Trauma therapy and somatic healing in Colorado

A psychotherapist is a licensed professional who provides general counseling and support for various emotional, psychological, and behavioral issues. All counselors complete substantial training that includes undergraduate education and a minimum of two years of graduate training with supervised clinical training.

A licensed professional counselor help clients with a broad range of mental health disorders and concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and stress management using various therapeutic techniques.

Although all therapists complete extensive training, typical clinical social work or counselor education and supervision prepare providers to be generalists, often utilizing talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy as their primary approaches.

Typically, ptsd therapists pursue specialized training beyond the general counselor education. A licensed professional counselor who specializes in treating individuals who have experienced trauma usually has more specialized education, training, and supervised experience from other experts in trauma therapy.

Trauma counselors specialize in treating individuals who have experienced significant trauma, such as abuse, violence, military combat, car accidents, or natural disasters. Trauma therapists are skilled in creating a safe and supportive environment, understanding the complex impacts of trauma on the brain and body, and helping clients process and heal from their traumatic experiences.

What makes a counselor a trauma specialist is their specialized training and expertise in trauma-specific therapies and interventions. Some of these therapies are Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR therapy), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Somatic Experiencing.

In addition to training in specific therapies and interventions, Colorado trauma specialists often have supervised clinical practice in trauma and ptsd. That means senior experts in the field of traumatology and ptsd treatment have provided direct guidance and training for the newer specialist’s initial cases.

The role of a psychotherapist in trauma counseling is multifaceted. Licensed counselors focus on providing support, guidance, and intervention to help clients address and manage their behavioral health concerns. They provide specialized forms of therapy for trauma and ptsd that focus on understanding the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual impacts of traumas on a person.

Ultimately, the goal of a trauma therapist is to support clients in their journey towards healing, helping them to reclaim their lives and move forward with a greater sense of empowerment and well-being. Trauma therapists help individuals regain a sense of safety and stability after experiencing significant traumas.

During the counseling process, a trauma therapist will help most clients identify and understand triggers and ptsd symptoms, such as flashbacks, anxiety, and dissociation. They teach coping skills and strategies to manage these ptsd symptoms and work on building resilience and emotional regulation skills. Therapists also help survivors identify and build upon resources and strengths already present in their lives.

Trauma frequently affects many areas of life. Consequently, in trauma therapy, you can expect your Colorado trauma therapist to address related issues or concerns such as self-esteem, relationship issues, substance abuse, eating disorders, adhd, daily functioning, sense of meaning, sexuality, worldview, and identity.

In trauma treatment, it's important to prioritize creating a safe and supportive environment where clients can show up authentically. Many specialists in trauma and ptsd utilize Dr. Judith Herman’s stages of trauma recovery.

The first stage is Safety and Stabilization, where the trauma and ptsd therapists help clients establish a sense of safety in their environment and within themselves. This involves creating a supportive therapeutic relationship, addressing immediate needs, and developing coping skills to manage panic attacks, negative memories, distressing emotions or phsycial sensations, and more. Developing safety is crucial for establishing trust and allowing clients to open up about their pain and past trauma.

The second stage is Remembrance and Mourning, where the therapist guides the client in processing and grieving the traumatic experiences. This stage often involves the careful exploration of traumatic memories, allowing clients to express and work through their emotions in a controlled and therapeutic manner. Many Clients benefit from engaging in this processing and exploration somatically, through play, or via creative and expressive arts rather than through narrative therapy.

The final stage is Reconnection and Integration, where the focus shifts to helping the client rebuild their life and healthy relationships. The therapist supports the client in finding new meaning and purpose, enhancing their sense of self, and fostering a reconnection with others and the world around them.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD or complex PTSD) are both conditions resulting from trauma, but they differ in the nature of the trauma and the resulting symptoms.

PTSD typically arises from a single, discrete traumatic event such as a natural disaster, serious accident, terrorist act, war/combat, sexual violence or other violent personal assault. The core symptoms of PTSD include re-experiencing the traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares, avoiding reminders of the trauma, experiencing hyperarousal such as heightened anxiety or an exaggerated startle response, and enduring negative changes in thoughts and mood.

