Trauma-Informed vs. Trauma-Focused Therapy

What is trauma? It's not just a word to throw around when we have a bad day or things don't go our way. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), trauma is defined as "any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior, and other aspects of functioning." However, not all trauma leads to prolonged symptoms or even posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For individuals that have experienced trauma, but symptoms remain subthreshold (i.e., not at the level of meeting full diagnostic criteria for a trauma-related disorder), a trauma-informed approach can be beneficial. This simply refers to a framework that a clinician may use in any context, even if not directly discussing trauma, aimed at avoiding retraumatization.

Trauma-focused treatment refers to various specific therapeutic methods designed to directly help individuals address past traumas and reshape the impact that they have had on the person's life. Each treatment modality takes a slightly different angle, many of which are rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy principles. The National Center for PTSD outlines three evidence-based psychotherapies for PTSD including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure (PE), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Click here to learn more about each approach and why it may be beneficial for you.

Whether seeking a trauma-informed lens or a specific trauma-focused treatment, Du Nord Psychology can help you achieve your goals and get back to living a fulfilling life with meaning and purpose. Reach out and let's talk about how we can get you there!