Trauma Therapy
My clinical expertise is working with people who experienced trauma.
I believe we need safe spaces to rest and restore. I believe that no trauma is too small to have a big impact on our lives. I also believe it does no good to compare our trauma with other people’s trauma—because our pain, trauma, feelings, and struggles are still valid for us, regardless of what other people have experienced. I’m here to help.
I have special training in the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM), which is a mind-body, resiliency-informed approach to therapy designed to return your body, mind, and spirit back to balance and safety.
I’m also a certified Community Resiliency Model (CRM) teacher through the Trauma Resource Institute, and I can l teach you powerful wellness skills to bolster your resiliency and overcome adversity. There’s an excellent (and free!) App to help practice the foundational wellness CRM skills: iChill App.
What is trauma?
Trauma is a term used to describe a deeply distressing (or life-threatening) event that humans have difficulty physiologically and psychologically processing. Trauma often has a lasting negative impact on our daily quality of life.
Traumatic events can be natural disasters, serious accidents, sexual assault, community violence, loss of a loved one, infertility, systemic racism, the theater of war, divorce, child abuse/neglect—even prolonged isolation, illness, or food insecurity can be traumatic.
Unresolved trauma can show up in a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance behaviors, sense of nameless dread, risky behaviors, substance use, dissociation, self-disconnect and/or self-denial, survival identity (because of an overly-protective nervous system), and difficulty regulating emotions. These symptoms can be different for each person and are related to how our bodies respond to the frequency and severity of the traumatic experience(s).
Trauma can also affect a person's relationships and overall well-being, leading to difficulties with trust, intimacy, and daily functioning. With appropriate support and treatment, I can help you can overcome the effects of trauma, deepen your resilience, and live a more fulfilling life.
“Trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you.”
This is important, because if trauma inside us is a result of what happened to us, then we can do something inside ourselves to help heal ourselves. Trauma is also the resulting sense of helplessness because of that experience—not necessarily related to whether the experience itself was life-threatening. Finally, trauma is also the story we tell about ourselves about our sense of helplessness and self-worth based on what happened.
The good news is that if trauma is inside of us, and if we carry narratives about who we are because of the trauma, then we have an opportunity to tap into the power of our body’s natural healing mechanisms to help heal our body and restore our story. Indeed, we have beautiful biology that we can leverage to heal our body—not just cognitively processing the traumatic memories, but allowing our bodies to physiologically release the tension associated with those memories. Because sometimes our over-protective nervous system is stuck in a survival state, where it wants to make sure our body remembers what it needs to safeguard us!
When we experience a safe space and allow our body to release the tension from that trauma, often there is an opportunity to reframe the narrative about who we are and the power we have.
“They shared an unshakable belief in beauty, in overflow, in everythingness, the bursting indelible beauty in a world where there is so much suffering and wounding and pain.”
—Elizabeth Alexander
Your Body Remembers
In Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s famous book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, he describes how trauma can be remembered in the body through physiological responses, also known as somatic or body memories. This means that traumatic experiences can be stored and remembered in the body as physical sensations, emotions, and behavioral responses. The body remembers trauma in this way because the brain and body respond to traumatic experiences as life-threatening events, and stores these memories as a means of survival.
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When a person experiences a traumatic event, the body's natural response is to activate the fight, flight, freeze or befriend response—releasing stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. This physiological response can become imprinted in the body and can be triggered later by reminders of the traumatic event, such as sounds, smells, or images that are associated with the trauma. These body-based responses are unconscious and automatic, and can persist long after the traumatic event has occurred.
For example, someone who experienced trauma may have a physical reaction (such as increased heart rate or muscle tension) when reminded of the traumatic event. Somatic memories (also known as implicit memories) can result in physical symptoms such as muscle tension, headaches, stomach pain, rapid heartbeat, and sweating, which can be difficult to separate from the emotions associated with the traumatic event. These physical symptoms can be a manifestation of the ongoing psychological distress, and can be part of a larger pattern of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Treatments like trauma-informed therapy, resiliency-focused therapy, and somatic experiencing can help individuals process and integrate the physical and emotional responses associated with trauma, and reduce the impact of these somatic memories on their daily lives. By working through the traumatic experience in a safe and supportive therapeutic space, individuals/couples/families can learn to regulate their physical response to stress and reduce symptoms associated with trauma.
