If you’ve suffered a traumatic event or events in your life, you’re not alone. Trauma is a major cause of mental health and substance abuse concerns in the U.S. Fortunately, this also means that many effective trauma treatments are available. Trauma-informed therapy, in particular, offers many benefits.
If you or a loved one is suffering with addiction or mental health concerns due to trauma, don’t wait another minute to seek support. Call 844.540.0357 or reach out online to talk to a member of the compassionate team at Painted Desert. Our women-only program features a gorgeous location, traditional therapeutic approaches, as well as holistic offerings such as meditation and equine therapy. We’re standing by to discuss how our stellar trauma-informed therapy program in New Harmony, Utah, could aid in your healing journey.
How Do I Know if Trauma-Informed Therapy Is Right for Me?
On a basic level, trauma is direct or indirect exposure to threatened or actual events involving death, sexual violation, or serious physical harm. That being said, the symptoms of trauma show up differently for different people. Here are a few common signs that trauma could be an underlying cause of what’s troubling you:
- You have upsetting images, memories, or nightmares that recur and intrude on your everyday life
- The past and present feel somewhat blurred, such that it may feel like a past traumatic event is still happening right now
- You feel the need to avoid certain conversations, thoughts, or locations because they remind you of a traumatic event
- Emotional symptoms such as numbness, sadness, or anger are frequent
- You often feel like withdrawing from other people, and activities that used to give you joy no longer do
- Regular activities like work, social engagements, or school are more difficult
- You are using drugs or alcohol or engaging in risky behavior as a way of coping with emotional or psychological pain
- It only feels safe to be in certain positions in a room, for example facing the door at a restaurant
- You have recurring physical pain in the form of stomach aches, headaches, and the like
5 Benefits of Trauma-Informed Therapy
Taking the first step of admitting that your substance use or mental health concerns may be rooted in a traumatic event can be tough. Many trauma survivors experience intense feelings of guilt or shame about what happened. In this challenging time, remember that there are people committed to helping you gain back your power, security, and voice.
Engaging in a qualified trauma-informed therapy program can be a great first step toward healing. The following are just a few benefits of this approach:
1. Building Healthy Coping Skills
Tried-and-true coping skills like interrupting intrusive thoughts and replacing negative self-beliefs can be game-changers for survivors. Mindfulness practices like meditation can likewise give you the power to cope without using drugs or engaging in other dangerous behaviors.
2. Significantly Reducing Symptoms
Trauma symptoms can be incredibly disruptive. Decreasing or eliminating nightmares, flashbacks, and negative self-talk through therapy can help you reclaim agency.
3. Increasing Ability to Engage with Daily Life
As recovery progresses, you’ll likely notice that daily functioning becomes easier. This is because effective trauma-informed therapy works at the level of the nervous system, giving your body the tools it needs to support your heart and mind in all you choose to do.
4. Renewing Sense of Possibility
With your growing ability to stay with the present moment, instead of living in the effects of past trauma, the future can look much brighter as well. Without trauma taking up most of your conscious attention, life’s many opportunities are more apparent.
5. Having More Fulfilling Relationships
Doing the powerful self-work of trauma therapy allows you to relate to others in a deeper, healthier, and more lasting way. Relationships damaged by trauma-based substance use or mental health concerns can also often heal through this work.
Reach Out to Painted Desert in New Harmony, UT, for More Information About Trauma-Informed Therapy
Still have questions about trauma-informed care? The qualified staff of Painted Desert is ready and waiting to help. Give us a call or reach out electronically to start the conversation. Remember, if you’re on the journey to trauma healing, you’re in good company.
