Largely unrecognized is the grieving for other kinds of losses besides those associated with actual death. When we think of trauma over time you can continue to go through the stages of grief. Some literature has also referred to trauma as “little deaths” that can linger over decades as “unremoved splinters in the survivor’s psyche for decades.” Adults that survive childhood abuse and neglect can have lasting effects mentally and physically. You may feeling a range of emotions and experience physical conditions such as; chronic pain, insomnia, loss of hope, struggling to love yourself or others, feeling pleasure or joy, and sometimes difficulty being touched, there are so many other symptoms that we can explore. If any of this is familiar to you explore more information below.

What is Trauma?

Trauma is when you have endured a significant life event that has an overwhelming impact on your life.

Types of Trauma

When we think of trauma, we often think of catastrophic events - rape, incest abuse, war, molestation, verbal, physical, sexual abuse by a parent, caretaker, or sibling/family member, natural disasters, crime, car wrecks, and domestic violence, to name a few. But trauma comes in all shapes and sizes. For instance, a trauma may also include;

• A medical emergency

• Experiences of loss and grief

• Living in chaotic or critical environments

• Getting fired

• Infidelity

• Divorce

• Bullying

• Neglect or abandonment

• Birth trauma – either giving birth or being born

• A humiliating event

• Medical procedures or fear of procedures

• Events during or after active addiction

• Moral Trauma (Surviving an accident or war)

Even secondary traumas, where you hear about or learn about something that happened to someone else, can take a toll. For instance, watching natural disaster coverage on the news, reading stories of medical emergencies or crimes on social media, or listening to friends recount their own traumatic and painful experiences can all take a toll as secondary trauma.

Categories of Trauma

There are many different types of trauma, understanding what each on these terms mean will help you get started with putting words to your experiences.

Acute trauma - A single disturbing event such as a car accident, natural disaster or a single event of assault. Sometimes also called single-incident trauma or simple trauma (This involves one trauma, not that the negative effects of it are painless).

Chronic trauma - Multiple, repetitive or prolonged disturbing events such as repeated witnessing of community violence or multiple treatments for an illness.

Complex trauma - Multiple, chronic or prolonged disturbing experiences most often of an interpersonal nature such as family violence or neglect. Relationships involve an expectation of safety and when that is lost, trauma occurs.

Secondary traumatic stress- Occurs from knowing about a traumatizing event experienced by someone with whom you are in a close relationship, such as a significant other, a client or patient, or a close friend, coupled with the stress from helping or wanting to help.

Vicarious Trauma - Occurs when there is indirect exposure to a traumatic event that results in changes to beliefs about self, the world, and spiritual beliefs. This can be through hearing first-hand accounts or reading narratives of the event.

What are the symptoms of trauma

 Understanding how trauma impacts you

As your therapist my role is to help you understand your trauma by giving you words for what you already know and help you see patterns where no patterns existed for you before. When people are exposed to overwhelming fear, and particularly when exposed to episodes of repetitive fear, there are many adverse short-term and long-term consequences.

• In the short-term, stress affects your memory. In some cases our memory is enhanced, in other cases stress disrupts memory. When stressed, we cannot think clearly, we can feel immobilized, it becomes harder to consider the long-term consequences of our behavior. Weighing all of the possible options before making a decision can be more challenging and we find it harder to take the time to obtain all the necessary information that goes into making good decisions. Our decisions tend to be based on impulse and an experienced need to self-protect. 

• In long-term stress, you can become less able to learn from the past and to predict future outcomes of your actions; it is harder to recognize and modify mistakes, you can become excessively frightened, have difficulty discerning how your body responds to trauma, it may become harder to restrain the compulsive reenactment of a traumatic past (substance abuse, risk-taking behaviors, repeated thoughts of suicide are all forms of repetitive, reenactment behavior).

How therapy can help you heal

We explore your symptoms, thinking difficulties, emotional challenges, and explore how the trauma is an injury, rather than indicators of sickness. We will learn about the nature and course of the injuries for you to assume control in your life and help your injuries heal. We will look at ways to understand how negative life experiences have shaped your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It may be hard to talk to your supports, maybe you don’t feel heard or you find there is more advice giving than listening. Therapy will provide a validating, non-judgmental, authentic, and supportive place for you to navigate challenges you are experiencing.

Effective Therapies for Trauma

We have found that there are many effective therapies for trauma. We have found that it starts with weaving in Trauma Theory, which is knowledge gained over the last several decades about the biopsychosocial impacts of prolonged exposure to trauma on individual human beings and groups of people. We have found Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) to be a highly researched therapy and effective for PTSD. CPT focuses on how the traumatic event is understood and coped with by a person who is trying to regain control in their life and develop skills to handle the trauma. CPT helps us explore what has interfered with your recovery by uncovering “stuck points.”

What is Cognitive Processing therapy

PTSD symptoms are common immediately following a very serious traumatic event and recovery takes a few months under normal circumstances but can also take years if there is chronic and complex trauma. According to emotional processing theory, repetitive exposure to the traumatic memory in a safe environment will result in reduced fear and subsequent change in the fear structure. As emotion decreases, patients with PTSD will begin to modify their self-statements and reduce thoughts that may feel black or white. Repeated exposures to the traumatic memory are thought to result in diminished physical and psychological responses or change in the information about the event, and subsequently, the fear structure around the event.

How long does cognitive processing therapy take?

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a 12-session therapy that has been found effective for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After the 12 sessions are complete it is helpful to continue traditional therapy to work on processing your treatment needs.

• The therapy begins with about two sessions on an educational component about PTSD, and an Impact Statement is written for us to begin to identify problem areas in thinking about the traumatic event or “stuck points.”

• The third session, we work on identifying and labeling thoughts and feelings to recognize the relationship between them.

• The next two sessions focus on generating a trauma account of the traumatic incident, which we read in session.

• During the first five sessions, we begin to challenge thinking patterns, such as self-blame, hindsight bias, and other “stuck points.”

• Finally, the last two sessions focus on teaching cognitive therapy skills and focus on specific topics that are likely to have been disrupted by the traumatic event such as safety, trust, power/control, self-esteem, and intimacy. The final sessions, may take longer to process depending on where you are in your healing journey.

Where can i learn more about Cognitive processing Therapy?

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is considered an evidence based treatment for trauma and PTSD treatment. Learn more about CPT by visiting this resource page developed by the American Psychological Association.

Cognitive Processing Therapy is used all around the world

CPT is recognized as an effective form of trauma treatment by the American Psychiatric Association, Department of Veterans Affairs and International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Overall, we use CPT in our therapy practice, because it has been shown to be effective. If you are looking for help dealing with “stuck points” by resolving past trauma and reducing symptoms such as anger, anxiety, and re-experiencing past painful memories, CPT can help you find peace.

 Begin Cognitive processing Therapy for Trauma in Illinois

You can find healing from the trauma of your past. Follow these steps to begin your therapeutic journey:

1. Contact our counseling office to schedule a free 30 minute consultation.

2. Meet with one of our compassionate therapists for online therapy in Illinois.

3. Find relief from symptoms of PTSD and move forward with your life in a healthy way.

Other services offered at telos Health and wellness services

Counseling for trauma often involves several approaches towards recovery. Telos Health and Wellness in Illinois offers therapy for chronic pain and therapy for substance use disorders, and therapy for LGBTQ+. Contact our office to learn more. You can find recovery. Telos Health and Wellness Services can help you find yourself, find purpose, and find meaning to help you get closer to your goals for true inner peace.