CPTSD, on the other hand, develops from prolonged, repeated trauma, often occurring in childhood or in situations where escape is difficult or impossible, such as ongoing domestic violence or intimate partner abuse, childhood abuse and neglect, or captivity. While it includes the core characteristics of PTSD, Complex PTSD also encompasses additional traits related to prolonged trauma exposure. These additional symptoms include difficulties with emotional regulation, dissociation, negative self-perception, challenges in relationships, and persistent feelings of helplessness, shame, and guilt.

The key differences between PTSD and Complex PTSD lie in the complexity and duration of the trauma and the broader range of symptomology in Complex PTSD. While PTSD can result from a single traumatic incident, Complex PTSD is usually the result of chronic trauma over months or years. This prolonged exposure leads to more pervasive impacts on an individual's emotional and psychological functioning.

 In essence, PTSD refers to the trauma response to a single or short-term event, whereas Complex PTSD accounts for the deeper, more pervasive effects of long-term trauma, affecting an individual's ability to regulate emotions, maintain relationships, and develop a healthy sense of self. Treatment for Complex PTSD often requires a more comprehensive, multifaceted approach due to the extensive and complex nature of the symptoms and their impacts.

It is also important to note that the US healthcare system does not currently recognize CPTSD as a valid diagnosis within the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) despite recognition by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) of the World Health Organization (WHO). Although the current DSM does not recognize CPTSD, competent trauma specialists understand how very different the impacts of chronic and complex trauma are compared to single-incidence or acute traumas.

At the end of the day, the best trauma therapy varies from one person to another. And the most important factor in whether a particular modality will be helpful is the relationship between a therapist and client.

However, there are some evidence based practices or modalities that are more effective as trauma and ptsd therapy. Trauma survivors often find somatic approaches such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Hakomi Mindful Somatic Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing effective in their healing process. Additionally, modalities such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR Therapy), Brain Spotting, and Neurofeedback have also been very effective for treating trauma. Parts work modalities such as IFS are also effective in trauma counseling.

These therapies, often tailored to an individual's needs in individual therapy, are most effective when provided in a safe and supportive therapeutic environment, fostering recovery and resilience.

Some events or experiences we often identify as likely or potentially traumatic are surviving natural disasters, industrial accidents, car accidents, sexual assault or sexual abuse, robbery, violent crimes, medical emergencies and chronic illness, physical abuse, war or terrorism, and sudden death of a loved one. Emotional abuse, childhood neglect, and oppression can also result in trauma and ptsd.

Ultimately, what qualifies as a traumatic experience varies from one person to another. What one person considers traumatic experiences might not be perceived the same by another and vice versa. Personal history, support systems, and individual psychological makeup play crucial roles in determining the impact of potentially traumatic experiences.

Many experts in the field of traumatology and ptsd treatment, such as Dr. Arielle Schwartz, define traumatic experiences simply as “too much, too fast, too soon.” I often tell new clients that trauma can be anything that “overwhelms your nervous system enough that a survival response is activated.” Such events can threaten an individual’s physical or emotional well-being and can leave lasting effects when left untreated.

This question is another version of the previous FAQ; just like “was my experience bad enough to be a traumatic event” and “is it trauma or am I overreacting?”

Even when new clients don’t say “I feel like my trauma isn’t valid,” other things they explicitly say or do communicate their internal struggle with internalized gaslighting and denial. Which, in and of itself, can be an indicator of past trauma.

As I mentioned above, anything that overwhelms your nervous system enough that a survival response results can be traumatic. Anything that is “too much, too fast, or too soon."

Your life experiences do not have to be the worst thing you can imagine for you to have permission to say you've experienced trauma. It doesn’t have to be the worst to be bad enough. It’s bad enough to be upset about and it’s bad enough for you to deserve trauma counseling or ptsd treatment.