What’s Coming to The Trauma Treatment Collective Vlog in July 2019

No better time than the present time to shake it up a little bit on the vlog. We are halfway through 2019 and starting next week I will be sharing a sneak peek into trauma treatment.  I hope this series will normalize things a little for us, as mental health professionals who treat trauma, spark […]

How to Address Attachment Challenges in Trauma Treatment

First things first, let’s first talk about attachment.  What is attachment?  In the 1970’s, founders of the term, “attachment theory,” Dr. John Bowlby and Dr. Mary Annisworht referred to it as the way we learn to have relationships between the ages of 0-3 years old. There are two categories of attachment: secure and insecure. Within […]

Is Your Trauma Treatment Effective

I am sure I am not the only one that has this question from time to time.   I sometimes wonder if what I am doing is working…is this making a true difference in my client’s life?  Am I alone in this? I truly don’t think I am the only one that struggles with these questions.  […]

What is Collective Trauma

Collective Trauma is trauma that happens in large groups of individuals and can be transmitted across generations and communities.  It can be caused by wars, genocide, slavery, terrorism, mass bombings, mass shootings, and natural disasters.  Collective trauma can be either experienced firsthand or witnessed.  Symptoms of collective trauma include rage, depression, survivors’ guilt, chronic disease, […]

Treating Trauma and Eating Disorders

As a trauma treatment professional, the likelihood of you working with a client that also has an Eating Disorder or disordered eating behaviors is high.  Before I had the opportunity to learn about Eating Disorders while working at a treatment facility solely dedicated to this treatment, I didn’t really understand how it was for the […]

Working with Differential Diagnoses and PTSD

PTSD is not the only disorder that may be triggered by a traumatic event.  Other diagnoses such as depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, psychosis-related disorders, personality disorders, and dissociative disorders could also come into play.  Being able to navigate through the multitude of possibilities is a part of doing good trauma treatment. I like to tell […]

Addressing Trauma in Minority Populations

Most of the training in the major trauma treatment modalities don’t address racial or cultural issues.  I have learned over time that I must be willing to do my own training in this area to ensure I stay attuned to my client’s complex experiences of trauma not only from a brain and body place but […]

What is Trauma-Informed Yoga

I know some therapist refer out to Trauma-Informed Yoga programs or practices and others incorporate it into their practice during the therapy session.  I wanted to help us understand Trauma-Informed Yoga a little better.  I invited a childhood friend, Tiffany “TJ” Halliday on to the vlog to gain more understanding.  TJ and I have known […]

Working With A Client’s Defense Mechanisms In Trauma Treatment

Trauma is our response to a threat that is too much to bear, lasts too long, and comes too soon. A way to protect ourselves against any more threats that overwhelm us is by creating defense mechanisms. Defense mechanisms can consist of intellectualization, denial, displacement of emotions on to another, minimization of emotions, anger/aggression, and […]

Teaching Trauma Clients To Become Master Trackers

Clients can easily get into talking about their trauma versus processing their trauma. This can put them at greater risk for emotional flooding and retraumatization. One of the best ways to help clients navigate these slippery slopes and remain safe in the treatment process is teaching them to become master trackers of their own nervous […]