Trauma and our autonomic nervous system (ANS)
The link between trauma and a person’s autonomic nervous system (ANS) is complex and multifaceted. The ANS is responsible for regulating the body's unconscious functions and physiological functions, such as your heart rate, breathing, digestion, and survival responses. It is divided into two branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is responsible for the body's stress response, while the PNS is responsible for regulating the body's "rest and digest" response. You can think of these as 1) the gas pedal that revs us up for action (SNS), and 2) the brake (think “PARAchute” for PARAsympathetic nervous system) that slows us down for a soft landing.
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During a traumatic event, the SNS is activated in response to a perceived threat, resulting in an automatic "fight/flight/freeze/befriend" survival response which prepares the body for survival. This includes physiological changes such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, shortness of breath, lack of saliva production, pupil dilation, inhibited sexual arousal, and heightened sensitivity to stimuli.
Some people’s ANS may become dysregulated, meaning that the body's normal stress response becomes exaggerated or persistently activated—thus the effects of trauma on the nervous system can persist long after the traumatic event. This can result in chronic activation of the SNS, leading to physical and emotional symptoms such as hypervigilance, anxiety, heart palpitations, rapid breathing, muscle tension, sweating, and difficulty regulating emotions—basically your body senses that it needs to always be “on alert” for potential threats. If the chronic arousal of the ANS persists too long, this can lead to other symptoms such as chronic pain, insomnia, digestive problems, and other physical health issues.
In contrast, the PNS is responsible for promoting relaxation and rest. Accessing the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) can help someone who is in a state of fight, flight, freeze, or befriend. Individuals can learn to practice techniques (such as the six wellness skills in the Community Resiliency Model) that tap into restorative sensations of safety, calm, and relaxation—in order to counterbalance the SNS stress response. Accessing the PNS slows down the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, and slows breathing—all of which helps to calm the body.
Unfortunately, trauma can lead to a suppression of the PNS, resulting in hyperarousal physical and emotional symptoms such as decreased ability to relax, difficulty sleeping, and decreased ability to regulate emotions—again, because of the body’s desire to be on alert for any potential threats.
If you experience any of these symptoms, this does not mean you are broken. It means that your body is still working hard to keep you safe.
It is also important to note that accessing a parasympathetic response may not be possible or appropriate in all situations. In some cases, it may be necessary to continue to activate the SNS in order to respond to a dangerous or life-threatening situation. In these cases, it is important to seek safety and support from trusted individuals, such as friends, family, or a mental health professional.
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In summary, trauma can have a profound impact on our nervous system, leading to chronic activation of the SNS or suppression of the PNS. Treatments such as therapy, medication, and self-care can help individuals learn how to regulate their ANS and reduce the impact of trauma on their daily lives.
When you are ready, Dr. Bryan Cafferky (or another well-trained mental health professional) can help you process the impact of traumatic experiences, learn to regulate your stress responses, and deepen your resilience so that you are able to heal, adapt, thrive and overcome adversity.
What is the difference between the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) and the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM)?
The Community Resiliency Model (CRM) and the Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM) are both approaches to trauma recovery that aim to build resilience and promote recovery from traumatic experiences. However, there are some key differences between these two models:
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Approach: CRM is a community-based approach that focuses on building resilience and promoting well-being at the community level. Anyone can learn, practice, and even teach the six wellness skills in the CRM to help them access their parasympathetic response and “reset” their autonomic nervous system (ANS) and return to their resilient zone.
In contrast, the TRM is based on the foundational CRM skills, but is practiced by trained clinicians, as a way to help individuals recover from and process traumatic experiences—in order to help release the unresolved tension held in the body. Through specific TRM interventions (e.g. pendulation, titration, etc.), clients can work through their trauma, release tension from the body, and deepen their resiliency.
Framework: CRM is based on the idea that individuals and communities have the capacity to recover from traumatic events through the development of strong social connections and the use of collective resources.
