5 Trauma Processing Techniques [& How to Choose the Right One for You]
Takeaway: Trauma affects everyone differently, so it makes sense that there’s no one-size-fits-all method for healing. In this post, I’ll break down popular trauma processing techniques (minus the jargon) and help you figure out what might actually work for you.
I'm Chelsea Newton, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and trauma trained therapist based in Colorado.
You understand that trauma therapy helps with trauma, but you're not really sure how. You want to know how processing trauma in therapy actually works. Seeking support for trauma therapy can be intense and overwhelming. My goal is to make what happens in trauma therapy less intimidating and more approachable. I will explain it as if we were sitting in a vibe check or first session together.
Starting trauma therapy feels like standing at the base of a mountain with nothing more than the boots on your feet. You're not exactly ready, but you feel as prepared as you can be to tackle something very difficult. You've done some prep work for the climb, but you're sick of thinking about it and just want to summit the thing already!
Coming to trauma therapy allows me to greet you at the trailhead (with my pack of supplies).
I have supported people making this healing climb many, many times. My boots are muddy and broken in. My pack is expertly organized with all of the tools we need to conquer this mountain, together. When the trail becomes super technical, I'm there to guide you.
Think of me as your expert guide to facing the obstacles that are really, really hard to face alone. I am with you every step of the way. I'm with you to provide tactical gear and point out places where you can rest, heal, and gain new perspective.
Common techniques for processing trauma in therapy
In the therapy world, we have lots of jargon-y names for the trauma treatment techniques we have been trained to use with our clients. Here are some of the common ones you've seen on therapy websites, or TikTok, with my no nonsense breakdown:
Narrative Therapy
What it is: You sharing your story.
How it works: By sharing your story and being heard, you can understand your experience differently. A therapist will encourage you to make edits, rip out entire chapters, and begin writing your next chapter! Narrative therapy is about having a safe and supportive environment where you can explore and reframe your story.
Who I recommend it for: Anyone who wants to share their life story and has never been asked to. I especially enjoy supporting trauma survivors of sexual assault or domestic violence with this kind of therapy. If you've never shared your story and desire to tell it, narrative therapy might be a great choice for you. Trust me, this kind of deep sharing in a safe environment can make a huge difference when healing from trauma.
Mindfulness Based Therapy
What it is: Being present and connecting with your body. You know how people always talk about the mind body connection? This therapy explores that.
How it works: Trauma often disconnects you from feeling your emotions in the body. You know the trauma event well. You've talked about your trauma, but you don't feel better. By doing things like body scans or breathing exercises, you can become more aware of and connected to sensations in the body. Mindfulness based therapy can support various aspects of healing beyond mental health, including health problems and spiritual well being.
Who I recommend it for: People with mental health conditions like anxiety disorders, who find it hard to connect to their bodies. People who struggle with body image. People who like body based practices like yoga, karate, or other forms of bodily movement.
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
What it is: A way to identify and change negative beliefs that are keeping you stuck.
How it works: This goes far beyond toxic positivity. I won't be saying anything obnoxious like, "just replace that negative with something positive!" There are no positive spins for traumatic incidents. TF-CBT works because it requires you to check your current stress response "go-tos" and find new coping strategies.
Who I recommend it for: People dealing with lots of negative thoughts. If your daily functioning is plagued by endless negative thoughts or behaviors, it's time to seek professional help.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
What it is: EMDR therapy involves things like side-to-side eye movements, alternating hand taps, or binaural beats (sounds) to engage both hemispheres of the brain. This bilateral stimulation of the brain helps reprocess traumatic memories.
How it works: Bilateral stimulation of the brain mimics REM sleep, which helps the brain process traumatic experiences. This can help decrease distressing memories and bring relief to the nervous system. Ahhhhh 🍃
Who I recommend it for: I recommend EMDR for people who want to address specific traumatic memories or events. EMDR sessions can help address specific events such as natural disasters, mass shootings, or instances of sexual violence. If you are diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), it's worth reading up on the benefits of EMDR.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
What it is: The idea that our minds are made up of different "parts" that take on different roles. You've probably heard this called "parts work." For example, your inner critic might be a wounded part of your mind that is struggling with anger or shame.
How it works: IFS encourages you to embrace all your parts to find a sense of wholeness. This requires a trusting relationship with your therapist and a shit ton of compassion toward yourself. You talk and listen to your different parts to better understand them, and ultimately, yourself.
Who I recommend it for: People who resonate with the imagery of having an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. If you can visualize and conceptualize different parts of your mind as characters, IFS might be for you.
How to choose the right trauma processing technique for you
With so many trauma focused treatments available, it's overwhelming to know which one is right for you. Here are some things to consider as you head out to the trail:
What are are your goals for trauma processing?
How recent was the traumatic event?
How many coping skills can you identify that you use on a regular basis?
Do you want individual therapy or does sharing in group therapy feel more supportive?
Do you want to revisit your experienced trauma and process traumatic memories more deeply?
Do you want to feel better but NOT talk about your traumatic experiences in detail?
Is emotional regulation your primary goal?
There is no one size fits all for how to process trauma. Working through trauma is a deeply personal experience and should feel supportive. Not everyone will revisit their trauma in trauma therapy, while others will. You have choice in your healing.
Any competent trauma therapist can help you better understand the trauma techniques they use. If you like what you hear, great! If the therapist's approach gives you pause, it's important to ask more questions. If what the therapist is proposing makes you want to vomit or shut down completely, trust yourself, and talk to someone else. "Shopping around" for the right trauma therapist is important and welcome.
Final thoughts
Trauma treatment can help you feel so much better.
Unfortunately, the wrong type of trauma treatment can make you feel worse.
It is important to understand what your goals are for trauma therapy as you look for help. Any competent trauma therapist can help you better understand the trauma techniques they use and how they might support you.
For me, it's a blend of lots of different trauma techniques custom tailored to you. I'm a relational therapist. This means that our relationship as humans is the most important part of the work. We will have conversations about which trauma processing techniques makes the most sense for you. How we decide to work together will be rooted in consent. How to process trauma in therapy is a mutual conversation we will have more than once.
I especially like bringing narrative and mindfulness based techniques together, but we do what makes sense for you. If you are looking for EMDR or IFS, I'm not your therapist. I have several trusted colleagues that I will happily refer you to for those specific modalities.
Starting trauma therapy feels a lot like standing at the base of a mountain with nothing more than the boots on your feet. You're not exactly ready, but you feel as prepared as you possibly can be to tackle something very difficult. Coming to trauma therapy allows me to greet you at the trailhead with my worn in boots and expertly packed gear.
If you're ready to hit the trail, I'd be honored to walk alongside you.
The first step is to book a free vibe check where we will meet via video call, make sure the vibe is right, and review the map together before we meet for a first session.
It's all uphill from here. I've got you.
