What is Trauma?

Trauma is a distressing event in which a person feels severely threatened emotionally, psychologically, or physically. Most people will experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives, such as a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster. Many people recover from trauma with time and through the support of family and friends, bouncing back with great resiliency, but for others, the effects of trauma are lasting, causing a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed. 

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Most patients need ongoing psychological support to remain motivated and committed to the work necessary to heal and recover from trauma. With Teleios’ support, clients experience the synergistic effects of targeted therapies and services, and together, client and therapist bring about positive change.

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Trauma Targeted Therapies

Exposure Therapy is a type of behavioral therapy that is designed to help people manage problematic fears. Through the use of various systematic techniques, a person is gradually exposed to the situation that causes them distress. The goal of exposure therapy is to create a safe environment in which a person can reduce anxiety, decrease avoidance of dreaded situations, and improve one's quality of life.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)  is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people see the relationship between beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, and subsequent behavior patterns and actions. Through CBT, clients learn that their perceptions directly influence their responses to specific situations. In other words, a person’s thought process informs his or her behaviors and actions. Cognitive behavioral therapy is not a distinct treatment technique; rather, it is a general term, which refers to a group of therapies that have certain similarities in therapeutic methodology. 

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Psychodynamic Therapy - The goal of psychodynamic trauma therapy is to identify which phase of the traumatic response the individual is stuck in. Once this is discerned, the therapist can determine which aspects of the traumatic event interfere with the processing and integration of the trauma. Common elements of psychodynamic therapy include:

• Taking the individual’s developmental history and childhood into account

• Placing emphasis understanding the meaning of the trauma

• Looking at how the trauma has impacted the individual’s sense of self and relationships, as well as what has been lost due to the traumatic event

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