Do you remember the movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?” This guy wants to forget about his ex-girlfriend by going through a very unsanctioned medical procedure to erase his memory. It’s a story about what it means to forget your memories and how they serve us in certain ways.
Trauma therapy isn’t like this movie. There’s no way to safely erase the painful memories that continue to play out in a person’s mind, sometimes long after it’s happened. Trauma therapy is meant to desensitize the emotional reactions when, not if, those memories resurface. Let’s start with the reasons Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) occurs.
When we are exposed to a time of extreme stress or consistent stress, this can cause symptoms of PTSD, including hypervigilance, panic, hypersensitivity to certain stimuli, flashbacks, even disassociations. Our brains are trying to protect us from going through another emotionally and/or physically painful experience like that again. It works to warn us of similar sights and sounds to keep us safe. Unfortunately, this system in our brains can go into overdrive. It becomes conditioned to avoid the unavoidable. It could be loud sounds, somatic feelings, and triggers that set off emotional alarm bells in our nervous system and our bodies. These signals can help protect us, yet they can also be detrimental to the functioning of a person’s everyday life.
The sympathetic nervous system, (Fight, flight, freeze or fawn) is this protector. It sets off the alarm bells of our brains. Sometimes, the alarm threshold becomes very sensitive. Most clients talk about how they spend so much energy trying to distract themselves or “stuff it down” until it becomes impossible. Not to worry. There is hope. If you spent half the energy in trauma therapy with a qualified therapist, you’ll be in a much better place.
Most trauma therapy techniques are based on this clinical phrase called systematic desensitization. When, not if, the memory returns, we work to reduce distress. EMDR and Brainspotting use the Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS). EMDR has a long and extensive history for helping clients with their subjective units of distress. Brainspotting is the newer kid on the block, however it remains popular and quite effective in practice. It feels like straight sorcery! Somatic Experiencing is also a great method to reduce distress from PTSD symptoms.
What is it like using EMDR or Brainspotting to work through their trauma? These are two therapy interventions help the client tap into painful memories and emotions in a supportive and controlled environment. Part of the process is education on emotional regulation, grounding techniques, and building a relationship with your therapist. What is it like when you start clearing trauma targets? Most clients are proud of facing the thoughts and emotions that have been too difficult to bear for a long time. They realize the acute responses that were meant to protect are no longer serving them. You have less C.O.W.S. What the heck are C.O.W.S.!?
C.O.W.S. is an acronym for Crises Of The Week. Why do people have C.O.W.S.? When life gets a little too quiet or calm (or when someone get clean and sober), people are left with their thoughts. Clients with PTSD often live in chaos to distract themselves from their pain. This is often completely beneath their level of awareness.
Trauma therapy with a qualified therapist or program is well worth it. Research shows when clients complete treatment, there is a significant decrease in depressive symptoms, PTSD symptoms, and anxiety. Having less distress when, not if, the memories resurface is what we desire for our clients. We’ve made great strides to lessen the suffering of others through trauma therapy.