Trauma Therapies
Trauma Treatment
Everyone is talking about trauma, but what is it? Trauma refers to something that overwhelmed our ability to cope, something that changed our sense of safety in the world. Threat of harm to ourselves or loved ones, natural disaster, medical trauma or injury, rape, neglect and abuse. These are some of the experiences that can create a sense of being ‘stuck’. Trauma brings a change in biological stress response, an altered outlook on life, or even intrusive thoughts and memories. Symptoms of a traumatic response might include:
- Inability to forget and move on
- Difficulty talking about events
- Irritability and insomnia
- Feeling unsafe in the world and cynical in relationships
- Detachment from life, emotional numbness
- Challenges imagining a future
“Trauma therapy isn’t just talking about the bad thing; its learning how that thing changed us and finding resilience rather than destruction within ourselves.”
Longmont Counseling is both trauma-informed and utilizes specific interventions to help navigate daily coping as well as creating some resolution around the original event itself. We support PTSD and C-PTSD survivors with both short-term and long-term goals for their wellness. Through psychoeducation, mindfulness, and narrative therapies clients can find their way back to a new normal.
- Understand the biological responses to trauma
- Approach memories without emotional overwhelm
- Developing mindfulness and specific skills for managing strong emotion
- Exploring internalized trauma narrative
We recognize recovery for our clients in both the big and small ways: improved sleep, less irritability and conflict, more positive emotions and life experiences and a sense of future and hopefulness. There is a strange miracle in being able to tell your story until it truly expresses your fear, your guilt, your loss and even your victory. We are here for that and look forward to supporting you.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Developed specifically for children and teens, we offer this structured and well-supported approach to trauma-treatment. This model can help children and their caregivers re-write the narrative of fear and develop positive, family-wide coping for the impact of abuse, neglect or other traumatic events.
TF-CBT is generally experienced in 14-18 structured sessions that build practical coping for emotion as well as insight into the trauma. Both child and caregiver learn methods for regulating emotions and recognizing trauma-responses.
- Children showing high levels of fear, avoidance or even emotional numbing around difficult events in their past.
- Tantrums, dysregulation and regression in toileting
- Chronic sleep disturbances or gut/GI issues.
Children and teens show reduction in trauma symptoms on average 4-6 weeks after starting treatment. We are passionate about helping kiddos develop their strength and courage around events that might have defined them.