Trauma can be a result of a stressful situation or life threatening event. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma are high contributors to substance use disorders. Some examples of ACEs/traumatic events are:
- Emotional, sexual or physical abuse
- Physical or emotional neglect
- Domestic violence or assault
- Homelessness
- Loss of significant people/attachments
- Household with substance abuse or mental illness
- Incarceration of a family or household member
- Discrimination or Bullying
- Separation or divorce
- Natural disasters
- Human trafficking or prostitution
- War
* Information source: Richardson, M. & Black-Pond, C. Adult Trauma Screen. Western Michigan University Children’s Trauma Assessment Center (CTAC)
Addiction doc says: It’s not the drugs. It’s the ACEs – adverse childhood experiences. Read Article
Some Trauma Treatment Services available in the region are:
TF-CBT - Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents and caregivers. Research shows that TF-CBT successfully resolves a broad array of emoitional and behavioral difficulties associated with single, multiple, and complex trauma experiences.
EMDR - EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes. (Information from EMDR Institute, Inc. http://www.emdr.com/)
Seeking Safety - is an evidence based present-focused counseling model to help people attain safety from trauma and/or substance abuse. It can be conducted in group (any size) and/or individual modality. It is an extremely safe model as it directly addresses both trauma and addiction, but without requiring individuals to delve into the trauma narrative. Some topics include: Safety, PTSD: Taking Back Your Power, When Substances Control You, Honesty, Asking for Help, Setting Boundaries in Relationships, Getting Others to Support Your Recovery, Healthy Relationships, Community Resources, Compassion, Creating Meaning, Discovery, Integrating the Split Self, Recovery Thinking, Taking Good Care of Yourself, Commitment, Respecting Your Time, Coping with Triggers, Self-Nurturing, Red and Green Flags, Detaching from Emotional Pain (Grounding). Life Choices. (Information gathered from: https://www.treatment-innovations.org/seeking-safety.html)