Trauma Therapy

When big, traumatic, or impactful events happen, our brain sometimes does not process the event in a helpful way. EMDR matches our body's natural processing in order to reprocess memories in a helpful way. 

While you sleep your brain reviews the events from the day and places them into long term memory. EMDR replicates the process of REM sleep to allow healthy reprocessing of the memory. During EMDR you will recall the memory along with bilateral eye movements to allow supportive perspectives to interweave with the memory. During this process the memory stays intact but without the heightened emotions that used to be associated with it.

EMDR therapy has 8 phases. Sometimes we will spend several sessions on one phase, and sometimes we will work through several phases at once. 

1 - History Taking 

Discussion of your experiences and how it impacts you.

2 - Preparation 

Develop coping skills and internal resources to help you during reprocessing.

3 - Assessment 

Set up for phases 4-6. Identifying levels of distress and negative views of self.

4 - Desensitization 

Focus on target memory to decrease distress.

5 - Installation 

Focus on new positive views of self.

6 - Body Scan

Identifying other physical symtpoms or experiences left over from target memory.

7 - Closure 

Discussion of session.

8 - Reevaluation 

Determine next target memory.

You may prefer not to talk directly about what's happened to you. CPT looks at the WHY. 

WHY did this even occur? 

WHY did this happen to you? 

Oftentimes after traumatic events our perspective of the world shifts in order to protect us from a similar event happening again. CPT helps to identify negative viewpoints without having to talk directly about what happened to you.

CPT is a more rigid modality, in that each session has specific goals and timelines. Traditionally, CPT treatment lasts 12 sessions. Depending on the individual, more or less may be needed.

PHASE 1:

  Session #1: Overview of CPT and PTSD

Session #2: Examining the Impact of Trauma

Session #3: Working with Events, Thoughts, and Feelings

PHASE 2: Processing the Trauma

Session #4: Examining the Index Trauma

  Session #5: Using the Challenging Questions Worksheet

PHASE 3: Learning to Challenge

  Session #6: Patterns of Problematic Thinking

  Session #7: Challenging Beliefs Worksheets

PHASE 4: Trauma Themes

  Sessions #8-11: Trauma Themes

PHASE 5: Facing the Future

  Session #12: Processing Intimacy and the Final Impact Statement