What Kind of Online Trauma Therapy is Right For You?

If you’ve experienced trauma, finding an effective way to cope with the aftermath can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are various types of online trauma therapy available that can help relieve your symptoms.

Be BOLD Psychology and Consulting has trauma therapists in North Carolina offering a wide range of research-informed online trauma therapies. Here’s what they are and how they work:

EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a form of psychotherapy that has been shown to be effective for treating trauma, including PTSD, and other mental health issues. EMDR therapy can be conducted virtually, during online therapy for trauma and PTSD, and works to reprocess distressing, disturbing, and traumatic events, regulate associated emotions, and allow for an increase in effective coping skills.

With EMDR therapy:

• Learn and utilize grounding techniques, such as Safe/Calm place
• You will reprocess memories with the goal of gaining perspective on them so that you can move forward in your life;
• You will learn new ways of coping with emotions;
• You may experience improvements in sleep patterns or concentration;
• You will get “unstuck” and allow your body and mind to do what it was not able at the time of the event(s)

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is very specifically designed to help people who have experienced trauma process their memories in a way that relieves some of the distress. It’s also a relatively new form of therapy – so new, in fact, that research shows people are still skeptical about its efficacy. However, many studies have shown that people with PTSD reported significant improvement after EMDR, and many went on to maintain those improvements long after treatment.

If you’ve tried other forms of therapy without seeing results or if you just want to try something new, EMDR may be the right fit for you.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a form of meditation. It’s also a way of being, paying attention and being in the present moment.

During mindfulness-based therapy, you’ll learn how to focus on being in the moment rather than letting stress consume you. As you practice mindfulness, you’ll learn how to focus on being in the moment rather than letting stress consume you.  Many people report feeling calmer and more content after just a few sessions. Researchers have found that it’s an effective treatment for depression and anxiety, as well as addiction, eating disorders, trauma and PTSD, and chronic pain.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for trauma, or ACT, can provide clarity and a sense of safety so that thoughts, feelings, memories, sensations, and urges may be experienced with an attitude of openness, curiosity, and acceptance.

ACT allows you to learn how to stop fighting against traumatic experiences as well as how to reduce the power these experiences have over you. You’ll learn how to take control of your life once again by making conscious choices about what you do next—rather than being controlled by the past.

ACT also yields perspective: it helps people make sense of where they may have become stuck in the recovery process (i.e., “stuck” thinking). This can help people move forward with their therapy as well as live a more meaningful life outside of therapy sessions because they are no longer so focused on what happened before but rather what is happening right now—and how they want that experience or day-to-day living feel like moving forward from there!

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

CPT is a type of therapy that focuses on current thought patterns and coping strategies. It differs from other types of trauma therapies because it focuses solely on current thought patterns and coping strategies rather than your traumatic experience itself. Many people tend to have a negative reaction when confronted with the thoughts and feelings that are associated with their trauma (such as guilt or shame). The negative reaction may include avoiding situations or people that remind them of their traumatic experience.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) differs from other types of trauma therapies because it focuses primarily on current thought patterns and coping strategies. You’ll learn about common thought distortions that affect most people with PTSD, as well as techniques for reducing their negative effects.. For example, you might think: “If I really let myself feel my emotions around this trauma, I’ll go crazy.” CPT helps you understand how this kind of thinking makes you feel worse about yourself, and then teaches you how to replace it with more balanced thoughts such as: “I can’t control everything that happens to me, but I can choose my response.”

Cognitive Processing Therapy also helps people to explore five critical domains that impact the way they relate to themselves, others, and the world:

• Safety Issues
• Trust Issues
• Power/Control Issues
• Esteem Issues
• Intimacy Issues

Cognitive Processing Therapy for trauma and PTSD can be completed online, and there is even an app that can be utilized with you and your provider during treatment. Reach out today to learn more!

Distance or online counseling

You may be wondering: Can I really get therapy without having to leave my home? The answer is yes. Distance or online counseling is a growing field, and it’s great news for people who want help but don’t have access to trauma therapists nearby.

Be BOLD Psychology and Consulting offers online therapy in North Carolina that can help you avoid some of the barriers to traditional therapy: You can find a therapist who is convenient for you, schedule sessions at times that work for you, get therapy with someone who is a great fit for your needs (even if you live in a more rural area), and still get help if you’re busy with work, family, kids, and other obligations.

Online therapy can also be helpful for people who don’t want to talk about their trauma in person or who don’t have access to traditional therapy due to issues relating to geography, times, or transportation.

There are many kinds of online trauma therapy available to you.

There are many kinds of online trauma therapy available to you. EMDR, mindfulness, CPT, and ACT are all examples of online trauma therapy, and offered by our online therapists at Be BOLD Psychology and Consulting. We can even incorporate yoga, breathwork, and gentle movements into your online therapy for trauma and PTSD.

Conclusion

It’s tempting to think of trauma therapy as a magic pill that will fix everything. But it’s not – nor is it meant to be. Online trauma therapy can, however, help you to work through some of your physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms of trauma. Online therapy for trauma can also help you to identify and reframe distressing or disturbing beliefs about yourself, others, and the world, and find healthier ways of coping. However, as with all therapy, it does take time and work. But that does not mean you need to do it alone. If you’re ready to take that first step towards healing yourself from trauma, click here and contact us today. Our team of online therapists in North Carolina are ready to offer you individualized treatment for trauma and PTSD as early as today! Click here to schedule your free 20-min consult with our North Carolina therapists today!