Trauma Therapy
Trauma therapy focuses on helping people with a past experience of trauma or a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) manage their traumatic experiences. This can be for single incident trauma or more complex and longstanding traumas to include childhood sexual, emotional and/or physical abuse. A trauma therapist has additional training in trauma and will use skills and strategies that are designed to help people overcome the effects of traumatic events without re-traumatizing.
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Some common trauma symptoms include:
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Avoidance of situations that bring back memories of the event
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Repeated flashbacks and/or nightmares
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Insomnia or trouble sleeping
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Isolation
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Emotional detachment
There are specialized modalities of treatment to help individuals process through traumatic events. Our staff is well versed and have received additional training in treating individuals that have experienced traumatic events. We work with children, adolescents and adults who have experienced trauma.
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment approach shown to help children, adolescents, and their parents (or other caregivers) overcome trauma-related difficulties. It is designed to reduce negative emotional and behavioral responses following trauma, including child sexual abuse and other maltreatment, domestic violence, traumatic loss, mass disasters, multiple traumas, and other traumatic events. The treatment addresses distorted or upsetting beliefs and attributions related to the traumas and provides a supportive environment in which children are encouraged to talk about their traumatic experiences and learn skills to help them cope with ordinary life stressors. TF-CBT also helps parents who were not abusive to cope effectively with their own emotional distress and develop skills that support their children.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
To set up an appointment, please call 717-220-8980 or email lstorm@cacharaaandassociates.com. Laura will walk you through the initial intake process and help you select a therapist that will be best suited to your needs.