Effective therapies for trauma and PTSD
As a therapist who works with people who have experienced trauma on a daily basis – I find it immensely hopeful to see the power of different therapeutic treatments when it comes to healing.
Today, I’ll be sharing about two specific treatments that we personally use in our therapy practice for targeting PTSD symptoms and helping people create new stories for their lives.
First, let’s talk a bit about what PTSD even is.
The American Psychiatric Association defines PTSD as “a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event.”
Symptoms of PTSD may include
Recurrent or distressing memories
Recurrent and distressing dreams related to the trauma
Flashbacks (this entails someone feeling like they are reexperiencing the event or can be a complete loss of awareness of present surroundings.
People may experience Intense stress and triggers related to cues that remind the person of the trauma and could have intense physical reactions as well.
PTSD often comes with mood issues, problems with memory and concentration, and distorted and persistent negative beliefs about oneself, others, or the world. They may have diminished interest in significant activities (examples include hobbies or events they previously enjoyed), feelings of estrangement and attachment from others, and a persistent inability to experience positive emotions.
Additionally, individuals with PTSD may experience irritable or angry outbursts, reckless or self-destructive behavior, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, and sleep disturbances.
In short, PTSD can make it extremely challenging to live the lives we want to live. The hopeful news is that there are several effective therapeutic treatments for PTSD. Let’s dive into them:
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective form of therapy treatment for PTSD, trauma symptoms, anxiety, substance abuse, depression, unresolved memories, and other mental health concerns.
EMDR involves bilateral stimulation, which calms the brain and nervous system and allows you to fully process memories and rewire new pathways in your brain and body. We use bilateral stimulation in EMDR to provide feedback to your brain and body. We can do this in several ways:
We can use Theratappers, which is an electronic device with two paddles you hold in the palm of each hand during processing. The paddles alternately vibrate in your palm during processing.
Another option is to tap your thighs or track the therapist’s fingers with your eyes as they swipe them back and forth in front of your eye.
I know this all might sound a little strange, but we explain all this thoroughly during your sessions and you have control over what kind of bilateral stimulation is used. We can even conduct EMDR online and use special software so you can listen to alternating sounds in your ears or track a ball moving back and forth on your computer screen. This is a collaborative process and your therapist will help you find the method(s) you feel most comfortable with.
During an EMDR session, you will be asked to close your eyes or look at the floor or any point in the office that is away from the therapist’s face. Your therapist will sit quietly, tracking your progress, facial expressions, and movements as you process. Most people sit quietly with their eyes closed and we carefully look for nuances that indicate your processing shifted or changed. We will periodically ask, “What did you notice?” You will provide a few words to describe where you are in your processing and we’ll reply with, “Let’s go with that.” This will continue until you fully process the memory, and feel calm, relaxed, and more self-confident.
The Safe and Sound Protocol
The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a non-invasive and pleasant music intervention that reduces stress, lessens auditory sensitivity, facilitates social engagement and resilience, and promotes well-being. SSP works at a neural level and tones the nervous system to reduce stress and promote calm. Similar to the physical exercise you do in the gym, SSP gently stimulates and exercises the neural pathways related to sociability and connectivity.
Based on years of research by Dr. Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory, the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) is a five-hour therapeutic listening intervention designed to support the client's emotional regulation and neuroception (i.e. sense of one's safety), as well as decrease the client's auditory sensitivity.
The music is designed to stimulate the vagus nerve, which is responsible for calming the nervous system. This allows for enhanced social engagement and resilience in children and adults. The purpose of SSP is to create new, positive connections in the brain that allow the client to regulate onself by "stretching the nervous system, not stressing the nervous system."
SSP is great for emotional regulation and calming the nervous system, and can help you feel a greater sense of safety within yourself and the world.
Dr. Porges first began using the SSP with children with autism and it resulted in some incredible changes. Throughout the years, SSP has been proven to help individuals with:
Auditory sensitivity
Sensory Processing Disorders (SPD)
Anxiety disorders
Attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD),
Depression
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Relationship difficulties
Social anxiety
Separation anxiety
Anger
Reading comprehension issues
Sleep problems
It continues to be helpful for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
SSP is intended to be used as an additional form of therapy, not as the primary method of therapy. It works great when used as a complement to the types of therapies the individual is already engaged in.
The Safe and Sound Protocol involves a total of five hours of specially processed music that can be administered in 1-hour increments over 5 consecutive days or 30-minute increments over 10 consecutive days.
Both EMDR and the Safe and Sound Protocol are extremely effective at treating trauma and PTSD. Each of our therapists at Ray Family Therapy is highly trained in these modalities and helps their clients create a new way of being.
If you’d like to take the next step, feel free to reach out to our team today. We provide free consultations and are would be honored to be a part of your healing.