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Treatment of Complex Trauma

The experience of trauma can come in many forms. Often, trauma is a one-time event such as a car accident, witnessing the death of a loved one, or a difficult medical procedure; in essence, it is an experience that overwhelms our ability to cope in the moment. Other times, trauma is repeated over the course of months or years, whether in childhood due to abuse, neglect or bullying, or in adulthood due to abusive partnerships or ongoing microaggressions. In this case, chronic, repeated adverse events often result in symptoms of complex trauma, known as C-PTSD. There are evidence-based treatments for trauma that can help process these events, leading to a reduction in emotional distress and lasting healing.

Complex Trauma (C-PTSD)

Symptoms of complex trauma (C-PTSD) can include:

International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Fact Sheets on Trauma and Complex Trauma

  • Emotional dysregulation

  • Dissociation

  • Feeling disconnected from yourself, others, and/or the world around you

  • A sense of watching yourself go through the day

  • Gaps in memory for childhood events or recent activities

  • Hypervigilance (easily startled or triggered)

  • Exhaustion

  • Responses that seem out of proportion with the situation

  • Mood swings

  • Chronic anxiety

  • Persistent depression

  • Low motivation

  • Feelings of low self-esteem and worthlessness

  • Chronic shame or guilt

  • Nightmares

  • Autoimmune disorders

 

Healing from Trauma

There is hope for healing.

The length of time needed to treat complex trauma in counseling varies by person, based on your current life circumstances, supportive relationships, level of distress, ability to consistently attend counseling, and types of trauma. The therapeutic process includes 3 stages:

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1) safety and stabilization by learning coping skills for distress tolerance and increasing supportive resources,

 

2) trauma processing through EMDR, sensorimotor psychotherapy, IFS, and other modalities, and,

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3) adaptive integration of the traumatic memories into your life story, and reconnection to fully engage with life based on your personal goals and values.

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