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CBT Counseling Tools for Addressing Trauma | Counseling and Social Work CEUs

by | Jul 14, 2024

Trauma is any event that overwhelms your ability to cope, altering your perception of safety and empowerment. This can include events such as losing a loved one, a job, or experiencing a breakup. Trauma not only impacts mental health but can also lead to physical health problems. The trauma experience often involves grief, as it causes a loss of a sense of safety and empowerment, which may need to be grieved if it permanently alters your worldview.

Schema and Perception
Our experiences are influenced by schema, which are our expectations based on past experiences. Schema act as mental shortcuts that help us predict what will happen in certain situations. For instance, if you have experienced a traumatic event, your schema may cause you to perceive similar situations as more dangerous than they are. This can keep your anxiety levels high and make you feel unsafe even in non-threatening situations.

Goals of Trauma Processing
The primary goals of trauma processing are to identify the traumatic experiences, evaluate them based on facts, acknowledge the trauma, and integrate it into your life in a way that helps you move forward. It’s important to prepare before diving into trauma processing by ensuring you have the necessary tools and a support system in place.

Steps in Processing Trauma

  • Identify and Mitigate Vulnerabilities: Before addressing trauma, identify any factors that may make it harder for you to cope, such as substance use, sleep disturbances, or ongoing stress. Work on mitigating these factors to ensure you are in the best possible state to handle the trauma processing.
  • Develop Distress Tolerance Skills: Create a list of at least 10 skills that help you tolerate distress. These can include thought-stopping techniques, activities that distract or trigger opposite emotions, guided imagery, and using sensory experiences to calm yourself.
  • Cognitive Restructuring: Challenge and change unhelpful thoughts related to the trauma. Identify your beliefs about the event and evaluate them based on current facts. Consider how prior experiences influence your current perception and what is different now compared to then.

Techniques for Managing Trauma

  • Thought-Stopping: Interrupt negative thoughts by telling yourself “no” or engaging in a distracting activity, like singing a song or reciting a prayer.
  • Unhooking from Thoughts: Instead of saying “I am unsafe,” say “I am having the thought that I am unsafe.” This helps you see thoughts as temporary and changeable.
  • Positive Self-Talk: Encourage yourself with positive affirmations, such as “This situation is tough, but I can get through it.”
  • Focused Breathing: Practice deep breathing exercises to activate your body's relaxation response. You can use simple techniques like inhaling for four counts, holding for four, and exhaling for four.
  • Guided Imagery: Visualize a safe and calming place using as many sensory details as possible. This can help distract you from distress and trigger the relaxation response.
  • Sensory Techniques: Use sensory inputs, such as splashing cold water on your face or holding an ice cube, to shift your focus from distressing thoughts.

Processing Trauma with Support
Processing trauma can be intense and overwhelming, so consider doing it with the help of a therapist or a trusted support person. Develop a safety plan to ensure you have someone to call if you start feeling overwhelmed. Set a timer to limit your trauma processing sessions to no more than two hours to avoid exhaustion.

Writing Your Autobiography
One effective way to process trauma is to write your autobiography. Start with your earliest memory and work your way up to the present. Identify significant events each year, how they impacted you, and your reactions. Once you have completed your autobiography, go through it to identify traumatic experiences and use cognitive restructuring to process them.

Conclusion
Trauma can significantly impact your sense of safety and empowerment, but by processing it effectively, you can integrate these experiences into your life in a way that helps you move forward. Use the techniques outlined in this article to manage your trauma, challenge unhelpful thoughts, and develop resilience. Remember to seek support and take care of yourself throughout the process. By doing so, you can improve your mental health and overall quality of life.