7 Essential Questions to Ask When Looking for Trauma Therapy in Your Area
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Healing from trauma requires a sense of safety and trust in your treatment team. Expertise and experience working with trauma survivors are important things to look for when assessing clinicians. You’ll also want to find providers who can understand your experiences and form a real connection with you. To provide effective and personalized treatment, your clinician needs to see you as a whole person. 

There’s a lot of variety in the treatment philosophies and methods used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Knowing what options are available to you and understanding your individual needs can help you find a clinician or team that’s a good fit. You might start by looking for clinics with locations in your area. Looking at virtual trauma treatment programs may open up more options. Many people prefer virtual treatment even when in-person options are available.

In this article, we’ll share seven questions to ask a trauma therapist before you start treatment.

7 essential questions to ask when seeking trauma therapy 

There are many factors your clinician will need to consider when planning and providing your treatment. The things that happened to you and their impact on your life are just a part of the picture. Your clinician will also need to get to know you as a person, including your personality, your life circumstances and what’s important to you. Most often, they’ll gather this information during your intake assessment. But first, you may have a consultation to see if they might be a good fit. This is a great time to ask questions about their approach to trauma treatment.

Finding the right trauma therapist isn’t just about credentials. It’s about creating a safe space where healing can unfold at your pace and in your unique way.

Consider asking these seven questions during your consultation with a trauma treatment provider: 

  • What specialized training do you have in trauma treatment? — In trauma disorders, past experiences play a greater role in the progression of symptoms than they do in other mental health conditions. Each individual has a unique relationship to their trauma, so no two people have the exact same symptoms. Clinicians need specialized training to understand what their clients are experiencing and certifications for specific treatment methods.
  • What evidence-based approaches do you use for trauma? — Treatment approaches for PTSD and complex trauma are different from those used for other conditions. Some involve reprocessing traumatic events and changing the story in your head. Others help you learn how to manage your symptoms in the present. Some examples include eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).
  • What’s your philosophy when it comes to trauma treatment? — Research on trauma conditions and treatments has come a long way in the past 20 years. There are different theories on why some people develop PTSD and how different treatment methods work. Each person’s experiences, symptoms and life circumstances are different. To be most effective, trauma treatments should be personalized.
  • Will treatment address both psychological and physical trauma responses? — Traumatic experiences have an emotional, mental and physical impact. Both the brain and the nervous system work differently in trauma survivors. Most people need a combination of treatments that address the different aspects of their trauma. However, many clinicians only focus on cognitive and emotional processes. 
  • How do you ensure emotional safety during trauma work? — Working through your most distressing memories puts you in a very vulnerable state of mind. This is necessary for your healing process, but it can be overwhelming. Being pushed too far in treatment can cause people to dissociate or make their distress worse. It takes care and planning to help people through these moments. Ask your clinician how they keep clients safe during sessions and what resources are available for emergencies in between.
  • How will we know if treatment is working? — Does the clinician include any ongoing assessments to track your progress? You might ask what kinds of assessments they use and how often you’ll check in. This question can also help you gauge how long treatment might take and when people usually start seeing results.
  • Do you coordinate care with other providers if needed? — Your primary care physician, your outpatient therapist or psychiatrist, and other care providers may want to be updated on your treatment. Ask the clinician how they typically work with referring providers.

Find holistic trauma treatment for the whole you at Lightfully

Finding the right trauma therapist isn’t just about credentials. It’s about creating a safe space where healing can unfold at your pace and in your unique way. It’s a good idea to meet with a couple of different therapists before you make your final decision. You might check out a clinic’s programs and look at their About page or testimonials from other clients to narrow down your top choices. 

One thing you should know about Lightfully is that we see you as a person first. We’ll be by your side every step of the way. Our Precision Care Model (PCM) ensures that each client gets a personalized treatment plan. In addition to your trauma treatment, we’ll help you develop your own strategies for managing your thoughts, feelings, behaviors and relationships. This proactive approach will help your time here lead to healing and relief that lasts.

Are you ready to find out if Lightfully is a good fit for you? Let’s talk about it. Contact us to ask your questions or reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team

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