What is “therapy”?

The term “therapy” can mean a lot of things. For some it means just talking to someone. However, there are many modalities of therapy that are more than just talking. And there are many that are especially known for being effective for survivors of events that caused PTSD.

What type of therapy do I need?

The first thing to know is that each person is unique and the type of therapy that will work for them is different. If you are not finding success with one person or one type of therapy, you should be open to trying another. Do not give up after trying one person or type of treatment.

There are many types of therapies, here are a few that we have found useful:

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) - Originally developed to reduce distress associated with traumatic memories, EMDR has been seen to help with a wide range of traumatic life events. The goal of EMDR is heal the brain from the trauma caused by experiencing traumatic events in a far shorter period of time than is traditionally needed.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) - Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders and severe mental illness. Numerous research studies suggest that CBT leads to significant improvement in functioning and quality of life. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.

Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT) - Rapid Resolution Therapy is designed with the trauma survivor in mind. Unlike commonly used treatments for PTSD and other trauma based disorders, this method focused solely on changing thought patterns and automatic responses of the brain in a single conversation. This technique capitalizes on the latest in neuroplasticity research and uses words with comforting body language to activate and soothe the nervous system of the trauma survivor.

Medications - Medications don’t work alone as a treatment for PTSD. Instead, they work to temporarily alleviate the symptoms associated with PTSD; like anxiety, depression, muscle pain and hypervigilance. One of the most common types of medication given to people with PTSD is a SSRI (or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) which works together with neurotransmitters to create more positive chemicals in the brain.

What is the difference between Therapy and Healing?

The simplest explanation is that Therapy is often delivered by a medical professional and is designed to help you deal with the trauma the brain suffered as a result of a severe traumatic experience. Healing is what we do to try and get our lives back to a state of normal, and how we continue to thrive as we move forward in life. Both are a normal and healthy part of trauma recovery.