Trauma-Informed Therapy in Colorado: How to Find the Right Therapist for PTSD and Childhood Trauma
When looking for a therapist that can help you with trauma, one of the most important factors is finding a therapist who you connect well with who also has experience supporting individuals through trauma work.. We are going to dive into what that means, how to find a trauma informed therapist, and how to know if they’re the right fit!
What is trauma informed therapy?
Trauma informed therapy is a type of therapy where the therapist specializes in supporting clients through the symptoms, impact and effects of a traumatic experience.. Trauma informed therapy involves the therapist maintaining an open, safe environment to navigate the mental, emotional and behavioral impacts of the traumatic experience. A trauma-informed therapist may use a number of therapeutic interventions to help support you in healing by learning effective, individualized strategies for coping with the symptoms and other mental or emotional impacts of experiencing trauma.
How do I find a trauma informed therapist?
To find a trauma informed therapist you can look at places like Psychology Today, where you can filter your results to get a therapist who can fill your exact needs. There are options to filter by location, insurance, gender or other important factors. The filters also make it easier to find therapists who have immediate availability to get the support you need as soon as possible. At Flourish Counseling & Wellness, we have a team of clinicians licensed in Colorado who are skilled at coming alongside clients to navigate their individual experiences of trauma. . Reach out to us through our website if you would like more information on our programs and therapists!
What does therapy look like?
The goal of trauma therapy is to figure out how your trauma is affecting you and learn skills to cope effectively. We may start this by trying to open the space for conversation about the trauma (to your comfort level), to learn what is happening, and identify treatment goals for your specific needs.e. We can then work on learning effective coping skills to get you through hard moments. We also offer evidence-based interventions for trauma processing, including Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing -also known as EMDR - which can help your brain be less activated by your trauma. The goal is to help your brain process the answer to questions you may not have or learn how to ease your brain’s response to this trauma.
I’ve Met a Therapist! Is this the Right Fit?
It can feel like a relief to get into a therapist's office and start the work. However, sometimes we do not connect well with a therapist .In this case, you might want to seek an alternate provider because research supports the concept that a strong therapeutic relationship is a significant mechanism of action in the therapy room. First, identify what is important for you in a therapist: what helps you feel comfortable, at ease or supported? Some things you may think or bring up around a new therapist are:
Do I feel like this style of therapy is productive for me?
Is there something I want them to change about therapy? Can I ask for change?
Do I feel safe opening up to this person?
Do I feel comfortable with the therapy approach they are using?
Do they share my core values?
Ellie Staples
Ellie is an undergraduate intern for Flourish Counseling & Wellness. She is currently a fourth-year student at Colorado State University, majoring in psychology with a concentration in clinical counseling.
Ellie hopes to continue her education in graduate school this fall with a goal of becoming a licensed therapist working with children and adolescents.
Remington is a 2.5 year old medical alert service dog. He has been doing service work for the last year and a half, and he hopes to one day to add therapy dog to his list of skills.
