What is a trauma narrative?
Trauma narratives involve writing a detailed account of a trauma you’ve experienced and working with your therapist to develop healthier beliefs about various parts of that trauma.
Trauma narratives are best for people who have experienced a previous trauma and/or who have PTSD.
Trauma narratives help clients visually process their emotions, thoughts, and beliefs about a previous traumatic experience. Trauma Narrative Therapy can help you gain a sense of control over the traumatic experience and help you to develop healthier thoughts and feelings about it.
Short term goals are to increase exposure to the trauma in order for you to gain a better sense of what parts are most difficult for you. Long term goals include developing coping mechanisms to help you stay strong when these memories return.
In a Trauma Narrative Therapy session, you’ll read through what you’ve written about the traumatic experience and your therapist will support you with questions to fill in any details that might be helpful to better understand the trauma. Additionally, your therapist will work with you to identify the beliefs you hold that have the most significant negative impact on your thoughts and emotions now. The therapist will help you work toward developing healthier beliefs so you can start feeling stronger when you are reminded of these past events.
Sessions take place once a week for as long as necessary.