What is Trauma Therapy?

This blog briefly answers the question: what is trauma therapy? You may have heard of trauma therapy or been recommended to seek this out. Individuals may not realize that you can develop trauma from a number of causes or situations. This leads some to go through life not realizing the impact some events had on them. 

 

It’s also possible that you feel that your situation wasn’t as traumatic as others, and may invalidate your own experiences. In short, trauma is an emotional response to a distressing or life-threatening event such as a crime, accident, or natural disaster.

 

Trauma can affect your life in a number of ways. You may find that some trauma symptoms interfere with your ability to function throughout the day. It also may interfere with your relationships, daily activities or tasks such as work or school, and even your mental health.

 

If you are struggling with trauma, look no further than trauma therapy in Simi Valley. Our licensed therapists at New Leaf provide trauma-informed care, and are highly experienced in working with diverse populations with trauma.

 

What is Trauma Therapy?: Common symptoms of trauma

You can address an array of issues in trauma counseling. You may experience varying symptoms of trauma that include both emotional and bodily responses. These may come up for you at the same time, different times, or in various combinations. Everyone may have different trauma responses.

 

Symptoms of trauma could come up as these, and more:

• Hypervigilance of your surroundings
• Nightmares of the traumatic event
• Stomach aches or headaches
• Memory flashbacks
• Mood swings
• Intrusive thoughts
• Poor concentration
• Depression
• Tension throughout your body

Healing from trauma is not a linear process. 

 

Somedays, you may feel better and that you are coping well. Other days, it may all hit you at once again, and you find yourself struggling again. Expect to have those hard days occasionally, and guide yourself through them with patience and compassion. 

 

Whether you’re seeking teen therapy, LGBTQIA+ therapy, individual therapy, or more, we offer that at New Leaf Marriage and Family Therapy. Make sure to check out our blog on 3 Reasons to Start Childhood Trauma Therapy.

 

What is Trauma Therapy?: What to expect in session

Talking about traumatic experiences is not a process that can be rushed to achieve healing. You may have a natural inclination to “trauma dump” on your therapist. This means that you may share a lot of information in one session.

 

While this can bring you relief, your therapist may also work to break down your traumatic experience and focus on specific parts of it at a time.

 

You may notice difficult feelings coming up for you, such as shame, disgust, regret, resentment, anger, and more. Your therapist will not only hold space for you to experience this, but will guide you through processing and reflecting on these feelings. 

 

Therapists may use different modalities or techniques to help you process your trauma. This could include cognitive reframing. You may have an inner dialogue that is negative, unproductive, and overall keeps you in a place of feeling bad. Therefore, your therapist may establish a goal with you to work on breaking negative thinking and re-writing your narrative.

 

There are other ways that can help you cope and heal from trauma, such as through somatic work, breathwork, exercising, and more.

 

Aside from talk therapy, your therapist may recommend you engage in these activities as well. Some say that we hold trauma in our bodies – therefore, be in tune with yourself, and see what you can learn.

 

Your therapist may also provide you with outside referrals or resources that can positively impact you. This includes seeking out certain groups, providing you with phone numbers and contact information for crisis lines, domestic violence lines, the suicide hotline, and more. If you are interested in receiving those resources now, call us at (805) 774-1506.

 

At New Leaf, you can expect to work with a trauma-informed therapist. This means that our therapists are experienced in incorporating: trust, collaboration, safety, autonomy, and empowerment in trauma therapy. Make sure to check out our blog on How to Be Vulnerable.

 

What is Trauma Therapy?: How to find a trauma therapist

Finding a trauma therapist can be an overwhelming experience. You may feel more motivated some days than others to hold numerous consultations or sift through multiple therapists to find a good fit. 

 

It can be an uncomfortable experience being vulnerable on the phone for the sake of determining a good fit. You just want to find the right therapist, with the right availability, and setting you are seeking to hold sessions in. 

 

Take advantage of the consultation calls to ask questions about the therapist’s experience in working with trauma, as well as getting an overall vibe of their personality. You may also inquire about how they plan to work with you in sessions, and what therapeutic methods they use.

 

The top priority for you is ensuring you find a therapist who you feel safe and comfortable with. You may not open up about your trauma until a few sessions where you feel ready to talk about some difficult things. That’s perfectly okay, and your therapist will work to ensure the sessions feel collaborative.

 

For more information on getting started in therapy with a trauma therapist, read our blog on Therapy: Where to Start. In the meantime, we have a ton of blogs to help you cope and lean more about yourself at our website.

 

Consider reaching out to us at New Leaf to discuss your options for trauma therapy in Simi Valley, CA.

 

In-person therapy in Simi Valley is ideal for those seeking a separate, safe space from their home. Check out our blog on Online Therapy or In Office Therapy to understand what format is best for you. Another great blog to read is ours on if you need Therapy or Medication to address your issues.

 

By seeking out support, you can begin your journey to feeling relief. You don’t have to go through finding the right level of support alone, either.

 

Consider calling our therapy group at (805) 774-1506 for a free consultation on how you or a loved one can get started today!

 

Seek out a validating, safe environment with us today. We will help you get to where you want to be. Our therapists provide trauma therapy, teen therapy, individual adult therapy, LGBTQIA+ therapy, anxiety therapy, depression therapy, family therapy, and more in-office in Simi Valley, CA.