Research suggests that around 70% of people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, yet only about 25% go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This means that while trauma is common, most people have the capacity to recover, especially when the right supports are in place. One of the most important protective factors is emotional support at the time of the event, which can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing long-term difficulties. Studies also show that social support plays a crucial role in how people process trauma and whether it leads to lasting psychological distress*.
However, many people suffer in silence - never having told anyone about what they have been through. For these clients, talk therapies like CBT may be beneficial. It may help them to 'find their voice', have someone witness their pain and acknowledge the impact it has had on their life. Validating and normalising their responses to an abnormal event is important. It gives them the opportunity to receive the emotional support they possibly didn't get at the time and is an important part of the healing process.
But not everyone can, or wants to, verbalise their traumatic experiences in detail. Maybe it is far too distressing to think about for long periods, maybe there is a fear losing control, or so many events that it is hard to know where to start. In these instances, clients may benefit from EMDR therapy, where exposure to trauma memories is done in a targeted way, in small 'bit-size pieces', that can be more tolerable.
The goal of trauma therapy isn’t to erase what’s happened, but to help you feel less distressed by it moving forward. While we can’t undo the past, therapy can reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories so they no longer feel overwhelming or intrusive. Recovering from trauma doesn’t mean the events weren’t important - it means they no longer control your present.
Working through trauma takes readiness. No one can be forced to process painful experiences before they feel safe enough to do so and, for many, that begins with building a trusting relationship with their therapist.
People come to trauma therapy because they want relief from the symptoms their past continues to cause, or they want to change unhelpful behaviours in their lives that are causing problems for them or their loved ones. Healing takes courage, and while it may mean feeling some of the pain again, it’s important to remember: the worst part is already over.
* Referrences:
Benjet, C., Bromet, E., Karam, E. G., et al. (2016). The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Psychological Medicine, 46(2), 327–343.
Bonanno, G. A., Westphal, M., & Mancini, A. D. (2011). Resilience to loss and potential trauma. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 7, 511–535.
Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., et al. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62(6), 593–602.
Ozer, E. J., Best, S. R., Lipsey, T. L., & Weiss, D. S. (2003). Predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder and symptoms in adults: a meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 129(1), 52–73.
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