activity acknowledges the widespread prevalence of trauma and examines current clinical definitions, core principles, and applications of trauma-informed therapy. This activity also describes effective psychotherapies for treating trauma in general populations. Additionally, the activity highlights the crucial role of the interprofessional healthcare team in enhancing outcomes for trauma-affected patients and underscores the importance of tailored interventions for individuals and communities impacted by trauma.

Types of Trauma Therapy:
There are multiple types of therapy that can help treat trauma. Workman lists some of the forms of therapy a mental health practitioner may use to help you overcome trauma-related issues and treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD):
1. Prolonged exposure (PE): This form of therapy involves carefully exposing you to the source of your fear, until you are not afraid of it anymore.
2. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT): CPT involves challenging your perspective about why the traumatic event occurred and the thoughts and beliefs you’ve developed about the experience since. This form of therapy can be performed in an individual or group setting.
3. Trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT): This form of therapy is for children and adolescents. It can help address inaccurate beliefs and unhealthy behavior patterns stemming from trauma.
4. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): This form of treatment involves using rhythmic left-right (bilateral) stimulation to help release emotions that have been blocked by trauma.