Please Explain Trauma Therapy Compared To Exposure Therapy

[Cynthiatoo]

I think I have this right. Exposure Therapy is therapy such as the diary writing, reading, editing therapy while applying the SUDS scale, right? With the goal of reducing scores on the SUDS scale to a manageable level while being exposed to the traumas.

Please explain simply what Trauma Therapy is. Is that something that can be done within this forum or does it involve a Therapist?

I am using EMDR with myself and my partner and also using an eye patch while performing intricate tasks. Do these activities fall under Trauma Therapy"

Or is Trauma Therapy the term used to cover any communication of the traumas?

Thank you for your guidance.

 

[James B.]

Hello Cynthiatoo

Please note, this isn't guidance, per se, just my impressions and I may be wrong. I have two things to work on. 1) An anxiety disorder/PTSD. 2) Unhealed trauma. I use the eye patch/left hand skill development to help (possibly cure) my PTSD. I write in my diary to heal my trauma via exposure therapy.

Hope this helps.

 

[Cynthiatoo]

Thanks James, That does make sense to me.

Does anyone else have any input which will help to confirm this please?

 

[kers]

I think most people use 'trauma therapy' to refer to working with a therapist to deal with the many aspects of trauma, and it may include exposure therapy. Exposure therapy can also be done on your own.

Some people use the terms interchangeably or differently, though, as they are flexible.

 

[anthony]

Trauma therapy is more the act of working through your traumatic instances and finding needed resolution for them. Its about getting your brain to relearn realistic and accurate assessments, not necessarily the fictional aspects your brain develops, ie. rape has now caused you to think all men are bad. That is not factual, so trauma therapy exposes the trauma, resolves it, resolves issues surrounding it that have no become your lifestyle or impact your social and life functions.

Exposure therapy is the act of doing. Writing is an exposure therapy, but it must be combined with resolution, ie. CBT or such to resolve the trauma. You can talk about trauma all day, but without resolution or understanding, you won't resolve the trauma memories.

Exposure therapy is where you expose yourself to anything your fear, social and lifestyle functional aspects that you avoid. If you don't leave your home, then exposure therapy gets you back into life, driving a car, shopping, socialising, etc etc etc. A car accident victim is a classic example of exposure therapy by getting them back driving again. They must first resolve and understand, believe, it was an accident and that its not factual that by driving you are going to have an accident or die... which may be the thoughts after a life threatening accident. Exposure therapy would entail a slow and progressive introduction back into driving and then becoming self sufficient driving once again. Its about removing the fear.

EMDR, CBT, etc... these are trauma therapy types. Exposure therapy is part of CBT, and it provides the best results for PTSD due to the combination of trauma + exposure (practicable) therapy acts that remove the fear aspects associated within your brain due to trauma and/or PTSD.

 

[Cynthiatoo]

Thank you Anthony, that makes it very clear and I can see how I can begin to apply this to my personality and circumstance.

For one example, my mother is a major stressor to me and I have had T;s tell me to not telephone her, but to write. I did write, but I have slowly developed strategies for managing communications and have kept telephoning. I am now less afraid of calling her and see her less as a Monster who caused my problems.

"Getting the brain to learn realistic and accurate assessments". I seem to learn better in a self-directed way as I never believed therapists views on realistic assessments. They seemed like psycho-babble. Any articles or books you can direct me to or do the two recommended ones cover how to establish a realistic and accurate assessment.

I will do some searches myself also, so its OK if you dont have any. Thanks so much

For me that is an example of Exposure therapy that has removed the fear of my mothers ability to damage me. I am assuming that is right.

 

[anthony]

Yes, that is an example of exposure therapy... being the act of doing.