I once worked with a client who had experienced sexual abuse in their childhood. Despite having worked with various counsellors and therapists, they felt stuck in their healing process. During our free consultation, I explained what trauma counselling was. After three months, they expressed gratitude after an EMDR session. They had finally made progress after the period of stagnation due to the appropriate approach to trauma recovery. Let’s explore what is trauma counselling and how it differs from standard counselling.
This isn’t an isolated case. Traditional talk therapy, while valuable, often isn’t effective when working with trauma. I know this firsthand, having navigated my healing journey from childhood abuse as a client. Trauma, although prevalent in our society, requires a specialized, holistic approach that goes beyond standard therapeutic techniques. Unfortunately, many people suffer from trauma-related symptoms without even realizing it. Therefore, they may seek help from professionals who are not equipped to provide the support they need.
What is trauma counselling?
Let’s look more deeply into the question of what trauma counselling is. First, I’ll provide a definition and explain more about the role of the trauma counsellor.
Defining trauma counselling
While there is no single standardized definition of trauma counselling, it generally refers to a specialized approach designed to support healing and the integration of traumatic experiences. The overarching goal is to help you achieve your objectives and develop your full potential despite what you’ve been through. Trauma counselling recognizes the profound impact trauma can have on the body, mind, emotions, and spirit, and it aims to nurture post-traumatic growth.
Unlike some forms of therapy, trauma counselling doesn’t require you to revisit your most painful memories immediately. It often doesn’t require this at all. Instead, it typically follows a stage-based approach based on Judith Herman’s stages of recovery.
Stage 1 – Trauma recovery
Stage One focuses on stabilization and safety. During this stage, we work together to widen your window of tolerance, helping your nervous system find a state of safety and connection. This might also involve reconnecting with your body or learning to set healthy boundaries. I present five practical trauma counselling techniques I use with my clients in the podcast Trauma Demystified to give you an idea.
Stage 2 – Trauma recovery
Stage Two centers on trauma integration and mourning. Here, you process the beliefs, memories, emotions, and bodily sensations linked to the traumatic experience. I often use EMDR in this stage to facilitate this process. While the facts of what happened cannot be changed, this stage allows you to integrate the traumatic experience and process the associated emotions in a way that they fade away and lose their power over you.
Stage 3 – Trauma recovery
Stage Three is about reconnecting—with life, with your community, and with a sense of meaning. In this stage, you begin to rebuild and find a new purpose, informed by the strength and insights gained through your healing journey.
Each person’s path to recovery is unique, and the goals at each stage are tailored to their specific needs and circumstances. Trauma counselling is a compassionate, individualized process that supports them in reclaiming their lives.
What is trauma counselling: The role of a trauma counsellor
A trauma counsellor is a mental health professional with specialized training in working with trauma. While they may have different designations, such as counsellors or psychotherapists, what truly matters is their professional training and experience in trauma work. Some trauma counsellors even choose to refer to themselves as “trauma consultants” to distance themselves from the stigma that still surrounds trauma and to acknowledge that some clients may have had negative experiences with traditional counselling.
A trauma counsellor provides a non-stigmatizing and non-pathologizing healing space. They approach your symptoms from the perspective of “What has happened to you?” rather than the medical model of “What’s wrong with you?” This shift in focus is crucial in creating an environment where you feel understood and supported. While the role of a trauma counsellor is more complex than this brief overview can capture, this foundational perspective is vital to treating trauma.
Moreover, a skilled trauma counsellor is mindful of the inherent power imbalance in the therapeutic relationship. They work to navigate this dynamic thoughtfully, fostering a collaborative, client-centred approach where your voice and agency are prioritized. This helps to create a safe and empowering space for your healing journey.
Benefits of trauma counselling
Trauma counselling signifies a meaningful investment of your time, effort, and money. Therefore, ask yourself: what change would you like to see in your life to make this investment worth it? While healing from trauma takes time and unfolds gradually, the rewards are well worth the effort and can be transformative.
