The goal of traditional therapy is to identify and change detrimental thoughts and behaviors, but the goal of trauma-informed therapy is to actively consider the effect of past trauma on a person’s present experiences. Understanding each individual’s unique story and prioritizing safety creates a supportive atmosphere for actual healing instead of just concentrating on present-day symptoms. The focus moves from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

What Does “Trauma-Informed” Therapy Mean?

Trauma-informed therapy takes into account the complicated impact of trauma on an individual’s well-being and how it molds their ability to cope. As opposed to traditional therapy, trauma-informed treatment includes an awareness of trauma in every facet of treatment with safety as a priority. This type of care acknowledges that healthcare providers need to have a complete view of a person’s life situation, both past and present, to provide effective healthcare services. This is how trauma-informed therapy is different.

How Does It Work?

Trauma therapy focuses on the effect of past trauma on a person’s life experiences and relationships. During therapy, the therapist helps the patient understand trauma’s impact on their emotions, behavior, and thinking patterns.

Rather than focusing on the behavior that needs to be changed, trauma-informed therapy takes a more holistic approach by considering the underlying reasons.

The trauma-informed approach helps people safely recognize traumatic experiences, even when they don’t realize they had traumatic life events. In reality, a lot of stressful situations can add to trauma, and some of them are easier to recognize than others. While some people might not believe that they’ve experienced trauma, their unhealthy coping mechanisms could be reflecting the impact of a traumatic experience.

Trauma treatment sheds light on past trauma by creating a safe space to start the healing process. Trauma-informed care uses a holistic approach by offering safety, compassion, and support to help make long-lasting changes.

What Does Trauma-Informed Therapy Treat?

Trauma-informed treatment can be valuable for many people. It’s not just for individuals with obvious trauma symptoms, combat veterans, or victims of abuse. It can help people with:

What are the Key Differences Between Trauma-Informed Therapy and Traditional Talk Therapy?

Both trauma-informed therapy and traditional talk therapy are effective in treating mental health disorders. The important differences between the two include:

Trauma-informed therapy specifically recognizes the possible presence of trauma and how it might affect a person’s emotions and behavior. Traditional therapy might not consider trauma as a primary influence on a person’s behavior.

Frequently, trauma-informed therapy includes practices like mindfulness or somatic therapies (counseling that looks at how the body expresses experiences and emotions and how to rebuild the mind-body connection). These techniques address the physical symptoms of trauma which traditional therapy does not always include.

A goal of trauma-informed therapy is to understand how an individual’s coping mechanisms might be connected to past trauma. Traditional talk therapy might concentrate on changing dysfunctional behaviors without considering any underlying causes.

Why is This Important in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment?

person covering their face feeling stressed

Trauma-informed therapy is important in addiction and mental health treatment because it recognizes the extensive impact of trauma on an individual. This allows mental health clinicians to better understand and focus on how traumatic events in the past might be affecting current behaviors and symptoms.

This approach leads to more effective treatment by preventing re-traumatization and promotes a safe space for healing. Trauma-informed therapy also offers these benefits:

  • Addresses High Rate of Trauma

A large portion of people seeking addiction or mental health treatment have experienced trauma. If the past trauma is not acknowledged it can substantially affect their presentation and response to therapy. It is estimated that people diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) get treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) at a rate 5 times higher than the population in general.

  • Enhances Trust and Patient Engagement

A safe and supportive environment that recognizes the individual’s experiences can help instill trust in the therapist, leading to better treatment engagement and outcome.

  • Provides Coping Mechanisms

Trauma often leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms, like substance abuse. Understanding the connection between trauma and substance use disorder (addiction) is necessary for effective treatment.

  • Identifies Triggers

Experienced trauma-informed therapists are aware of possible triggers that can re-traumatize people. They take measures to minimize their impact during sessions. Re-traumatization refers to the experience where past traumatic memories are triggered, leading to more psychological and physical harm.

