What is Trauma?
Trauma refers to the emotional, psychological, and physical distress experienced as a result of an overwhelming and upsetting event. It can occur when individuals witness or directly experience events that exceed their ability to cope, leaving them feeling helpless, frightened, or powerless.
What sets trauma apart is its lasting imprint; the intense emotions and memories associated with the traumatic event can persist long after the experience itself. This can manifest in intrusive thoughts, heightened anxiety, avoidance behavior, and challenges in daily functioning.
What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological response to traumatic experiences and can encompass an array of symptoms, including distressing thoughts, recurring nightmares, heightened anxiety, emotional numbness, irritability, and difficulties in concentration. Individuals with PTSD might also display avoidance behaviors, steering clear of triggers associated with the traumatic event, as well as exhibiting increased arousal, such as being easily startled. Such responses can significantly disrupt one's ability to engage in normal activities and maintain stable relationships.
recognizing the signs of trauma
Trauma-Informed Therapy at Repose
Repose therapists work through a trauma-informed lens. Trauma-informed care is an approach to therapy that that recognizes and responds to the impact of trauma on a person's life, health, and well-being. Instead of asking, “what’s wrong with you?,” a trauma-informed therapist will ask, “what happened to you?”
Trauma-informed care emphasizes safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. It aims to create a safe and supportive environment where clients can explore their experiences, learn new coping skills, and heal from the effects of trauma.
Types of Trauma Therapy at Repose
We offer a range of evidence-based therapies tailored to your needs. With the guidance of one of our trauma-informed therapisTs, you can learn to heal and grow from past traumas.
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing is a therapeutic technique developed by DR. PETER A. LEVINE, a renowned psychologist and trauma specialist. It is based on the premise that traumatic experiences, whether physical or emotional, can become stuck in the body, leading to a range of psychological and physical symptoms. The aim of Somatic Experiencing is to release this stored trauma energy and restore the body and mind to a state of equilibrium.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy integrates elements from various therapeutic approaches, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), psychoanalytic therapy, and somatic techniques. The primary aim of EMDR is to help individuals process distressing memories and reduce the emotional and psychological impact they have on their lives.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a structured approach that reshapes negative thoughts and behaviors. It helps individuals link thoughts, emotions, actions, and cope with trauma. By challenging distorted beliefs and gradual exposure to traumatic memories, CBT reduces distress, avoidance, and anxiety, aiding recovery and restoring control.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy views the mind as a collection of sub-personalities or "parts." It aids trauma healing by identifying and addressing these parts' roles in managing traumatic experiences. By fostering communication and understanding among parts, IFS aims to diminish internal conflict, promote self-compassion, and restore emotional equilibrium post-trauma.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, acknowledging thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment. It involves bringing attention to the here and now, enhancing self-awareness, and cultivating a non-reactive attitude toward the unfolding experiences. Mindfulness practices are integrated into somatic therapy to help individuals tune into their bodily sensations, identifying areas of tension or discomfort. By remaining present and non-judgmental during these experiences, clients can gradually release emotional blocks and process unresolved trauma.
Experiential Therapy
Experiential therapy employs actions, movements, and creative expression to address trauma. Including art therapy, yoga therapy, and dance movement therapy, it encourages individuals to explore and process emotions through non-verbal channels. Art creation, yoga poses, and dance movements provide avenues to access and release suppressed feelings. By engaging the body and mind, experiential therapy helps individuals heal from trauma, fostering self-discovery, emotional release, and empowerment in their journey toward recovery.
Trauma and the Body
Traumatic events not only affect emotional and cognitive realms, but also imprint their mark on the body's physiology. The stress response triggered by trauma can lead to physical tension, increased heart rate, and shallow breathing, reflecting the body's readiness for action. These physiological changes can become locked into the body, contributing to symptoms like chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, and immune system dysregulation.
The mind-body connection is a two-way street – physical sensations can trigger emotional memories, and emotional distress can manifest as physical symptoms. Recognizing and addressing this connection is vital in trauma therapy, as somatic therapy techniques that engage the body, can aid in releasing stored trauma and reestablishing harmony between the emotional and physical dimensions of healing.
Finding a Trauma Therapist in
New York, New Jersey, & Connecticut
Therapy can be an intimidating first step for anyone, but especially for those who are looking to work through trauma. At Repose, we believe demonstrating empathy, compassion, and cultural humility are essential in providing sensitive and effective treatment. All of our therapists are trauma-informed, meaning they are trained in the psychological, physiological, and emotional ways in which trauma impacts one’s overall wellbeing. Repose therapists also undergo extensive training in evidence-based trauma therapies, such as EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Somatic Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and experiential therapies.
Types of Trauma
Trauma is not what happens to you; trauma is what happens inside of you as a result of what happens to you.
gabor matÉ