At True Life Center in San Diego, we practice a trauma-informed approach that guides the support we offer our patients as they find their way to recovery.

What Is Trauma-Informed Therapy?

Trauma-informed therapy is a philosophy that recognizes how impactful trauma can be on an individual’s life and health. Therapists who practice trauma-informed care prioritize creating an environment of safety and trust so you feel secure and comfortable to share your feelings and experiences during sessions. They understand how trauma influences emotions and triggers and can design treatment in a way that avoids re-traumatization and empowers you to heal.

Rather than treating just the symptoms, a trauma-informed therapist looks at the whole being. At True Life Center, we are committed to helping patients find healing in their minds and bodies.

Types of Therapy for Trauma

There are several effective types of therapy for trauma, and often, a combination works best. Common trauma therapy modalities include:

• Cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavior therapies (CBT & DBT): Therapeutic approaches that help identify unhelpful thought patterns and teach people healthy coping skills to manage uncomfortable emotions
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): Uses guided eye movements to process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional hold
• Holistic therapies: Techniques like mindfulness, yoga therapy, and acupuncture all work together to address the mind-body connection of trauma. These practices work to calm the nervous system and promote peace of mind

At True Life Center, we utilize all of these methods in creating a personalized plan for you. We address the varied aspects of who you are.

Trauma-Informed Therapy Techniques

Trauma-informed counselors use a myriad of techniques to help patients cope with trauma symptoms and process memories at a pace that doesn’t retraumatize. They work to teach new coping skills, improve emotional management, and design sessions so that you feel in control. Common trauma-informed therapy techniques include:

• Grounding exercises: These are exercises that help anchor you in the present (focusing on your breath or immediate surroundings) to ease the impact of anxious feelings or difficult memories
• Mindfulness and relaxation: Practices like meditation and deep breathing can help greatly reduce stress and calm your mind and body
• Somatic therapies: Gentle yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or other gentle body-focused activities support the nervous system and help to release tension

Healing with a Trauma-Informed Therapy

At True Life Center, our therapists take a compassionate, team-based approach. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and holistic providers collaborate to create a well-rounded treatment plan that includes counseling, any needed medical support, and wellness practices. At True Life, there’s always someone in your corner to help ignite transformation within you.

Healing from trauma may take time, but with the right support, it’s very possible. Over time, you’ll begin to notice your anxiety decreases, your mood improves, and you regain a sense of control. Nightmares and flashbacks might fade, your sleep can improve, and you start to feel like yourself again. Even small steps are meaningful signs of progress.

Trauma-Informed Therapy at True Life Center

After trauma, you need a way to recalibrate your stress response system. At True Life Center, this means neurobiological integration (NBI). When you find peace for both the mind and body, the result is deeper healing. We want to help you go from surviving to thriving.

Quality care is so important. If you’re in Southern California, True Life Center in San Diego offers trauma-informed care in a convenient outpatient setting. True Life Center’s experienced team offers compassionate, integrative support. Call 858.202.1822 today to get started, or visit us online.

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Repressed trauma lingers, especially when it stems from childhood, the adolescent years, or sexual trauma. Awareness of the signs of repressed trauma is the first step toward transformation and healing. At True Life Center, we guide patients through trauma recovery so that they can live freely, without the past holding them back from the future they deserve. Through comprehensive mental health treatment, we also help clients work through trauma bonding recovery in San Diego.

What Are the Signs of Repressed Trauma in Adults?

The residue of past trauma can show up years after the distressing event occurred. That’s why childhood experiences are so impactful. Those memories, whether immediately recalled or not, shape how people live. The signs of repressed trauma in adults include:

Unexplained and Overwhelming Emotional Reactions

This can look like feeling suddenly overwhelmed by unpleasant emotions like anger, sadness, or fear without understanding why. These responses may be linked to long-buried memories that need to be processed.

Difficulty Forming Healthy Relationships

Trauma can often decrease your willingness to trust and your ability to allow intimate relationships to grow. This protective wall between you and others makes it challenging to build connections. Ultimately, this can result in avoiding relationships altogether or becoming involved in unhealthy dependency on others.

Nightmares or Sleep Disturbances

Recurring nightmares or not wanting to go to sleep can be signs of unresolved trauma that surfaces while the brain is at rest.

Physical Symptoms Without Medical Cause

An underestimated sign of repressed trauma is the way it can manifest physically. When people experience pain or discomfort without a physical explanation, it’s wise to assess your mental health. Unexplained headaches, muscle pain, or gastrointestinal issues can be an indicator of the mind-body connection to trauma.

Avoidance

When individuals actively avoid specific people, places, or activities—especially if they are somehow linked to traumatic event, it may point to unacknowledged memories of hurt or fear.

Memory Gaps or Dissociation

Some people with repressed trauma may not be able to recall certain time periods of their life without support. They may also feel a sense of disconnection from their feelings.

Hypervigilance or Easily Startled

Living in a state of constant alert is often a sign of trauma. People can have what seems like overreactions to minor events that have triggered an older, more intense memory.

Self-Destructive Behaviors

People with trauma, even if it’s been repressed, can turn to self-medication. This may look like substance abuse, risky behavior, or other harmful coping mechanisms like overeating, to mitigate pain.

The ramifications of unaddressed trauma can be far-reaching, interrupting people’s ability to thrive. This isn’t just true in adults, but also adolescents. Getting the support of a trained therapist as early as possible can mean the difference between surviving life and thriving in it.