  • Empowers Individuals with the Ability to Recover

Trauma-informed therapy focuses on empowering people to understand their strengths and ability to recover in the face of trauma, instead of focusing on their deficiencies. Trauma-informed care encourages the use of strength-based approaches to lower the risk of re-traumatization.

  • Tailor-Made Treatment

When the specific effects of trauma on the individual are understood, therapists can design custom treatment plans that address the person’s particular needs and issues.

What is the Link Between Trauma and Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)?

overhead view of individual therapy session

Trauma is strongly linked to both SUDs and mental health issues. People often use substances as a way to self-medicate to help cope with the distress and intense emotions caused by traumatic experiences. This leads to a high risk of developing an addiction. Trauma is a substantial risk factor for developing SUDs, especially when it leads to mental health issues like PTSD.

Trauma and SUDs

There are many types of trauma, and each one heightens the risk of SUD. They include:

  • Physical and Sexual Abuse

In a survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, of over 600 people with SUD, nearly 50% reported suffering from sexual or physical abuse, with women reporting higher rates of both. Individuals with a history of childhood sexual or physical abuse have a 73% and 74% greater risk of developing SUD in their lifetime compared to other people.

  • Violence

Individuals who are the victim or witnessed violence have an increased substance abuse risk. Interpersonal or intimate partner violence is linked to substance abuse and progression to SUD. Military life is also linked to substance use problems. Military personnel who have had combat exposure and combat-related injuries are at a higher risk for SUD.

  • Systemic Discrimination and Racism

Living with racial and ethnic discrimination can cause chronic stress, increasing the risk of SUD. Research shows that people who are discriminated against due to their gender identity have a higher risk as well.

  • Physical Injury

 A serious head injury, especially in adolescents and children is linked with a higher addiction risk. It is believed that a severe injury may disturb parts of the brain that involve decision-making and impulse control.

Trauma and Mental Health Disorders

Trauma can make you more susceptible to developing certain mental health issues. Trauma disrupts the brain’s normal operation, which makes people more susceptible to mental health problems. The main points concerning the link between mental health and trauma include:

  • Direct Causation

Trauma may lead directly to PTSD, a condition that specifically features re-experiencing of traumatic memories and avoidance behaviors.

  • Increased Susceptibility

Experiencing trauma can make a person more vulnerable to developing anxiety or depression.

  • Effect on Coping Mechanisms

People who have been traumatized are likely to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse to manage problematic emotions.

  • Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma can have significant and lifelong effects on mental health.

  • Biological Changes

Trauma can change brain chemistry which can contribute to the development of mental health disorders.

Healing Trauma at Sabino Recovery

woman outside and smiling

Are you, or is someone you care about suffering from addiction or struggling with a mental health problem? Trauma may be the underlying problem, and you may not even realize it. You can find trauma-informed treatment at Sabino Recovery in Tucson, AZ.

Our facility can provide you with a comprehensive program, created specifically for you and by you, to address your needs and requirements. Our programs include:

Residential Treatment Program

In a residential program, you live in a safe and secure facility, away from your normal triggers to use unhealthy coping mechanisms. We offer a trauma-centered approach to addiction and mental health treatment with 24-hour supervision and support.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program

Sabino Recovery provides a dual diagnosis program, specifically designed for people who are struggling with both a mental health condition and SUD. If you’re suffering from this diagnosis, both disorders must be treated simultaneously, preferably by the same treatment team.

Therapy

Sabino Recovery will provide you or your loved one with evidence-based behavioral therapy. Our licensed and qualified therapists are experienced in trauma-informed therapy for addiction and mental health. In addition, we can offer you family therapy, because families need to be educated about mental health and SUDs. Our Tucson, Arizona, rehab is private and provides primary

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trauma-and-stress

How is Trauma-Informed Therapy Different from Traditional Therapy?

