Trauma Informed Counseling

The therapists at the Hazel Counseling Center are trained in multiple treatment methods to help people get relief from symptoms of PTSD.  Most trauma that is unresolved becomes stored in the central nervous which includes both the mind and the body.  Thoughts, feelings and physical sensations related to the original event all become opportunities to understand what  needs to be processed in order to restore a better sense of well being.  There are a variety of ways to do this therapeutically.  Below are a few of those options.  Please call and one of our therapists would be happy to help you identify an approach that you will feel comfortable with!

What is Brainspotting

Brainspotting (BSP) is a technique used to process difficult life experiences that remain unresolved with verbal processing or talk therapy.  This process aids the client and therapist to access emotional content stored in the central nervous system that is otherwise difficult to access with talk therapy alone.

Naturally we look around as we talk, and brainspotting optimizes this as it gives us helpful information about how the brain stores experiences.  A brainspotting session begins by first talking about the troubling situation or trauma, then noticing sensations in the body associated with this awareness.  An eye gaze direction or location in the visual field is identified as it correlates to physical sensations by intentionally tracking eye direction and related feelings.

This process aids the client and therapist to access emotional content stored in the central nervous system that is otherwise difficult to access with talk therapy alone.  Highly charged emotions are common with difficult, frightening, and traumatic experience.  However, emotional and physical experience are stored in a different region of the brain than we ordinarily use for language.  This means that when a visual eye gaze is located, there is an opportunity for resolution and a transformation of the original experience.

An equally important part of the BSP technique is the therapist’s awareness to not only what is being said, but also the apparent nonverbal process and emotion of the person working through the experience.  The therapist’s presence offers support and compassion while reducing feelings of loneliness that often accompany traumatic memory.  Often when the experience is reprocessed, the support of a caring person is an additional way to reconnect with emotions, placing them in the past and creating a sense of increased freedom in everyday life.

There are several ways to approach a brainspotting session that can be accommodated to the person’s comfort level and preference.  For this reason, the approach and technique are very client centered and empowering.  The person who is processing is in charge of their own experience.

What is Internal Family Systems?

Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapeutic approach that views the mind as a family or system of parts that can act separately from the center Self. IFS therapy is based on the idea that people may take on different familial roles in unsafe environments, and that these parts can conflict with each other and lead to problematic behaviors. The goal of IFS therapy is to help people identify and accept these parts, heal wounded parts, and correct problematic behavior patterns.  This way of healing encourages befriending all of the parts of the person. 

IFS therapy can treat a variety of conditions and symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic, phobias, trauma, substance use, and physical health conditions. IFS seeks to empower people toward wholeness and healing in all aspects of their life. 

What is Cognitive Processing Therapy?

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a type of therapy that can help people recover from trauma by changing their thought patterns. CPT is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that's often used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  CPT is based on the idea that trauma can impact how people think, which can lead to strong emotions and avoidance. These negative thoughts, called "stuck points", can prevent people from recovering from PTSD and can make them feel unsafe, like they don't deserve to be happy, or that they shouldn't have been there. In CPT, patients learn to recognize these thoughts and consider new perspectives. For example, instead of thinking "I shouldn't have been there", a patient might consider that they "didn't know what was going to happen and made the best decision I could at the time". By doing this, it's possible to reframe the trauma and reduce its negative effects on their lives.

More helpful links about Brainspotting, and other related topics, under the Links & Resources tab!