Sober Synthesis

What Self Help Activities Support Trauma Recovery/Healing?

• These activities primarily focus on somatic (body) healing.

1. Breathing exercises
2. Activities that involve movement (e.g. yoga, dance)
3. Music, drumming, art, tapping
4. Massage
5. Mindfulness/meditation 
6. Supportive/safe interaction with people (connection)

What Professional Interventions have been Demonstrated to Support Trauma Recovery/Healing?

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on addressing both the unhelpful thought patterns and the behaviors that interfere with daily functioning. 
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy: a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps patients learn how to modify and challenge unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma.
  • Prolonged Exposure Therapy: a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that teaches individuals to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings and situations. By facing what has been avoided, a person presumably learns that the trauma-related memories and cues are not dangerous and do not need to be avoided.
• Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz in the 1980s, posits that the mind is composed of various “parts” or subpersonalities, each with its own perspectives, feelings, and roles. 
  • This multiplicity is not viewed as pathological but as a normal aspect of human psychology. 
  • The goal of IFS is to help individuals develop a relationship with these parts, understand their roles and intentions, and ultimately achieve greater internal harmony and healing.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories.
• Narrative ExposureTherapy helps individuals establish a helpful life narrative in which to contextualize traumatic experiences.
• Neurofeedback, also known as EEG biofeedback, is a non-invasive therapeutic technique that aims to retrain brain activity patterns through real-time feedback. 
  • This approach is based on the principle of operant conditioning, where desired brain states are reinforced through visual or auditory cues. 
  • By providing individuals with immediate information about their brain activity, neurofeedback empowers them to actively participate in the regulation of their neural processes.
• Psychodynamic Therapy offers an approach to healing from trauma by focusing on the unconscious influences of past experiences. 
  • Through the therapeutic relationship and exploration of deep-seated emotions, individuals can achieve meaningful change and recovery from the effects of trauma. 
  • This method not only addresses symptoms but also promotes a deeper understanding of oneself, leading to lasting emotional well-being.