Threatening or scary events in life can damage a person in ways that physical injuries never could. In fact, the minds of individuals can be affected in a number of extreme ways that lead directly to negative consequences. This trauma makes a therapeutic intervention necessary to restore the mental health of the affected patient. Using different trauma therapy techniques can help this process.
Because trauma is so often a major part of addiction, it is critical to find a treatment center that will treat both conditions. At Crestview Recovery, we are proud to provide trauma therapy for clients who require it. In addition to this treatment, we also offer a range of additional evidence-based and holistic treatment options, which we tailor to the needs of the client. With the help of our treatment programs, clients battling trauma, PTSD, and addiction can find complete healing. To learn more about our treatment programs, please contact Crestview Recovery today by calling 866.262.0531 or using our convenient online form.
Proven Trauma Therapy Techniques
There is a variety of methods we may use to address trauma in our clients. However, the American Psychological Association (APA) names two main therapies in cases of mental trauma. These are exposure therapy and cognitive therapy.
Exposure Therapy
Avoidance of traumatic memories is actually one of the biggest contributors to trauma. Simply ignoring what has happened doesn’t solve the problem for the vast majority of people who experience trauma. Therefore, one approach therapists use to good effect is exposure therapy.
This methodology utilizes techniques that expose patients with reminders and memory of the trauma. By doing so, patients with trauma can learn to better deal with the feelings connected with the memories and reminders better. The more often they do so, the easier it becomes to deal with their situation.
Cognitive Therapy
Another approach is cognitive therapy. In contrast to exposure therapy, it focuses on the beliefs of the sufferer.
In cognitive therapy, patients write down the story of their traumatic events. This helps them to process what happened and become able to deal with it in a healthy way.
Goals of Trauma Therapy
Exposure therapy and cognitive therapy both typically take 8-25 sessions to heal the patient. In extremely severe cases the duration of therapy can be extended. They follow the same goals which are:
- Help the patient to face the reality of what happened
- Eliminate or reduce the symptoms of trauma
- Shifting the focus from the past back to the present
- Improve the daily functioning of the patient
- Reclaim the personal power of the sufferer
- Overcome addictions that associate with traumatic stress
- Show the sufferer skills that prevent a relapse
The therapy is successful if most of the above-mentioned goals are met afterward. In most cases, these therapies are successful in healing the trauma the patient suffers from. When these classical approaches fail, other techniques can be applied.
What Other Therapies Could Be Right for Me?
Besides these classic approaches, there are new trauma therapy practices, like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). In this therapy, the patient has to recall distressing thoughts and images while he generates bilateral sensory input. This is typically hand tapping or a side-to-side eye movement.
Recent studies have shown that EMDR is as efficient as exposure therapy and cognitive therapy. It is, therefore, a good alternative when the classical approaches fail in healing the patient’s trauma.
Find a Trauma Therapy Program at Crestview Recovery
Do you or a loved one suffer from mental trauma? For example, have you realized that trying to deal with it on your own isn’t working or isn’t working well enough? Is this trauma affecting your personal and professional relationships? Above all, are you worried about where this trauma could be taking you? These are all questions that you need to answer. However, with the right treatment program, it is possible to get support as you answer these questions.
At Crestview Recovery, we know that trauma can be a very difficult situation to overcome. As a result, we offer effective help with our trauma therapy program for you and your beloved ones. We treat trauma when it co-occurs with substance use disorders, such as:
- Alcohol addiction
- Heroin addiction
- Prescription drug addiction
- Opioid addiction
- Cocaine addiction
We offer the latest leading-edge trauma therapy techniques to help you return to a fuller, happier life. You will learn how to deal with your thoughts and feelings and create a new situation that helps you lead the life you want. Therefore, you should think about contacting us today at 866.262.0531. Let’s get your process of healing started without delay.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
