Trauma Treatment, Counseling, and Therapy Center Near Atlanta, Georgia

Accidental Trauma

Accidental trauma occurs when you experience or witness some kind of unexpected accident or event. Examples of accidental trauma include car accidents, natural disasters, medical injuries, or physical attacks. Experiencing or witnessing any form of accident can lead to trouble coping in everyday life.

You may also avoid the thing that caused the trauma in the first place. For example, if you were involved in a horrific car accident, you may avoid driving or that mode of transportation altogether.

Medical Trauma

Medical procedures can cause a lot of anxiety, and sometimes they can cause trauma. Medical trauma is when a medical procedure, diagnosis, or intervention causes a lasting impact. Some examples of medical trauma include scarring childbirth experiences, near-death experiences, serious physical injury, terminal or chronic diagnoses, or a difficult stay in a medical facility.

Emotional Trauma

Emotional trauma stems from a deeply disturbing event that alters the brain and affects your ability to cope in the world. Examples of emotional trauma include emotional betrayal or bullying. These experiences can leave deep emotional scars that make it difficult to live a happy and fulfilling life. Emotional trauma shows up in relation to your feelings.

Developmental Trauma

Developmental trauma occurs in your formative years and can have lasting effects on how you function in adulthood. This trauma (also called childhood trauma) relates to your emotional and physical security growing up at home and with your caregivers. Examples include emotional, sexual, or physical abuse in the home, emotional or physical neglect, absent caregivers, food insecurity, or violence.

Complex Trauma

Complex trauma refers to multiple or repeated distressing events that occur over a prolonged period. This causes ingrained trauma responses that can be difficult to unlearn. Examples of complex trauma include long-term childhood or domestic abuse, surviving human trafficking, or exposure to the effects of war. Complex trauma is repeated/chronic, unlike other forms of trauma.

Psychological Trauma

Psychological trauma frequently gets confused with emotional trauma, and the terms are often used interchangeably. However, emotional trauma has to do with feelings and emotional processing, and psychological trauma has to do with cognitive and mental processing. If you are experiencing psychological trauma as the result of an accident, for example, you may have memory trouble or intrusive thoughts/flashbacks.

Residential Treatment for Trauma

Residential or inpatient treatment is the most intensive program option available. At a residential treatment facility, you will reside on the premises and have access to 24/7, around-the-clock care. You will attend trauma therapy individually and in a group setting to increase solidarity and unity with your peers.

In an inpatient treatment center, your trauma recovery journey is the number one priority. You will learn symptom management, trauma coping strategies, and mindfulness tools to stay present and grounded. The duration of residential treatment will vary for each person, but on average, you can expect to spend one to three months focusing on trauma healing.

Partial Hospitalization Program for Trauma

A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for trauma survivors will focus on trauma counseling with slightly more flexibility than a residential program. Many PHPs are day programs, allowing you to return home at the end of each session. PHPs are an excellent treatment program option if you want to dedicate significant time to your healing without residing at the treatment center.

Partial hospitalization programs require you to attend treatment five to seven days out of the week for several hours each day. If you need more care than an outpatient program but do not require constant support, a PHP may be for you. This program structure can last anywhere from several weeks to a few months, depending on your needs and the specifics of the program.

Intensive Outpatient Program for Trauma

Another program offered at an outpatient treatment center that may be beneficial to trauma survivors is the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). This program offers more support than typical outpatient but is less intensive than a residential program or PHP. Outpatient programs can be helpful if you are transitioning through levels of care.

IOPs will typically run for three to five days a week for a few hours at a time. Many IOPs will meet in the morning or evening to accommodate your other obligations. Group therapy will feature heavily in an IOP, though you will also be provided with one-on-one support. The duration of an IOP can vary depending on the program details and your needs, but you can expect to attend anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

Outpatient Program for Trauma

If you are looking for trauma support with a smaller time commitment, an outpatient program may be the right fit for you. In an outpatient program, you will meet individually and/or as a group for 45-60-minute sessions one to three times a week.

