Trauma Therapy vs. Regular Therapy, or traditional talk therapy – what’s the difference anyway and why is it important?
Seeking therapy, whatever kind of therapy it may be, is a step of courage and bravery. It’s important to note that not all therapy is the same, and below I’ll dive into how to spot the difference between trauma therapy and regular (talk) therapy to determine what is best for you.
So, what sets them apart?
Trauma therapy and traditional talk therapy both offer tremendous value to our mental health and growth journey. What sets them apart is often the main goals of treatment and how a therapist may utilize different techniques to help you get there.
Trauma therapy is more of a “bottom‑up” approach that addresses more intense or deep‑rooted concerns. These concerns can relate to past or present circumstances; what marks them is that they overwhelm the body’s ability to cope. Trauma therapy is often focused on regaining emotional regulation and stabilization and providing an ability to reprocess triggering memories that can help you increase your ability to tolerate stress. Your therapist may use modalities that are more nervous‑system‑based such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic experiencing, or IFS (Internal Family Systems).
Talk therapy, on the other hand, is often more of a “top‑down” approach focused on alleviating the symptoms and concerns that are occurring in your life and providing support and potentially resolution to them. This may look like more supportive top‑down approaches such as Solution‑Focused Therapy, client‑centered therapy, or even CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
How do I know what’s right for me?
I would say this depends on a few things. How intense is your experience currently? Do you feel like your past is playing a large part in your present? Did something traumatic happen recently and you’re having recurring intrusive memories of it? If that resonates, trauma therapy may be right for you. Are you more looking for someone to process a current life transition? Do you need different strategies to manage challenging aspects of your life? Talk therapy may be a good fit in that case!
If you’re unsure about what is the right path for you, feel free to schedule a free phone consultation and we’d be happy to talk to you more about the process.
