Poll Is Your Therapist A Trauma Specialist?

[Hashi]

This doesn't have to be a psychotherapist or psychiatrist. It's for any type of therapy, for example it could also be brainspotting, reiki, somatic, creative or couples therapy.

I don't know a definition of a trauma specialist. What I mean is things like:

• Your therapist has done a lot of training about trauma and it's effects (not just a weekend course)
• They have significant experience of working with survivors of trauma
• They list trauma or PTSD as a major speciality.

I would exclude things that are inconclusive on their own, like:

• A professional who knows you have PTSD referred you to them
• Your therapist lists PTSD/trauma as a specialty along with ten or so other areas
• They are at some stage of EMDR training

unless they're combined with something that makes it clearer whether they could be called a specialist at this point or not.

The reason I'm wondering is that I quite often notice people on the forum who are seeing a therapist who isn't a trauma specialist, for various reasons, or who don't know whether their therapist is.

If you want to post to add a comment about the type of therapy or whether you think it matters to see a trauma therapist, I'd be interested in that too.

 

[Lucycat]

What a great poll!

I think it hugely important that trauma is treated by somebody with experience in trauma therapy. I am very lucky that my therapist is so interested in trauma. He reads text books about it in his spare time. He understands that everyone is different and can vary therapy to suit. It is only because of vast experience that he has the confidence and knowhow to do this. I know everybody has to learn somehow, but II am glad I don't have a learner practicing with my life.

 

[digger]

I put 'other' because, while she doesn't refer to herself anywhere specifically as a trauma specialist, the areas she does specialise in (which is not a list of EVERYTHING) correspond to the traumas I'm dealing with.

• Your therapist lists PTSD/trauma as a specialty along with ten or so other areas

There is no one within reasonable travelling distance of where I live that doesn't list PTSD/trauma amongst a much longer list. And there are no specific trauma specialists within reasonable travelling distance of where I live.
I would be looking at two or three buses/trains each way to see someone who lists PTSD as a specialism. That would be too much stress for me on top of therapy itself and actually, at the time I started seeing her, would have been physically too much as well.

So for my personal situation, not seeing someone who describes themselves as a trauma specialist is the best option. If there were more choice, I would probably look at a trauma specialist first though.

I should also add that I am happy with my therapist. I'm not just settling for her because of lack of choice. I would take no therapy over a bad therapist in that case.

 

[Wyakin]

Mine is. I am by fortunate to fall within the coverage area for our local Veterans service. Although my trauma is not combat related they do treat people with other causes of PTSD. My therapist has a lot of experience with both EMDR and talk therapies. I count myself as very very lucky to have received a diagnosis and treatment on my first go by the appropriate people.

 

[Smile]

Great poll! I only recently started becoming very conscious that my T is not a trauma specialist. He has said things during out sessions that (I believe) unnecessarily upset me because of his lack of background in trauma. The funny thing is he's a great T, I would recommend him to someone with other issues.

I've come to the point where I realize that my recovery is dependant on tools... Tools that he doesn't/can't teach me

 

[Namenotdiagnosis]

My t is trauma specialist esp for PTSD , she's done loads if emdr and brain spotting and I found it really helpful , I did spend ages researching one esp trained in PTSD as most ts cum with lots if other knowledge and experience but I really wanted one in who specialised in this area so I was fortunate I found her

 

[joeylittle]

Mine is a specialist. But that's not how he labels his practice; it's just how many area psychiatrists and hospitals know how to refer people to him (which is how I met him). I didn't think I was looking for a trauma therapist when I started with him. But it was a major criteria for me in choosing him that most of his certification hours were spent doing crisis work (being the on-call for ERs, training suicide hotline people, being on-call for disaster support). I needed to be working with someone who wasn't going to overreact when I talked about suicide, or self-harming, or was really in a black pit. And he's amazing at handling crisis.

Then, as it became more apparent to me that I needed to work through this trauma, I believe it was his insight that made it possible for me to go there. And that was when I learned about the extent of his certifications and experience with PE, EMDR, EFT, and how many times he had traveled to work with survivors of large-scale disasters in the aftermath, and how he is very passionate about providing effective and safe trauma therapy.

I really feel fortunate that my psych did the referral, and that he had room in his practice. I struggle with him and the work sometimes, but I can't imagine finding someone else who would be as good a fit for the kind of therapist I work best with.

 

[Changing4Best]

Anthony has said in one of his articles, (I forget which one, but they are in THE VAULT) that the elderly should not get trauma therapy. I assume this is because we are fragile in our health and might have a heart attack or something. I'm elderly, so I don't ask for it or look for it in my therapist.

 

[Suzetig]

Mine is a trauma specialist, she seriously knows what she's doing and it has made all the difference in our work together.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I put "other".

I don't have a therapist right now but all of my past therapists since diagnosis have been trauma specialists. However, when I toy with the idea of going back to therapy, I know I won't be seeking out a trauma therapist. My issue now is obsessive thinking, and I know the chances of finding a therapist I like who specializes in both out in my neck of the woods is slim to none.

 

[scout86]

I put "yes" because he meets your criteria. He doesn't JUST do trauma though. (He says he'd get bored if he only did one thing.)

 

[Chris Taranta]

My Doc is not a specialist but he spent a year long tour in Hell. He gets it!