Trauma Therapy

Our Approach to Trauma Therapy

​​​​​​​What is trauma?

Trauma is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope, often leading to long-lasting emotional and psychological effects. It can result from various situations, including accidents, abuse, violence, or other threatening events, causing significant harm to an individual's sense of safety and well-being.

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): PTSD is a mental health condition that may develop after exposure to a traumatic event. Common symptoms include intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, emotional numbness, hyperarousal, and avoidance of reminders related to the trauma. PTSD can significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life.

Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): Complex PTSD, or C-PTSD, is a subtype that often arises from chronic exposure to trauma over an extended period, typically involving interpersonal trauma, such as repeated abuse or neglect. In addition to PTSD symptoms, individuals with C-PTSD may experience difficulties in self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and emotional regulation. It is associated with prolonged and pervasive trauma, often occurring in situations where escape is difficult, such as ongoing abuse or captivity.

What is trauma therapy?

Trauma therapy refers to a specialized form of psychological treatment designed to help individuals cope with and overcome the psychological impact of traumatic experiences.

The primary goals of trauma therapy are to address the emotional and psychological effects of trauma, reduce symptoms such as anxiety and flashbacks, and promote the individual's overall mental well-being. Therapists often use evidence-based approaches, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), among others, to help individuals process and integrate their traumatic experiences.

Trauma therapy aims to provide a safe and supportive environment where individuals can explore and understand their emotions, develop coping mechanisms, and gradually work toward healing and recovery. It is important to note that the specific approach to trauma therapy may vary based on your needs, the nature of the trauma, and the therapist's expertise.

At Evolve Therapy, our therapists have advanced training in evidence-based and cutting-edge trauma processing therapies.

Our therapists are highly trained and certified in a variety of evidence-based therapeutic modalities, including:

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR is a proven method for processing traumatic memories and helping clients reprocess and integrate distressing experiences. EMDR is a psychotherapeutic approach that helps individuals who have experienced traumatic events. The therapy involves a structured eight-phase process, incorporating bilateral stimulation (such as eye movements) to help clients process distressing memories. EMDR aims to reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories and replace negative beliefs with positive ones. It has been proven effective in treating conditions like PTSD and is administered by trained mental health professionals. While we can’t change what happened, we can make it a historical event.

Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR): Discover the transformative power of Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), a cutting-edge trauma psychotherapy developed by Dr. Frank Corrigan MD, FRCPsych. Grounded in a profound understanding of how trauma impacts the mid-brain, DBR unlocks the brain's inherent ability to heal by delving into the root of the shock experienced during threatening or attachment-disrupting events.

In Deep Brain Reorienting, we go beyond traditional therapeutic discussions, prioritizing a non-verbal approach that engages the midbrain. This collaborative and methodical process seeks to uncover the origin of the body's response to trauma, often stored as a shock, preceding our conscious awareness of the event.

Deep Brain Reorienting’s unique methodology draws on brainstem processes to identify the immediate bodily reactions to traumatic incidents, unlocking and addressing long-standing shocks. Understanding the midbrain is key to interrupting ongoing distress effectively.

The process is profoundly grounding, aiming to establish emotional regulation and navigate difficult material at a pace that suits you. Should the processing become too intense, we prioritize your well-being, providing gentle stops and guidance on self-care both within and outside of sessions.

While the goal is to alleviate the impact of trauma, it's important to note that comprehensive processing may require multiple sessions. Together, we'll determine a starting point in each session, systematically working through complex trauma and approaching dissociative experiences with care. Your journey to healing begins with the intentional and focused work of Deep Brain Reorienting.

Somatic Therapies: Evolve Therapy utilizes a brain, mind, and body approach to treating the whole person. Our therapists employ Somatic Therapy, a holistic approach to psychotherapy that recognizes the intricate connection between the mind and body. Somatic therapy focuses on the embodied experience, acknowledging that emotional and psychological well-being is closely linked to physical sensations, movements, and expressions. The term "somatic" refers to the body, and somatic therapy emphasizes the importance of bodily experiences in understanding and addressing mental health issues.

Key features of Somatic Therapy include:

Body-Centered Awareness: We will help you become more attuned to your body’s sensations, movements, and gestures. This heightened awareness helps individuals recognize and understand the connection between their emotions and physical experiences.

Mind-Body Connection: The therapy recognizes the bidirectional relationship between mental and physical health. It explores how thoughts and emotions manifest in the body and, conversely, how physical sensations can impact one's mental state.

Breathwork and Movement: Our therapists are trained in various breath and movement practices and will incorporate breathwork, mindful movement, and physical exercises into your sessions, helping you release tension, promote relaxation, and facilitate emotional processing. These practices help individuals reconnect with their bodies and release stored stress or trauma.

Trauma-Informed Approach: Somatic therapists often work from a trauma-informed perspective, recognizing that traumatic experiences can be stored in the body. The therapy aims to help individuals release and process these stored traumas through physical awareness and expression.

Mindfulness and Presence: Evolve Therapy emphasizes mindfulness-based practices in your therapy sessions because mindfulness helps you manage emotional, physical, and mental distress by increasing your capacity to tolerate negative experiences. This presence allows individuals to observe and understand their experiences without judgment, promoting a deeper understanding of their emotional experiences.

Biofeedback Techniques: In certain cases, biofeedback devices may be used to provide real-time information about physiological responses, helping individuals gain greater control over bodily functions and stress responses. At Evolve Therapy, our therapists utilize HeartMath, which refers to a system of techniques and technologies developed by the Institute of HeartMath aimed at promoting emotional well-being, resilience, and coherence between the heart and brain. The central concept behind HeartMath is the understanding that the heart is not merely a pump but also a complex information-processing center that communicates with the brain and the rest of the body.

Parts Work: Parts work, often associated with therapeutic approaches like Structural Dissociation Theory and Internal Family Systems (IFS), is a framework that views the mind as consisting of various emotional states or "parts." These parts represent distinct aspects of an individual's personality, each with its feelings, thoughts, memories, and functions. The goal of parts work is to explore, understand, and integrate these different parts for improved mental and emotional well-being.

How do I know if I have trauma?

Recognizing whether you have experienced trauma can sometimes be challenging, as it manifests differently for each individual. Here are some common signs that may indicate the presence of trauma:

1. Intrusive thoughts or memories: Repeated, distressing thoughts, flashbacks, or nightmares related to a past event.

2. Avoidance: Actively avoiding reminders or situations that trigger memories of the traumatic event.

3. Emotional numbness: Feeling disconnected or numb, having difficulty experiencing emotions, or feeling detached from others.

4. Hyperarousal: Being easily startled, having difficulty sleeping, experiencing irritability, or having a heightened sense of alertness.

5. Negative changes in beliefs and mood: Feeling persistently negative about oneself or the world, experiencing guilt or shame, or losing interest in previously enjoyed activities.

6. Difficulty with relationships: Struggling to form and maintain close relationships, experiencing trust issues, or withdrawing from social interactions.

7. Physical symptoms: Unexplained physical complaints, such as headaches, stomachaches, or fatigue, which may be linked to emotional distress.

8. Changes in self-perception: Feeling a diminished sense of self-worth, shame, or a distorted self-image.

9. Dissociation: Experiencing a disruption in the normal integration of consciousness, memory, identity, or perception. This may include feelings of depersonalization, derealization, amnesia, identity confusion, or identity alteration.

It's important to note that trauma can affect people differently, and not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop symptoms. If you suspect you may be dealing with trauma, seeking support from a mental health professional, such as a therapist or counselor, can be beneficial. They can help you explore your experiences, provide coping strategies, and guide you toward healing and recovery.