Nov 20, 2024

Addiction Recovery

Written by: Sabino Recovery

The goal of traditional therapy is to identify and change detrimental thoughts and behaviors, but the goal of trauma-informed therapy is to actively consider the effect of past trauma on a person’s present experiences. Understanding each individual’s unique story and prioritizing safety creates a supportive atmosphere for actual healing instead of just concentrating on present-day symptoms. The focus moves from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

What Does “Trauma-Informed” Therapy Mean?

Trauma-informed therapy takes into account the complicated impact of trauma on an individual’s well-being and how it molds their ability to cope. As opposed to traditional therapy, trauma-informed treatment includes an awareness of trauma in every facet of treatment with safety as a priority. This type of care acknowledges that healthcare providers need to have a complete view of a person’s life situation, both past and present, to provide effective healthcare services. This is how trauma-informed therapy is different.

How Does It Work?

Trauma therapy focuses on the effect of past trauma on a person’s life experiences and relationships. During therapy, the therapist helps the patient understand trauma’s impact on their emotions, behavior, and thinking patterns.

Rather than focusing on the behavior that needs to be changed, trauma-informed therapy takes a more holistic approach by considering the underlying reasons.

The trauma-informed approach helps people safely recognize traumatic experiences, even when they don’t realize they had traumatic life events. In reality, a lot of stressful situations can add to trauma, and some of them are easier to recognize than others. While some people might not believe that they’ve experienced trauma, their unhealthy coping mechanisms could be reflecting the impact of a traumatic experience.

Trauma treatment sheds light on past trauma by creating a safe space to start the healing process. Trauma-informed care uses a holistic approach by offering safety, compassion, and support to help make long-lasting changes.

What Does Trauma-Informed Therapy Treat?

Trauma-informed treatment can be valuable for many people. It’s not just for individuals with obvious trauma symptoms, combat veterans, or victims of abuse. It can help people with:

What are the Key Differences Between Trauma-Informed Therapy and Traditional Talk Therapy?

Both trauma-informed therapy and traditional talk therapy are effective in treating mental health disorders. The important differences between the two include:

Trauma-informed therapy specifically recognizes the possible presence of trauma and how it might affect a person’s emotions and behavior. Traditional therapy might not consider trauma as a primary influence on a person’s behavior.

Frequently, trauma-informed therapy includes practices like mindfulness or somatic therapies (counseling that looks at how the body expresses experiences and emotions and how to rebuild the mind-body connection). These techniques address the physical symptoms of trauma which traditional therapy does not always include.

A goal of trauma-informed therapy is to understand how an individual’s coping mechanisms might be connected to past trauma. Traditional talk therapy might concentrate on changing dysfunctional behaviors without considering any underlying causes.

Why is This Important in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment?

person covering their face feeling stressed

Trauma-informed therapy is important in addiction and mental health treatment because it recognizes the extensive impact of trauma on an individual. This allows mental health clinicians to better understand and focus on how traumatic events in the past might be affecting current behaviors and symptoms.

This approach leads to more effective treatment by preventing re-traumatization and promotes a safe space for healing. Trauma-informed therapy also offers these benefits:

  • Addresses High Rate of Trauma

A large portion of people seeking addiction or mental health treatment have experienced trauma. If the past trauma is not acknowledged it can substantially affect their presentation and response to therapy. It is estimated that people diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) get treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs) at a rate 5 times higher than the population in general.

  • Enhances Trust and Patient Engagement

A safe and supportive environment that recognizes the individual’s experiences can help instill trust in the therapist, leading to better treatment engagement and outcome.

  • Provides Coping Mechanisms

Trauma often leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms, like substance abuse. Understanding the connection between trauma and substance use disorder (addiction) is necessary for effective treatment.

  • Identifies Triggers

Experienced trauma-informed therapists are aware of possible triggers that can re-traumatize people. They take measures to minimize their impact during sessions. Re-traumatization refers to the experience where past traumatic memories are triggered, leading to more psychological and physical harm.

