Working With Survivors: What To Know About Trauma Therapy Jobs

If you’re interested in helping people who have survived scary or life-threatening events, you might find yourself considering a job in trauma therapy. Trauma therapists generally work to help clients improve their mental health and well-being after experiencing trauma, and they may practice specialized forms of therapy like prolonged exposure and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. While working with trauma survivors can be highly rewarding, it can also be challenging. Attending sessions with another licensed mental health professional can enable you to address any mental health concerns or stressors you may experience as a trauma therapist.

Working with trauma survivors can come with unique challenges

Get the support you deserve in online therapy

Understanding trauma

Trauma can be defined as a lasting response to events that are terrifying, dangerous, or disturbing. Examples of events that may be traumatic include the following:

• Natural disasters
• Domestic violence
• Sexual abuse
• Life-threatening injuries or illnesses
• Terrorist attacks

Situations like these, during which the brain perceives danger, can activate the body’s fight-or-flight response, a reaction designed to help people protect themselves. The fight-or-flight response typically causes several physical and mental symptoms, such as those listed below:

• A racing heartbeat
• A rush of adrenaline
• A spike in blood pressure
• Trembling
• Rapid breathing
• Feelings of fear or anxiety

These symptoms usually fade with time after the event is over. However, when they continue for an extended period, cause changes in thinking and behavior, or disrupt a person’s daily life, this may be a sign of trauma. 

The mental health effects of trauma

Trauma can have several negative effects on mental health. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, can serve as a common example. PTSD is a condition that often involves reliving traumatic experiences through flashbacks or nightmares. People with PTSD may also avoid reminders of their trauma, seem tense or on edge, or have ongoing feelings of guilt, shame, or fear. 

Trauma may have other effects on mental health, aside from PTSD. Trauma survivors may also have a greater risk of developing the following mental health disorders:

• Depression: Depression can be described as a state of ongoing sadness or other negative feelings that are intense enough to interfere with daily life. People who are depressed may struggle to concentrate, lack motivation, lose interest in relationships, or experience changes in their eating or sleeping habits.
• Panic disorder: Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder usually involving repeated and unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are episodes of intense fear that can involve trembling, chest pain, chills, sweating, shortness of breath, or a sense of impending doom. 
• Generalized anxiety disorder: Generalized anxiety disorder, or GAD, is another type of anxiety disorder in which people may worry excessively about the future. This worry is often hard to control and may be accompanied by restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, and trouble sleeping. 
• Substance use disorders: Some people may respond to trauma by self-medicating with alcohol or other substances. These substances may bring temporary relief from symptoms, but using them to cope with trauma may raise the risk of addiction. 

These are just a few of the ways trauma may negatively affect mental health. 

What does trauma therapy involve?

The principles of trauma therapy (sometimes called trauma-informed therapy) include the following:

• Understanding the ways trauma can affect clients’ thoughts, feelings, and behavior
• Responding to clients with trauma in a sensitive way
• Recognizing the symptoms of trauma in clients and identifying the root cause
• Creating a safe, supportive environment for clients
• Taking steps to prevent traumatic memories from causing distress in the future

There are several types of trauma therapy that therapists may use to help their clients recover.

• Cognitive therapy (CT): CT originally comes from CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, which is primarily based on the idea that changing thought patterns can relieve psychological symptoms. 

In cognitive therapy, therapists typically help survivors reframe the ways they think about their trauma and the beliefs they may have developed about it. 

• Cognitive processing therapy (CPT): CPT is another type of cognitive behavioral therapy. During CPT, survivors usually write about their experiences and read their statements aloud. Their therapist can then help them shift their beliefs and feelings about the trauma. CPT usually takes place over 12 sessions. 
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR typically takes place over six to 12 sessions. The goal of EMDR is normally to change the way traumatic memories are stored in the brain, which may offer symptom relief. During an EMDR session, the client usually reflects on their experiences while their therapist guides them through specific patterns of eye movements. 
• Prolonged exposure (PE): The goal of prolonged exposure therapy is generally to help survivors heal from negative feelings they may be experiencing after trauma. During PE, a therapist can help their client slowly approach reminders and memories of the trauma they’ve experienced to overcome feelings of fear and anxiety. 

It can be common for trauma therapists to specialize in a specific type of trauma therapy based on their professional goals and preferences.

Qualifications for trauma therapy jobs

Trauma therapy is usually seen as a specialized branch of therapy. Trauma therapists normally receive additional training in treating trauma survivors. Trauma therapy jobs may be found in various settings, such as those listed below:

• Hospitals
• Community mental health clinics
• Schools 
• The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
• Child protective services (CPS) agencies

Generally speaking, most therapy jobs, including jobs in trauma therapy, require a master’s degree or a PhD. Advanced degrees like these usually require you to start with a four-year bachelor’s degree. Below are several common undergraduate areas of study for a trauma therapist:

• Psychology
• Social work
• Counseling
• Sociology
• Public health

Advanced degrees a trauma therapist might hold include the following:

• Master of Social Work
• MS (Master of Science) in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• MA (Master of Arts) or MS in Counseling
• MA or MS in Psychology
• PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Psychology
• Doctorate in Social Work

Depending on where you live, you will likely need to have a license to practice therapy. Getting a license usually requires therapists to have a certain amount of postgraduate training, although the exact requirements can vary by state. 

Specializing in trauma therapy may also require additional training in specific therapy types, as well as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) certification. 

Working with trauma survivors can come with unique challenges

Get the support you deserve in online therapy

Taking care of your mental health as a trauma therapist

Helping trauma survivors start the healing process can be a rewarding career. However, if you specialize in trauma therapy, you may want to be mindful of your own mental health as well. Professionals who work closely with trauma survivors may be at risk of a condition called vicarious trauma. Sometimes called “secondary traumatic stress,” vicarious trauma can lead to ongoing negative feelings, preoccupation with thoughts of patients, and negative changes in your beliefs about the world. 

To manage the mental health challenges you might face as a trauma therapist, you might consider going to therapy yourself. Working with another professional may be a way to explore your experiences, develop healthy coping skills, and get an objective view of your thoughts and feelings. That said, it can sometimes be hard to find a therapist who understands the challenges you’re going through. Online therapy platforms can match you with a licensed therapist based on your needs and allow you to change therapists whenever you want. This may make it easier to find the right therapist for you. 

Research shows that online therapy can be effective at treating mental health concerns that may affect trauma therapists. In a 2017 review, researchers analyzed data from 373 studies of online CBT, which they found could be an effective treatment for anxiety, PTSD, depression, and more.