Trauma and PTSD Therapy in Dallas, Texas
Trauma-informed Therapy for PTSD and Relational Trauma
Our life can be made of little moments or big moments that feel horrifying. These horrible moments, whether they are from childhood or from an abnormal event like rape, war, homicide, betrayal and abuse can create confusion and emotional turmoil. Through thoughtful and tailored trauma therapy, you can overcome and gain resiliency from your traumatic life experiences.
Trauma and PTSD Therapy in Dallas, Texas
Trauma-informed Therapy at Sauna Therapy
Sauna Therapy Therapists work through a trauma-informed lens, Trauma-informed care is an approach to therapy that respects the cultural, biological and physiological impact trauma has on the whole-person. Instead of blaming and asking yourself, “Is there something wrong with me?”, a trauma informed therapist will empower you by asking “who did this to you?” or “what happened to you.”
Trauma therapy aims to create a safe and supportive environment where people can explore secrets, shame and betrayal without judgment, disbelief or bias. We venture with you to help create a safer, new reality not burdened by the impacts of a traumatic past.
What is Trauma?
Trauma originates from the greek word for injury or wound. In the literal sense, trauma is (1) a traumatic event(s) or stressor (2), or behavioral reaction to a physiological stressor.
Although, one might think trauma is a single event or life circumstance, many times trauma is a series of traumatic events that happen throughout our life time. There are many types of trauma including but not limited too: PTSD, vicarious trauma, betrayal trauma, secondary trauma, and complex trauma.
What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is psychological response to a traumatic experience and can encompass an array of symptoms including distressing thoughts, nightmares, heightened anxiety disorders, emotional numbness, irritability, and difficulties in concentration. Such responses can significantly disrupt one’s ability to engage in normal activities and maintain stable romantic relationships.
It wasn't that bad or was it?
Do you ask yourself the following questions?
– Fear trusting others?
– Have vivid nightmares?
– Fear never being able to move on from a traumatic event?
– Avoid thinking about the traumatic event?
– Feel afraid, unsafe, even in moments that are serene?
– Feel easily startled and irritable?
– Work too much to avoid the pain?
– Struggle with feeling on edge and anxious?
– Drinking a little too much?
If you answered “YES” to any of these questions, you may have been impacted by a traumatic event at some point in your life and you could benefit from trauma therapy.
Conscious Relaxation: The Antidote to Stress
The relaxation response is a skill that enables you to fight off oxidative stress in your body. When learned and harnessed in a safe environment, muscle relaxation, mindfulness and meditation empower you to take control of your anxiety symptoms. Stress whether it be pervasive, such as taking care of a loved one, or acute such as losing a job can lead to other major mental health issues like depression and chronic fatigue.
Symptoms of Trauma Disorders
Individuals who are experiencing PTSD, complex PTSD or trauma develop methods to cope that is usually influenced by these traumas, whether that be substance abuse, anxiety disorders, personality disorders or rage. These ways of being in the world, guide the way individuals manage interpersonal relationships in their life, whether that be romantic, friendly or work-related.
Emotions and Feelings
Trauma may result in us 'feeling in excess,' such as: experiencing uncontrollable anger, deep sadness, aggression, irritability, tearfulness, and emotional swings. Our emotions, at times, may feel out of control.
Distrust
Due to the emotional toll of the trauma, trauma survivors experience distrust of others and the world around them. They may experience guilt surrounding the trauma, as though they have caused their trauma, or were deserving of the pain inflicted upon them. They may experience shame, self-blame, and try to rationalize their abuse or pain.
Somatic Sensations
Somatic sensations are often the key to unlocking and witnessing the 'implicit' memories that people hold about their trauma. Often, these sensations and emotions are exiled into our psyche. Experiences like dread, anticipation, fear and helplessness may emerge.
Emotional Reactivity
Trauma is not only a psychological experience but also deeply rooted in our bodily state, affecting our nervous system and overall well-being. Extensive scientific evidence supports the long-lasting impact of trauma on our cellular biology and the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), which governs our natural stress response.
Intrusive Thoughts
Trauma survivors may feel cemented to their past, constantly replaying old tapes of incidents in their mind. They may also reenact unhealed unconscious parts of their trauma.
Chronic Pain
The stress caused by the trauma response or the stress response on the body produces oxidative stress that activates your ANS system to communicate to the brain that there is an imminent threat. This produces 'fight or flight' chemicals and hormones to rush through the body, leaving your immune system and nervous system lowered.
Sauna Therapy
Types of Trauma Therapy
Sauna Therapy offers a range of evidence-based therapies that focus on targeting the nervous system as well as behavioral learning to help extinguish long-term impacts of trauma memories.
EMDR therapy is a form of trauma therapy that relies on use of bilateral stimulation to help process unwanted and disturbing trauma memories and PTSD symptoms.
Somatic Therapy relies on grounding and resourcing to help calm the autonomic nervous system from going into fight, flight or freeze helping to fight against dissociation and traumatic symptoms.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy views the mind as a collection of sub-personalities or ‘parts.’ It aids in healing trauma by identifying and working with these parts’ roles: protectors or exiles. IFS aims to diminish internal conflict and promote self-compassion and healing.
Sauna Therapy uses a number of different techniques to help stabilize the autonomic nervous system including vagus nerve stimulation and the Polyvagal Theory.
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy or Plant-based Therapies are holistic therapies that help to battle against the chronic pain associated with PTSD symptoms. Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy is also thought to help with the processing traumatic experiences.
Experiential therapy employs actions, movement and creative expression to address trauma or chronic illness. Including art therapy, dance therapy, and yoga therapy. By engaging the mind and body, experiential therapy helps individuals to heal from stored trauma stuck at the cellular level.
Types of Trauma
rupi kaur
I am not a victim in my life
what I went through
pulled a warrior out of me
it is my greatest honor to be here
Book an Appointment with sauna Therapy
Therapy can be scary and intimidating. There can also be a lot of bias – like do I really need this? At Sauna Therapy, we believe understanding that therapy is emotional, overwhelming and very new is okay!