TRM is based on the idea that trauma is stored in the body and can be processed and resolved through the activation of the body's natural healing mechanisms (leveraging the elegant design of our beautiful biology).
Purpose: The purpose of CRM is to promote individual and community resilience and well-being. While the purpose of TRM is to help individuals release tension housed in their body and recover from traumatic experiences—in order to lessen the impact of trauma on their daily lives.
Both CRM and TRM have been shown to be effective in helping individuals and communities recover from traumatic experiences. Check out the free iChill App (https://www.traumaresourceinstitute.com/ichill)
What are similarities and differences between TRM and EMDR?
The Trauma Resiliency Model (TRM) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) are both evidence-based approaches used to help people recover from traumatic experiences. The choice between TRM and EMDR may depend on the specific needs and preferences of the individual, the skills of the clinician, as well as the availability of resources and support. It is also common for individuals to use a combination of both TRM and EMDR techniques in their trauma recovery journey. Although Bryan has had some training in EMDR, he no longer practices this approach—because he much prefers the flexibility of CRM and TRM for adapting to the varying needs of each client.
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While there are similarities between TRM and EMDR, there are a few key differences:
Focus: TRM is a holistic approach to trauma recovery that uses body-based (i.e somatic) techniques to help individuals access the physiological memory (implicit memory housed in the body) and release physiological tension while processing the traumatic memories (explicit memory). Whereas EMDR focuses on using eye movements or other bilateral stimulation to help process and resolve traumatic memories.
Theory: TRM is based on the principles of neuroscience and the physiology behind traumatic stress reactions (i.e. the automatic, defensive ways our bodies respond when faced with perceived threats to self and others). Trauma is stored in the body, and thus can be processed and resolved through the activation of the body's natural healing mechanisms (linked with your autonomic nervous system). EMDR is based on the idea that traumatic memories are stored in an unprocessed form and that bilateral stimulation can help process and integrate these memories into the brain's adaptive information processing system.
Techniques: TRM uses techniques such as tracking, resourcing, grounding, pendulation and titration (all linked to sympathetic and parasympathetic responses in your autonomic nervous system) to help the body release tension when processing traumatic memories. EMDR uses purposeful bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, tapping, or sounds, to help individuals process and resolve traumatic memories.
Goal: Both TRM and EMDR aim to help individuals recover from traumatic experiences and reduce the impact of trauma on their daily lives. However, TRM also focuses on building resilience and promoting well-being, while EMDR focuses primarily on resolving traumatic memories.
Integration with other therapies: Both TRM and EMDR are often integrated with other therapeutic approaches, such as Bowen family systems, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and various other talk therapy approaches.
Evidence-based: Both CRM/TRM and EMDR have been shown to be effective in helping individuals recover from traumatic experiences. More research has been conducted testing the positive outcomes of using EMDR, yet there is an ever-growing body of literature showcasing the effectiveness of CRM and TRM.
Trauma-Informed VS. Resiliency-Focused: Comparing Their Focus and Approach
Focus
Trauma-Informed Therapy focuses on the impact of trauma on an individual's life, including the physical, psychological, and social effects. The goal of trauma-informed therapy is to help individuals understand and process their traumatic experiences.
Resilience-Focused means on helping individuals build resilience and cope with challenges, regardless of whether they have experienced trauma. The goal of resilience-focused interventions is to help individuals develop the skills and resources they need to thrive and overcome adversity.
Approach
Trauma-Informed Therapy uses a variety of approaches, including talk therapy and somatic therapy, to help individuals understand and process their traumatic experiences. The therapist is trained to recognize the effects of trauma and to work with the individual in a non-re-traumatizing way.
Resilience-Focused includes therapeutic interventions (and some community approaches) to help individuals build resilience to cope with current and future challenges. A resilience-focused therapist is trained to recognize the impact of stress and adversity, and how to build up an individual’s strengths in order to help them thrive and better overcome adversity.
My Rate
My therapy hour rate (50 min) for trauma therapy is $200. Visit my FAQ page to learn more.
Contact me today for a free 20-min consultation. I’m here to help.