An Overview Of Trauma Therapy For Families
About half of U.S. adults may experience at least one traumatic event in their lives.
In addition, approximately 25% of U.S. children may experience a traumatic event before the age of four.
Trauma can have negative effects on both individuals and their loved ones. That’s why, whether a trauma survivor is an adult or a child, treatments involving the whole family may be an effective path to healing.
What is trauma?
Living through a shocking, scary, or dangerous event can have lasting effects on your thoughts, feelings, and behavior. When these effects are strong enough to disrupt your daily life, this is usually referred to as “trauma.”
Trauma can look different for different people. Events that are traumatic for one person might not be traumatic for another. That said, a few common examples of potentially traumatic events include the following:
- War
- Terrorist attacks
- Life-threatening illnesses or injuries
- Domestic violence
- Sexual abuse
- Natural disasters
Working closely with trauma survivors or witnessing other people’s traumatic experiences may also be traumatic, even if the event didn’t directly affect you. This form of trauma is sometimes called “vicarious trauma.”
Understanding the effects of trauma
Trauma can have lasting impacts on a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. When you go through a traumatic event, your body may go into “fight-or-flight” mode. This response can involve symptoms like a racing heartbeat, rapid breathing, and anxiety. These symptoms tend to fade with time, but in some cases, they may linger. Some people who have experienced trauma continue to experience its effects for months or years following the event. Below, discover several common side effects of trauma.
Negative behaviors and feelings: Feelings of guilt, shame, and emotional distress can be common trauma symptoms. Some people may also feel angry or frustrated about their experiences. In some cases, these emotions may turn into aggressive behavior, conflicts with loved ones, or even violence.
Depression: Depression can be described as a state of long-lasting, intense sadness. People who are depressed may lose interest in their relationships and hobbies. They may also have low levels of energy and struggle to keep up with their routines. Other common symptoms may include weight fluctuations, sleep changes, and trouble concentrating.
Substance use disorders: After a traumatic event, some people may self-medicate with alcohol or other substances. These substances may bring temporary relief from challenging thoughts and memories. That said, using substances to cope with trauma may raise the risk of addiction.
Post-traumatic stress disorder: Post-traumatic stress disorder is also known as PTSD. This condition can involve reliving traumatic memories and avoiding reminders of trauma. People with PTSD may also show changes in their mood and thinking, struggle to sleep, or seem constantly “on edge.”
Complex PTSD: Complex PTSD is a form of PTSD. Complex PTSD tends to develop after repeated or ongoing exposure to trauma. Going through trauma at a young age may also make someone more likely to develop the condition. For this reason, complex PTSD can be common among children exposed to domestic violence or long-term abuse.
What to know about trauma therapy for families
Families affected by a traumatic event may benefit from trauma-focused therapy. Trauma-focused therapy generally aims to help survivors understand their responses to trauma in a safe and supportive environment.
Trauma therapy does not always involve families, but it can. Often, family trauma therapy helps family members better understand the effects of trauma on their relationships and develop coping strategies.
Types of trauma-focused therapy that may be useful for families include the following:
- Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy: The goal of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is usually to help children affected by trauma change upsetting beliefs and develop healthy coping skills. TF-CBT typically also aims to help parents of trauma survivors manage their emotions and support their children.
- Trauma systems therapy: Trauma systems therapy (TST) normally aims to help families who are facing challenges due to trauma. In TST, mental health professionals and community advocates can work together to provide families with emotional skills training, legal help, medication, and more.
- Trauma systems therapy for refugees: Like trauma systems therapy, trauma systems therapy for refugees (TST-R) typically aims to address both mental health challenges and social factors in the aftermath of trauma. TST-R often focuses on helping refugee children and their families.
- Attachment, self-regulation, and competence: Also known as ARC, this form of therapy usually targets survivors of long-term or repeated trauma, including children and caregivers. ARC focuses on strengthening resilience, or the ability to adapt to challenging life experiences.
- Strengthening family coping resources: Sometimes called SFCR, this approach generally helps families affected by PTSD and other trauma-related mental health challenges. SFCR usually aims to help family members improve their communication, understanding, and coping skills.
These types of therapy may be useful for families affected by trauma. That said, specialized mental health treatments like these may not always be affordable. As a 2022 White House report pointed out, only half of U.S. adults with health insurance report having adequate mental health coverage.
If you’re having trouble finding accessible care, online therapy might be helpful. Platforms like BetterHelp offer live sessions with a licensed therapist for individuals and couples, starting at $65 per week.
Research shows that online therapy may benefit people living with the effects of trauma. In a 2023 study, 217 adults with PTSD received an internet-based mental health program for 12 weeks. Researchers found that the online treatment was effective, especially for individuals with symptoms of complex PTSD.
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