Although the benefits of trauma counselling vary from person to person, here’s a general overview of the significant positive changes I’ve seen in my clients:
Improved mental and emotional well-being
Especially in Stage 1, trauma counselling offers a variety of tools and techniques to help you manage emotions effectively, navigate a dysregulated nervous system, and connect with your boundaries and needs. You’ll also discover the positive intentions behind difficult emotions like anger, frustration, and shame and learn how to navigate them healthily. Over time, you’ll deepen your connection with yourself and begin to restore a sense of wholeness, setting the stage for lasting emotional well-being.
Regain control
Trauma can often leave us feeling as though our lives are out of control—whether through overwhelming emotions, numbness, or behaviours that don’t align with who we truly are. Trauma counselling helps you regain control by understanding how trauma affects your body and by equipping you with the skills to manage your emotions effectively. This renewed sense of control can lead to a more balanced and intentional life where you feel empowered to shape your future.
Emotional healing
The more you’re able to process your traumatic experiences, the more you can heal from them. This healing often translates into experiencing more joy and inner peace with fewer triggering moments. Please note that healing doesn’t mean you’ll no longer feel emotions—emotions are a vital part of the human experience. However, you’ll learn to navigate them with greater clarity and calm. As you progress through counselling, you can anticipate a future where the weight of past trauma no longer holds you back, allowing you to embrace the present fully.
What is trauma counselling: Modalities
It is important to note that approaches to trauma recovery have evolved significantly over the last decades. Historically, the dominating idea was that trauma could only be managed but left permanent psychological scars. Therefore, early approaches to trauma treatment focused on finding coping skills.
Today’s trauma counselling is grounded in a more hopeful, evidence-based approach. Researchers like Judith Herman, Bessel van der Kolk, and Peter Levine have demonstrated that trauma healing is not only possible but can lead to profound personal growth. However, some outdated beliefs may persist, affecting how trauma is perceived and treated today.
To give you a brief overview of modern trauma counselling, the primary modalities include Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), parts work therapy such as Internal Family Systems, and somatic approaches like sensorimotor psychotherapy and somatic experiencing. Overall, the best practice for trauma recovery, especially for complex trauma or relational wounds, includes an integrative approach that combines several modalities.
Standard techniques integrated into these modalities are tools for grounding or self-soothing, visualizations, or mindfulness practices. Additionally, many trauma counsellors use the window of tolerance and poly-vagal informed therapy to work with the different trauma responses. Furthermore, the theory of structural dissociations explains the fragmented self after trauma and provides a background for partswork therapy.
Take away “What is trauma counselling?”
Trauma counselling has significantly evolved from early approaches that focused solely on managing symptoms. Modern, evidence-based approaches promote healing and nurture post-traumatic growth. Understanding this evolution helps us appreciate the effectiveness of contemporary therapies like EMDR, parts work, and somatic approaches. Embracing these advanced methods can lead to profound transformation in one’s mental and emotional well-being. Overall, trauma counselling offers a hopeful path forward with the support one needs for lasting recovery.
Sources
Most formal education in counselling and psychology offers little in-depth training on trauma recovery. Trauma counselling skills are typically developed through additional professional trainings in evidence-based approaches such as EMDR, parts work, and somatic therapies. The following resources informed this article:
Fisher, J. (2023). Janina Fisher’s Trauma treatment certification training (CCTP): The latest proven techniques to resolve deeply held trauma [Online professional training]. PESI
Haines, S. (2022). Safety, belonging, and dignity: Using the generative power of somatics to heal individual and systemic trauma. [Online professional training]. Academy of Therapy Wisdom
Davis, E., & Marchand, J. (2021). Attachment and dissociation assessment and treatment [Online professional training]. R. Cassidey Seminars
Greenwald, R. (2020). EMDR basic training, approved by the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). [Online professional training]. Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute
Enns, V. (2020). Trauma – Strategies for resolving the impact of post-traumatic stress. [Online professional training]. Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute.
Vancouver College of Counsellor Training. (2016). Sexual Abuse Counselling Skills [In-person professional training]. Vancouver, BC, Canada.
