Written by Briana Perlson, LCSW
Many clients come to me having tried “traditional talk therapy” and finding it not helpful in resolving their trauma. As a holistic and somatically focused EMDR psychotherapist, I get it. Traditional therapy modalities such as CBT, DBT, and traditional analysis do not work well when a dysregulated nervous system, dissociation, and trauma intersect.
This is because trauma is stored in the emotional part of the brain, the amygdala, which shows up through somatic (body) responses and nervous system response. Traditional talk therapies that utilize thought analysis and thought stopping techniques, while helpful, are accessed in the logical part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex. The same part that slows down or completely shuts down during a trauma event. Thus, we cannot simply talk away our trauma.
This is why many people who go to treatment post trauma struggle with receiving the right care. Some therapists think that by simply asking about trauma in the intake means they are “trauma informed”. It goes beyond that. Understanding trauma and how to treat it helps inform not only the therapeutic interventions, but also the way to ask questions, process, and show up with a client. Somatic psychotherapy is a crucial part as trauma is stored in the body.
In order to rewire the brain and nervous system responses, you have to bring the body into treatment. As a result, trauma work is a slow process. Often we have to go slow to speed up. Things can feel harder before they get better. Creating safety within the therapeutic relationship as well as resourcing for the client is crucial.
Healing is absolutely possible, and will look different for each client. This is what trauma informed care looks like. So if you are feeling stuck try seeking out a different modality. My favorites are EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS Therapy (parts work), trauma informed yoga, trauma informed mindfulness, somatic experiencing, somatic psychotherapy.
For more information on trauma and healing please visit our resources on the TILA website.