Integrative Trauma Therapy

Our bodies filter our experiences. Our bodies are often ignored as an integral part of the healing process. Talking and processing is incredibly helpful with an empathetic and qualified provider. Although, talking may only get you so far, you may feel stuck in traditional talk therapy. This may be because your body needs attending to as well. You may need support helping not just your mind work it out, but your body too. This type of work is sometimes referred to as embodied healing. It is the practice of welcoming the unique sensations of our body as a healing tool. It is allowing space for increased awareness, staying present, self-regulation, feeling connected, finding balance, and cultivating knowledge of self, love for self, and feeling empowered to honor your body as part of the healing journey.

Further reading: AH Blog Post: Embodied Healing: The Body as the Key to Healing and Building Resilience

Internal Family Systems is a powerfully transformative, evidence-based model of psychotherapy. It is based on the belief that the mind is naturally multiple and that is a good thing. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. In IFS all parts are welcome.

Further reading: IFS Institute

Brainspotting locates points in the client’s visual field that help to access unprocessed trauma in the subcortical brain. Brainspotting (BSP) was discovered in 2003 by David Grand, Ph.D. Over 13,000 therapists have been trained in BSP (52 internationally), in the United States, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Africa. Dr. Grand discovered that "Where you look affects how you feel." It is the brain activity, especially in the subcortical brain that organizes itself around that eye position.

Further reading: Brainspotting.com

EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.

*We acknowledge that some clients who have experienced complex trauma have not benefited from the intensity of EMDR, we always assess the appropriateness of which approach to trauma feels best for the client before beginning a therapy intervention*

Further reading: What is EMDR? (EMDR Institute, Inc.)

Finding the right processing model that works for you is important, some of our providers are trained in Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) which is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD that have developed after experiencing a variety of traumatic events.

CPT is generally delivered over 12 sessions (although it can be more) and helps clients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma. In doing so, the client creates a new understanding and conceptualization of the traumatic event so that it reduces its ongoing negative effects on current life. This treatment is strongly recommended for the treatment of PTSD in individuals over the age of 18.

Further reading: Treatment: CPT (American Psychological Association)

Grief therapy is a type of treatment used to help people who have experienced the sudden death of a loved one. Grief therapy can also process and work through anticipatory grief of a loved one, and traumatic grief. Traumatic grief is often sudden, unexpected, and traumatic in nature. We recognize that traumatic loss can complicate the grieving process and require unique therapeutic support that blends trauma and grief treatment.In order to navigate grief, therapy can be a helpful and healthy way to process painful emotions, and adjust to life after loss. The goals of this form of therapy can include processing the pain of grief, adjusting to life after loss, reduction of trauma symptoms, learning skills to cope with the loss, and grief integration. We believe that there is no right or wrong way to grieve, and that we never “move on” from the ones we’ve lost. There are also no timelines or stages in grief and not all death is traumatic and results in traumatic grief.