The duration of outpatient treatment depends on the individual, but recent research suggests that an average of 15 to 20 outpatient sessions are necessary to see improvements in symptoms.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is considered one of the newer, most effective ways of treating trauma and building resilience. EMDR trauma therapy uses bilateral stimulation in the form of eye movements, tapping, or binaural audio. This causes the brain to mimic the REM stage of the sleep cycle, which is when emotional processing takes place.

EMDR therapy floods the brain with activity and desensitizes the brain to memory. As a result, the trauma feels less prominent and distressing.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy

Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is a trauma-informed therapy that teaches you to gradually face your traumatic memories. If you have experienced trauma, you may want to avoid negative feelings, but confronting your fear is the only true path to recovery. With guidance from your therapist, you will slowly discuss the memory and expose yourself to stimuli that may be triggering.

In PE, you are challenged to confront distressing memories at a gradual pace through exposure. This process makes it easier to come to terms with the traumatic events over a period of time.

Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) refers to a model of practice that acknowledges the huge impact that traumatic events can have on your life. TIC focuses on establishing trust with your care team and peers and making sure you feel safe every step of the way in your treatment process.

TIC wants you to feel autonomy over your healing and encourages collaboration with your care team in a way that feels safe and supported.

Group Therapy

If you have experienced a traumatic event or events, it is very possible that you have grappled with feelings of isolation or loneliness. Group therapy is an excellent form of trauma-informed care as it creates camaraderie. In group therapy sessions, you can support and process with other individuals who are facing similar challenges. Facing trauma can be a frightening experience. You don’t have to do it alone.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) relies on many aspects of traditional CBT but through a trauma lens. In TF-CBT, you will learn coping skills to better manage your trauma symptoms. You will work with a care team to process your trauma and begin to feel a sense of safety and security again.

TF-CBT focuses on understanding how your thoughts and feelings connect to your actions. Integrative treatment centers often use TF-CBT to help you process your trauma so it does not take up so much space in your life.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical-Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modality of therapy that focuses on understanding and accepting intense feelings. “Dialectical” refers to balance, and this form of therapy focuses on changing the things within your power while accepting the things not in your control.

From a trauma perspective, DBT can help you process and accept your traumatic memories. DBT can also provide you with the coping, mindfulness, and emotional regulation tools to support you in living a full life going forward.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Many wellness centers offer psychodynamic therapy, which focuses on uncovering the unconscious. This form of therapy can be beneficial if you have experienced trauma because it can help you discover how your traumatic experiences are impacting you on an unconscious level.

Your therapist will ask questions to understand the events that occurred. Through this talk therapy, you’ll gain insight into how to heal through self-awareness practices, leading to better emotional regulation and personal healing.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Some specialty treatment centers may use Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as a way to support healing from trauma. This program format emphasizes mindfulness and stress reduction practices to encourage self-regulation. Through these practices, you will cultivate self-awareness, gain acceptance, and discover tools to keep you emotionally regulated as you work to process and lessen trauma’s impact on your day-to-day functioning.

Alternative Ways to Find a Trauma Therapy and Treatment Program Near Me

We appreciate the struggle to find the right trauma recovery center. There are a dozen things to consider when seeking the proper care for your unique needs, not to mention the hesitation that goes along with seeking support in the first place. This is why we’ve created this convenient guide as a resource:

1. Initial Online Research: Begin your search by using search engines like Google. Enter keywords such as “trauma therapy center near me” or “trauma treatment center near Atlanta, Georgia.”
2. Directories Online: Websites like Psychology Today and GoodTherapy offer treatment directories that allow you to search for a mental health provider or rehabilitation center by location and specialization.
3. Referrals: Ask your primary care physician or personal contacts for advice. They might be aware of local trauma therapy clinics or therapists.
4. Contact Your Insurance Provider: If you plan on using health insurance for treatment, contact your insurance provider and ask for trauma therapists and mental health treatment centers that are within your network.
5. Reach Out to Mental Health Organizations: Contact mental health organizations in your area like the state mental health department or local branches of national organizations.
6. Search on Social Media: Explore Facebook and other social media for recommendations from people in your area. Facebook groups or local community forums can be great sources of this information.
7. Visit University and Medical School Centers: Local medical schools may have specialized trauma medical treatment centers or therapy clinics. They may provide services or have referrals or resources available.