I am often asked a variety of questions about trauma therapy, specifically what makes it fundamentally different from the more typical forms of therapy, and what specific qualifications or experiences make someone a trauma specialist. I genuinely love spending time engaging with these questions because each time I do, I can see that the conversations are not only enlightening to whoever is asking, but they also provide them with a deeper perspective on their own lives and how they have been approaching their personal healing journey.

To answer the question, “What is trauma therapy?” I need to provide my personal answer to, “What is trauma?” Google will tell us different definitions of what trauma is, and even different trauma researchers and specialists will vary on the wording they use to describe the events and the aftereffects. At the end of the day, none of those definitions are wrong and likely capture some version of how most people who have lived through trauma would describe their lived experience and symptoms. In my practice and with my clients, I describe trauma as either a chronic or acute event that changed how someone viewed themselves or the world in a way that no longer felt safe, created long-lasting anxiety, and symptoms that feed into low self-worth and a general sense of hopelessness.

There is a misconception about trauma, that it has to be the big and terrible things that we see on TV or in the news or it “doesn’t count.". Most people believe that only the people who have survived natural disasters, physical or sexual violence, homelessness, trafficking, and substance use struggles are the only ones who can claim that they have experienced trauma. The truth is, is that while those people have experienced extreme trauma, they are not the only ones who show symptoms of PTSD or trauma-related beliefs. Trauma can be growing up in a household that fought constantly, having emotionally unavailable parents, neglect that was disguised as promoting independence, excessively high expectations, inconsistent relationship or care from parents, and much more that tends to go below the radar or isn’t as high on the shock factor. I’ll also give you a little spoiler to a thought that most of my clients come in believing about themselves- Just because you “turned out fine” despite living in traumatic environments or through traumatic events doesn’t mean that you don’t still need to work through those events and feelings. Trauma therapy can give you access to a happier and more fulfilling life, despite being “fine” in the moment.

Trauma therapy differs from general therapy in several ways including: the type of therapist facilitating appointments, the types of tools and interventions that are used, and the primary focuses within the session. The majority of people will start their therapy journey with a therapist that is likely a generalist. They often work with anxiety, depression, stress, and anger, they hear of childhood trauma and hold space for those events within the session. However, a generalist is not always prepared or equipped to dive deep into your most vulnerable hurts. General therapy helps you cope with the past by creating skills in the here and now, managing uncomfortable symptoms, and trying new things that lead to the change you’re wanting in your life. Trauma therapy has a primary focus on the thoughts and behaviors that you’re experiencing, and are unhappy with, mapping out where those originated from, and working in and out of session to create peace, collaboration, and mental space around your previous traumas. Trauma therapists can incorporate eye-movement-based therapies to help reconsolidate the memory of your trauma, somatic approaches to help you get in touch with your body and its reactions to your daily environment, approaches that allow you to say the things out loud that you’ve possibly never said before and allows you to release, and skills to build on your resilience and functionality in life.

If you’re exploring your therapeutic journey and asking yourself, “Do I need trauma therapy?” The answer is probably yes. That question is likely only coming up because you have been exploring topics within your life that focus on early childhood and highly stressful times in your life that you cannot seem to break free or move on from. Once you decide that you want to start trauma therapy, here are a few pieces of advice I’ll offer for finding your trauma therapist:

1. Take up the offer when therapists offer a consultation. It helps you assess if you’ll be at least comfortable with their presence or vibe before spending money somewhere you may or may not enjoy.

2. When interviewing therapists, ask “I’m specifically looking to work through past traumas, do you specialize in that or work with clients that are diagnosed with PTSD?”

3. Ask your potential therapists, “How do you work with trauma? What can I expect in session and out of session?”

4. Make a list of the behaviors, thoughts, and emotions you struggle with most often, and think about how your life would be different if you woke up tomorrow and those things were “cured” or gone.

If you feel like you would like to talk further about trauma, trauma therapy, or working with The Cozy Couch Counseling on your healing journey, we offer free 15-minute consultations and invite you to reach out to see how we can help you reach your goals!

Stephanie Townsend, LMSW, CCTP, ART Practitioner