Trauma Therapy: How to Choose Which Approach is Right for You
EMDR, IFS, Brainspotting, Psychodynamic Therapy…Oh My! When it comes to trauma work, there are so many options to choose from and it may feel overwhelming to know where to start. Trauma work can be activating and scary at first, which sometimes makes choosing the right option feel even more important.
To help you in your search, I’d like to offer a few details and personal clinical reflections to help you make a more informed decision.
EMDR
EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization reprocessing. It relies on bilateral brain stimulation to keep the thinking part of the brain occupied, which gives the feeling part of the brain a chance to reprocess traumatic events. It is foundationally based on the idea that the brain wants to return to a regulated state and by allowing a person to process traumatic events in a safe space, the brain will naturally return to that state of peace.
In my clinical practice, I’ve been trained in EMDR by Scaling Up, an EMDRIA approved program, and use EMDR with clients frequently to process both acute trauma (single events in time) and complex trauma (recurring trauma - like abuse in the family - sustained over a more extended period of time). I have seen it work best for clients who have a base level of stabilization so they can feel safe letting the brain go where it needs to. It’s a tool that can be worked up to or layered in to other treatments very well!
Brainspotting
Brainspotting is related to EMDR in that it also relies on the feeling part of the brain to process trauma on a more subconscious level. Brainspotting uses a ‘gaze spot’ to connect to the feeling part of the brain, as opposed to accessing it via distracting the thinking brain (like in EMDR). Many clients report that Brainspotting feels more free form and flexible, which can be a great fit for some folks.
In my clinical practice, I’ve received training from the founder of Brainspotting, Dr. David Grand. I find it’s best suited for clients who prefer less structure and have a firm footing in their own ability to self regulate. This is definitely something that can be worked up to!
IFS
IFS stands for Internal Family Systems. It is a modality that allows us to understand the behaviors, thoughts and feelings we carry because of past traumas as parts of the self that developed to protect us from these traumas. By getting to know these parts, we can invite them to step back from some of the behaviors, thoughts and feelings that no longer serve us.
This is a great tool that I use with many clients just starting out with trauma work. It allows for some understanding of the trauma before fully processing it and is a great bridge to EMDR or Brainspotting.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy has been around for a long time - and for good reason. It is a foundational practice of tying the past to the present or, in other words, helping us understand how past experiences, family dynamics, and relationships have shaped how we show up today. Understanding from psychodynamic therapy is woven into a lot of therapy techniques and is often a great place to start to help to gain some understanding of how trauma impacts us. This can feel a lot more approachable and is a great foundation for helping folks feel more open and safe to go in and do more of the processing work discussed above. I often use psychodynamic exploration as a starting place with newer clients in my practice.
More!
There are so many trauma tools - this list highlights several of the most popular and ones I use most often in my practice. Whatever trauma processing approach you decide is right for you, it’s important to make sure you’re in a place you feel safe. This can look like doing some research ahead of time, talking to your therapist about what options make the most sense for you, and not rushing into processing before you have a lot of trust in your therapist and yourself.
If you are in need of support, you can always reach out to schedule a complimentary consultation and understand your options.
The content of this blog is for education purposes only and is not therapy or advice. Reach out to a licensed professional for specific support or call 911 if you are having a mental health crisis.
