Trauma-Informed Care

vs

Trauma-Focused Therapy

What are they, and is either a good fit for you?

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA.GOV), “individual trauma”…has lasting effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.”

samhsa.gov/mental-health/trauma-violence

Trauma-informed care (from any source) works to understand and recognize the impacts of trauma, as well as support trauma survivors and avoid re-traumatizing people.

I provide trauma-informed care.

Trauma-focused therapy involves interventions and techniques aimed to help people make sense of traumatic experiences, effectively process them, and develop functional ways to manage their responses to trauma.

Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and EMDR are types of trauma-processing therapy.

I provide Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE).

A Few Important Questions

Does trauma-informed care or trauma-focused therapy require that survivors talk about traumatic experiences?

No.  You are never required to talk about traumatic experiences.

Trauma-focused therapy can be effective without revisiting traumatic memories.

That said, during your intake, I will ask whether or not you have experienced trauma and if you’re comfortable telling me a little of what happened. But you are not required to give me an honest or complete answer.

Is it okay to talk about traumatic experiences in therapy?

Yes.

Some people benefit from processing traumatic memories.

I provide trauma-focused therapy with and without revisiting traumatic memories.

Are there rules about sharing traumatic experiences?

Yes.

Trauma-informed and trauma-focused therapy means that you decide

• what you share

• when you share

• how you share

• where you share (while being mindful of your privacy)

• who you share with

Not sure what you need?

We can talk about that.