  • Empowers Individuals with the Ability to Recover

Trauma-informed therapy focuses on empowering people to understand their strengths and ability to recover in the face of trauma, instead of focusing on their deficiencies. Trauma-informed care encourages the use of strength-based approaches to lower the risk of re-traumatization.

  • Tailor-Made Treatment

When the specific effects of trauma on the individual are understood, therapists can design custom treatment plans that address the person’s particular needs and issues.

What is the Link Between Trauma and Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)?

overhead view of individual therapy session

Trauma is strongly linked to both SUDs and mental health issues. People often use substances as a way to self-medicate to help cope with the distress and intense emotions caused by traumatic experiences. This leads to a high risk of developing an addiction. Trauma is a substantial risk factor for developing SUDs, especially when it leads to mental health issues like PTSD.

Trauma and SUDs

There are many types of trauma, and each one heightens the risk of SUD. They include:

  • Physical and Sexual Abuse

In a survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, of over 600 people with SUD, nearly 50% reported suffering from sexual or physical abuse, with women reporting higher rates of both. Individuals with a history of childhood sexual or physical abuse have a 73% and 74% greater risk of developing SUD in their lifetime compared to other people.

  • Violence

Individuals who are the victim or witnessed violence have an increased substance abuse risk. Interpersonal or intimate partner violence is linked to substance abuse and progression to SUD. Military life is also linked to substance use problems. Military personnel who have had combat exposure and combat-related injuries are at a higher risk for SUD.

  • Systemic Discrimination and Racism

Living with racial and ethnic discrimination can cause chronic stress, increasing the risk of SUD. Research shows that people who are discriminated against due to their gender identity have a higher risk as well.

  • Physical Injury

 A serious head injury, especially in adolescents and children is linked with a higher addiction risk. It is believed that a severe injury may disturb parts of the brain that involve decision-making and impulse control.

Trauma and Mental Health Disorders

Trauma can make you more susceptible to developing certain mental health issues. Trauma disrupts the brain’s normal operation, which makes people more susceptible to mental health problems. The main points concerning the link between mental health and trauma include:

  • Direct Causation

Trauma may lead directly to PTSD, a condition that specifically features re-experiencing of traumatic memories and avoidance behaviors.

  • Increased Susceptibility

Experiencing trauma can make a person more vulnerable to developing anxiety or depression.

  • Effect on Coping Mechanisms

People who have been traumatized are likely to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms like substance abuse to manage problematic emotions.

  • Childhood Trauma

Childhood trauma can have significant and lifelong effects on mental health.

  • Biological Changes

Trauma can change brain chemistry which can contribute to the development of mental health disorders.

Healing Trauma at Sabino Recovery

woman outside and smiling

Are you, or is someone you care about suffering from addiction or struggling with a mental health problem? Trauma may be the underlying problem, and you may not even realize it. You can find trauma-informed treatment at Sabino Recovery in Tucson, AZ.

Our facility can provide you with a comprehensive program, created specifically for you and by you, to address your needs and requirements. Our programs include:

Residential Treatment Program

In a residential program, you live in a safe and secure facility, away from your normal triggers to use unhealthy coping mechanisms. We offer a trauma-centered approach to addiction and mental health treatment with 24-hour supervision and support.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program

Sabino Recovery provides a dual diagnosis program, specifically designed for people who are struggling with both a mental health condition and SUD. If you’re suffering from this diagnosis, both disorders must be treated simultaneously, preferably by the same treatment team.

Therapy

Sabino Recovery will provide you or your loved one with evidence-based behavioral therapy. Our licensed and qualified therapists are experienced in trauma-informed therapy for addiction and mental health. In addition, we can offer you family therapy, because families need to be educated about mental health and SUDs. Our Tucson, Arizona, rehab is private and provides primary

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trauma-and-stress

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