Recovering from trauma can be a long journey. For some who have experienced trauma, all it takes is becoming exposed to the situation that caused the trauma in the first place.
Laura Bassett, a player for the English FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer team, scored on her own goal during overtime in one of the final games of the World Cup against Japan.
Bassett was absolutely traumatized, and it showed. She sobbed on the field as the Japanese players congratulated each other for their victory. If she had refused to play soccer again, begun to distance herself from friends or had continuous crying spells, she might have been in need of a therapeutic intervention.
However, a couple of days later, at the start of England’s battle for third place against Germany, crowds of people cheered Bassett on as she took to the field. She went on to help her team take third place in the Women’s World cup for the first time in history, facing her trauma head on.
“Big-T” and “little-t” traumas
Trauma comes in two different forms: “Big-T” and “Little-t.” Big-T traumas are those created by catastrophic events, such as major car accidents, natural disasters and severe physical and sexual abuse. Little-t traumas have the same neurological impact as Big-T traumas but are created by smaller events such as bullying, adoption or divorce. Big-T and little-t traumas might cause the same amount of disruption to a person’s emotional, spiritual, and social development. Bassett experienced what one might consider a “little-t” trauma, but it could effect her the rest of her life just like a Big-T trauma would.
How to help
The helplessness and powerlessness people feel as a result of trauma is far more important than the content of the trauma. Getting help for your daughter experiencing these disruptive feelings is crucial to her well being. Make sure to contact a therapist as soon as she begins to express symptoms of trauma. The most evidence-based therapeutic techniques for trauma include:
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): TF-CBT focuses on identifying feeling related to the trauma and coming up with a narrative of the traumatic event. It helps teens recovering from trauma think through distorted memories and discuss their trauma openly.
- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR): EMDR helps teens recover from trauma by reprocessing memories. This is done by recovering distressing images from the traumatic event.
- Somatic Experiencing: Somatic experiencing focuses on a person’s perceived body sensations. Through an awareness of how a person’s body feels, teens recovering from trauma can recognize what is causing a build-up of tension within their body causing trauma-related stress.
- Trauma-Focused Equine Assisted Psychotherapy(TF-EAP): TF-EAP uses horses to help teens recovering from trauma regulate their emotions and physical well being.
Another way to help your teen recovering from trauma is to send her to a residential treatment center. Residential treatment centers can help your daughter get the help she needs.
Solstice East is a residential treatment center based in Asheville, NC, for teen girls ages 14-18. Solstice East utilizes advanced therapeutic techniques to help your teen recover from trauma.
For more information about Solstice East treats trauma, please call us at 828-484-9946.
