Trauma Therapy in Atlanta, GA
Taking the first steps to overcome the fear, pain, and suffering you experience due to trauma can be complex. You may be unsure of how to change your life. You might be afraid of having to face your trauma. However, when you are ready, trauma therapy in Atlanta will help you regain your freedom over your life.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is an emotional response to a deeply and overwhelming disturbing or distressing event that affects an person’s ability to cope. Trauma can be caused by a single event, such as a natural disaster, sexual assault, physical attack, or serious accident. It can also result from ongoing exposure to emotionally harmful experiences, such as abuse or neglect.
Traumatic events cause intense feelings of fear, helplessness, and horror in the person affected by them. These feelings can have long-lasting psychological effects that can interfere with the person’s life functioning.
Types of Trauma
Complex Trauma:
Complex trauma is caused by repeated and prolonged exposure to traumatic events over a long period. Examples include living in an environment with chronic abuse or neglect, repeated exposure to violence, or being held captive.
Interpersonal Trauma:
This type of trauma occurs when one person experiences harm caused by another person through physical or emotional abuse. Examples include sexual assault, domestic violence, bullying, and childhood abuse.
Developmental Trauma:
Developmental trauma refers to traumatic experiences during early childhood that disrupts normal development processes in a child’s life due to persistent patterns of stressful conditions, such as neglect or poverty.
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD):
ASD is a condition characterized by intense psychological distress following a traumatic event that lasts between three days up to one month after the event has occurred.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
PTSD is an anxiety disorder caused by exposure to a traumatic situation resulting in intrusive memories and vivid nightmares paired with negative mood states like depression, detachment from loved ones, loss of trust in others, intrusive thoughts, unpredictable emotions, and self-destructive behaviors.
Signs and Symptoms of Trauma
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- Intense fear, helplessness, or horror.
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- Flashbacks or intrusive memories of the traumatic event.
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- Nightmares or difficulty sleeping.
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- Difficulty concentrating.
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- Avoidance of activities, places, thoughts, or feelings associated with the trauma.
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- Hypervigilance and increased startle (flight or fight) response.
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- Emotional numbing and detachment from others.
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- Excess alcohol and substance use.
What to Expect During Trauma Therapy in Atlanta
Trauma therapy in Atlanta typically involves a process of healing and developing coping strategies to address the traumatic event or experience. It can involve individual, group, or family counseling sessions with a mental health professional.
During therapy sessions, individuals will work to identify and understand their own thoughts and feelings related to the trauma. They will also learn how to manage negative emotions like anxiety and depression.
In addition, they learn how to develop healthier coping skills for future stressful situations. Therapy also helps them gain insight into how the trauma has impacted their lives. The goal is for individuals to be able to cope with past traumas to live a more fulfilling life in the present.
The Connection Between Trauma and Addiction
Trauma and addiction often go hand-in-hand. People who have experienced traumatic events are more likely to turn to alcohol and substance use to self-medicate their trauma symptoms and cope with the emotional pain associated with the trauma.
Additionally, people who struggle with addiction can be more prone to experiencing traumatic events, as their judgment and decision-making are impaired due to the effects of drugs or alcohol. Therefore, taking steps towards healing from trauma and substance use disorders helps to reduce cravings for substances and leads to lasting recovery from addiction while receiving help to address one’s trauma.
Benefits of Trauma Therapy in Atlanta
Trauma therapy in Atlanta can provide a number of benefits to those who have experienced trauma, including the following:
- Helps individuals to process and better understand their traumatic experiences.
- Teaches individuals how to develop healthy coping skills for managing difficult emotions.
- Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Help people learn how to rebuild trust in relationships
- Improves communication skills.
- Increases self-esteem.
Additionally, it can provide a safe space for people to explore their feelings without fear of judgment or criticism. Trauma therapy is an important part of the healing process that can lead to greater emotional well-being and improved quality of life.
Our Approach to Trauma Therapy and Trauma-Informed Treatment
At Inner Voyage Recovery, we believe every person’s healing journey is unique. Our trauma-informed approach to therapy is tailored to meet each person’s individual needs and focuses on creating an environment of safety, trust, and understanding. We provide a wide range of therapeutic services and addiction treatment options. Additionally, we offer supportive resources, crisis counseling, and support groups.
Regain Control Over Your Life with Trauma Therapy in Atlanta
We understand the challenges that trauma can bring and are here to help you take back control of your life. Inner Voyage Recovery strives to provide compassionate and effective therapy services to help you heal from traumatic experiences and move forward into a brighter future. When you are ready to start your healing journey, contact us today.
Sources:
McMahon, D. (2018). When Trauma Slips into Addiction.
Recognizing and Treating Child Traumatic Stress. (2022).
Trauma and Violence. (2022).