What kind of treatment/therapy for immense trauma?

[Anonymous]

I don't really have advice. But I did read an excellent book about a woman dealing with complex trauma from childhood. I don't know if that's helpful, but she tried many things before finding a therapy that worked for her. She's a journalist you may have heard on NPR.

https://www.amazon.com/What-My-Bones-Know-Healing/dp/0593238109

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone found something that worked for immense trauma? 3/4 of my family of origin suffered from addiction and died in my childhood/20’s (parents + sibling). I’ve really struggled with talk therapy because there is just not enough time to get through the family history and I haven’t found a therapist that can really even remember the details because there is so much going on in my family of origin.

I’m 40, happily married since age 30, two wonderful children (elementary school aged), financially stable, have a great group of friends BUT I deal with debilitating general anxiety/low self esteem from the abuse of a parent and the sudden deaths. Is there another kind of therapy or even alternative treatment that would be a good fit for me? I’ve heard of ketamine treatments? Any advice would be appreciated!!

They don’t need to know or remember every last detail to be able to help you move beyond where you are. You can relay enough information for them to understand and help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would say first DBT therapy followed by EMDR. I’m a therapist trained on both.

Curious why you would recommend DBT? OP says the primary symptom is anxiety and depression, not lack of emotional regulation/self-harm. What is the evidence on DBT and trauma?

DBT is about emotional regulation and mindfulness. It is skills based, not about history or psychoanalysis. It would be perfect for OP.

But OP didn’t say she had problems with emotional regulation, and mindfulness is not actually always helpful for some mental health conditions.

[Anonymous]

I just started doing what I think is called "Trauma-informed CBT" It's very different than any other therapy and I can say, it's worth finding a real trauma therapist. Hard but worth it.

[Anonymous]

Ketamine and EMDR

[Anonymous]

OP, have you considered that there may be no way to actually "forgive and forget" or heal from your childhood trauma?

Therapists and counselors aren't going to tell you that.

I also think "talking" it out makes it worse for me.

Here are some strategies that seem to help, for me and for others:

1. Take one day at a time. Live in the moment. Live in the present.
2. Refocus your thoughts or mind whenever a negative thought surfaces.
3. Try not to force yourself to be a Pollyanna and think positively and smile all the time.
4. Grieve when you want to grieve. Sometimes a good cry helps.
5. Be physically active. Take a walk. Work out. Exercise.
6. Get a dog. A dog provides unconditional love. You're humbled by picking up dog poop 2x a day outside for walks.

I'm not trivializing your childhood trauma. I'm just suggesting that you're drawing the conclusion yourself that therapy is not helping you. You're not alone in that conclusion.