Signs of Repressed Trauma in Teens

Trauma experienced during childhood or adolescence may continue to present complex emotions and behavioral problems throughout the teenage years. This can be particularly painful for young people who often don’t have control over whether they’re able to seek mental health support, or who don’t have an adult in their lives who can advocate for them. When left unchecked, these issues will only grow, impacting them into their adult years.

Behavioral Outbursts

Sudden outbursts of anger, aggression, or rebelliousness can often signify inner emotional turmoil linked to distressful childhood memories.

Withdrawing from Friendships or Activities

A significant sign can be isolation. When young people withdraw from social opportunities or people they previously loved spending time with, it can signify trauma or past trauma.

Struggling Academically or Socially

Teens dealing with trauma often find school challenging. Their grades might slip, and they may experience difficulty socializing.

Mood Swings or Emotional Instability

Repressed memories can lead to unpredictable highs and lows, including extreme sadness or irritability.

Frequent Health Complaints

Some teens may experience physical manifestations including stomachaches or increased tiredness. When there seem to be no physical reasons for illnesses, it could be indicative of repressed trauma.

Self-Harm or Risky Behaviors

Teens can be likely to engage in self-injurious behaviors like cutting, burning, or scratching. Behaviors like these or reckless activity, like experimenting with substances can point to underlying trauma.

Attachment Issues

Trauma can lead to difficulty developing appropriate attachments. It may mean teens become too clingy in certain relationships or avoid relationships altogether.

Hyper-Vigilance

When teens seem to expect danger or worry about their safety in a certain environment, it may be a sign that their nervous system is in “fight-or-flight” mode, indicating past trauma.

These signs of trauma don’t have to be the end of the story. Getting the right support makes a significant difference in how people are able to cope with their past and move forward

Repressed Trauma Treatment Options

When it comes to therapeutic options for trauma, the team at True Life offers unparalleled compassionate care and years of experience to help you face the past and learn new skills for managing it. Programs at True Life include therapies such as:

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Somatic experiencing

Our goal is to help you understand the mind-body connection and learn new ways to regulate your emotions. Doing this will help you feel the freedom you deserve as you move forward in life.

Find Trauma Treatment Today at True Life Center

True Life Center helps individuals uncover their authentic selves and build resilience, making lasting emotional growth possible. The impact of repressed trauma doesn’t have to linger forever. Call 858.202.1822 today to learn about our treatment or submit our online form, and we’ll be in touch.

The post What Are the Signs of Repressed Trauma appeared first on True Life Center.

Effective treatments don’t have to be hard to find. If you or a loved one is struggling under the weight of PTSD, contact True Life Center. We are San Diego’s premier mental health provider. For more information about our PTSD treatment program, call 858.202.1822.

What is PTSD?

PTSD can develop after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events such as military combat, natural disasters, accidents, or assaults. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. Seeking professional treatment for PTSD promptly will help restore mental health and quality of life.

What Are the Most Effective Treatments for PTSD?

Effective treatment options for PTSD often start with conventional therapeutic methods. At True Life Center, we believe in utilizing evidence-based therapies and holistic practices to help our patients achieve long-lasting recovery.

Here are a few effective treatments for PTSD:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – CBT is one of the most common and effective therapies for PTSD. It helps patients identify and change negative thought patterns, enabling them to manage and reduce symptoms.
• Exposure therapy – This technique involves safely exposing patients to trauma-related cues in a controlled environment, helping them confront and process their fears.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) – EMDR combines cognitive therapy with guided eye movements, which can help patients process and integrate traumatic memories.

At True Life Center, our expert team will collaborate with patients to identify the most effective traditional therapy modality for them.

Integrative and Holistic Treatment Options for PTSD

True Life Center offers a wide range of treatment options for PTSD including more holistic and innovative treatments. These practices are a beneficial complement to more traditional therapies:

• Neurofeedback – This non-invasive method uses real-time monitoring of brain activity to help patients learn how to regulate their nervous system, improving emotional stability.
• Somatic experiencing – Focusing on bodily sensations, somatic experiencing helps release the physical tension associated with trauma, facilitating emotional healing.
• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) – TMS is an emerging treatment involving magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, which can alleviate symptoms of PTSD without medication.
• Yoga and meditation – These practices enhance mindfulness and relaxation, reducing stress and promoting mental clarity. They are essential components of a well-rounded PTSD treatment program.
• Acupuncture therapy – Acupuncture can alleviate symptoms by balancing the body’s energy flow, providing a complementary approach to traditional PTSD therapies.

 True Life Center’s commitment to a mind-body connection makes our treatments for PTSD approach unique. We integrate therapies that encompass physical, emotional, and spiritual dimensions to ensure a balanced life. Techniques like yoga, meditation, and acupuncture promote overall well-being.

True Life Center’s Unique Approach

At True Life Center, we pride ourselves on our personalized and compassionate PTSD treatment program. Our team of full-time doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and holistic providers collaborates to create individualized treatment plans that address each patient’s unique needs.

Addressing PTSD requires a multifaceted approach that considers the individual’s unique experiences and needs. By combining traditional therapies with innovative treatments and focusing on the mind-body connection, we help patients achieve sustainable recovery and reclaim their lives.

For PTSD Treatment, Enroll Today at True Life Center

True Life Center stands at the intersection of excellence and compassion, committed to transforming lives through personalized and integrative care. If you’re struggling with PTSD, reach out today and take the first step toward healing and growth. Call 858.202.1822 or submit our online contact form, and we’ll be in contact.

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