Trauma Therapy

Written by:

Nicki Hari

Medically Reviewed by:

Dr Mateen Durrani – MBBS, DPM, MSc, BCPsych

This Page was last reviewed and changed on July 14th, 2023

Here at UKAT – UK Addiction Treatment centres, we understand just how difficult it can be to address the past traumas and personal challenges that have contributed to your struggle. Trauma therapy can help you enter recovery and teach you the principles of post-induction therapy. Read on for how we use trauma therapy for addiction treatment in rehab.

What is trauma therapy?

Trauma therapy is a psychoanalytic therapy that can help individuals process the emotions behind any traumas from their past. Traumas such as childhood abuse, neglect, bullying or domestic violence are inflicted on us by other people in our lives. Conversely, some traumas are caused by forces beyond our control, such as an accident, a life-threatening experience or the death of a loved one.

At UKAT, we treat all traumas equally and seriously during trauma therapy. Everybody leads different lives, and traumas can vary greatly from person to person. Our highly-trained therapists are keenly aware of the role trauma can play in the development of behavioural addiction, drug addiction and alcohol addiction.

Post-Induction Therapy

Our trauma therapy is rooted in the practices of post-induction therapy (PIT). This therapy was pioneered by Pia Mellody, a senior clinical advisor at The Meadows in Wickenburg, Arizona. Drawing on her own experiences, Mellody realised that the trauma treatments available in the 1970s did not recognise how seemingly irrational behaviours may actually be symptoms of trauma.

So, Mellody based post-induction therapy on the fact that victims of trauma carry emotional baggage with them. If your childhood trauma is left unresolved, negative emotions can follow you into your adult life. These overwhelming feelings might be:

  • Guilt
  • Shame
  • Anxiety
  • Paranoia
  • Mistrust
  • Depression
  • Self-hatred

Constantly battling with these upsetting feelings be very damaging to your self-esteem, lifestyle and perception of reality. Post-induction therapy invites victims to imagine themselves releasing their emotional baggage by transferring these distressing feelings onto the perpetrator of their abuse. This form of trauma therapy also identifies co-dependency as a symptom of stagnated emotional development, which is caused by the emotional baggage of trauma.

Trauma therapy for addiction treatment

We deliver trauma therapy for addiction treatment at our eight inpatient rehabilitation centres around England. You can choose to participate in trauma therapy as part of your residential rehab programme. Together with treatments like cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy and holistic therapies, trauma therapy serves to help victims gain greater personal insight and the strength they need to let go of their past.

Our therapists will work closely with you throughout your trauma therapy at rehab. Depending on the nature of your trauma and addiction, your therapist may utilise some of the techniques of cognitive processing therapy (CPT). These techniques help clients learn how to manage the negative emotions associated with their trauma.

UKAT’s trauma therapy programme is typically structured into four key stages:

1. Building rapport
When trauma therapy begins, our therapists will reassure you that rehab is a confidential and safe space for you to discuss your trauma. They will remind you that the empathetic staff at rehab are dedicated to helping you begin your recovery from addiction. As victims of trauma often find it difficult to trust others, the therapist will build a rapport with you by getting to know your personality, thoughts and behaviours.
2. Incident debriefing
You will then be asked to give your account of the traumas you have experienced. Debriefing is often an emotionally challenging process, as you will recall some of the most difficult moments of your life. Not everyone realises the extent of their trauma until they enter therapy.

However, debriefing is a necessary component of trauma therapy for addiction. A therapist may ask their client to imagine their trauma and verbally describe the events. This is known as the imaginal exposure technique, which can help the victim to face the painful thoughts and feelings surrounding their trauma and addiction.

3. Written account
During the third stage of trauma therapy, you will write a letter to the cause or perpetrator of your trauma. In this letter, you can write about traumatic events in detail, why you think they happened and how they have adversely impacted your physical and mental health. This is sometimes referred to as an impact statement. The impact statement helps victims to let go of their emotional baggage through the act of writing it all down.
4. Addressing the perpetrator
The final part of our trauma therapy programme invites you to read your letter aloud. This post-induction therapy technique is usually conducted in a group session so that you can receive the emotional support of therapists and your peers. The therapist will ask you to imagine the perpetrator sitting before you in an empty chair.

This act empowers victims to speak honestly about a traumatic event and the damage it has had on their emotional wellbeing. Addressing their perpetrator, although imagined, is a big step for many clients. Now, they can begin to heal from the event that has held them back for so long.

Does trauma therapy help addiction recovery?

Finishing trauma therapy within your rehab programme is an excellent way to start your recovery. Once you have psychologically transferred the emotional baggage of your trauma onto the perpetrator, you will be able to focus on the damage that has been caused by your struggle with addiction.

In this regard, trauma therapy gives clients insight into the vicious cycle between their addiction and trauma. Gaining this insight empowers clients to engage with the other addiction therapies which comprise their treatment programme at an inpatient rehab clinic.

It is important to remember that trauma therapy may not be an effective treatment for all victims of trauma. Nonetheless, post-induction therapy is a very versatile type of therapy which can be used to treat a wide range of traumas. Therefore, trauma therapy can be very beneficial for those who have faced significant adversity in their lives.

Does trauma therapy help addiction recovery?

Finishing trauma therapy within your rehab programme is an excellent way to start your recovery. Once you have psychologically transferred the emotional baggage of your trauma onto the perpetrator, you will be able to focus on the damage that has been caused by your struggle with addiction.

In this regard, trauma therapy gives clients insight into the vicious cycle between their addiction and trauma. Gaining this insight empowers clients to engage with the other addiction therapies which comprise their treatment programme at an inpatient rehab clinic.

It is important to remember that trauma therapy may not be an effective treatment for all victims of trauma. Nonetheless, post-induction therapy is a very versatile type of therapy which can be used to treat a wide range of traumas. Therefore, trauma therapy can be very beneficial for those who have faced significant adversity in their lives.

Trauma therapy and relapse prevention

You should always bear in mind that addiction recovery is a continuous process. Here at UKAT, we offer one year’s free aftercare to all of our clients as they transition from residential rehab to home life. During aftercare, you will attend group therapy sessions to maintain your support network and continue to bond with other people who are struggling with addiction.

To achieve long-term recovery from addiction, you can carry forward the lessons you learned about yourself, your trauma and your addiction during rehab into your normal life back at home. For example, you might go through a difficult time in your recovery after rehab. If this happens, you could write another letter to the perpetrator of your trauma. Using the new coping techniques you learned in trauma therapy, you can address your perpetrator until you no longer feel like a victim, but a survivor. Receiving support from your peers and engaging with post-induction therapy methods prevent you from relapsing back into your addiction.

If you are reading this page, you or a loved one may be suffering from addiction and the consequences of childhood trauma. We want you to know that you do not have to live as a victim for the rest of your life. Entering rehab for your addiction can also provide an opportunity for you to receive trauma therapy from a caring and qualified team of healthcare professionals.

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Frequently asked questions

What is trauma?
Trauma is typically defined as a significant life event or series of events which has inflicted deep psychological damage upon an individual. This can include an accident, injury, death, childhood neglect, bullying, sexual trauma and domestic abuse.
How does trauma relate to addiction?
Traumatic events can often leave people vulnerable to feelings of anger, guilt and shame. Some may turn to alcohol, drugs or addictive behaviours in an attempt to self-medicate and avoid these stressful emotions. This can create a vicious cycle of pain due to the repercussions of addiction on your physical, financial and emotional wellbeing.
Is trauma the root of addiction?
In some instances, people become addicted to a substance or behaviour because it provides an escape from the negative feelings caused by their trauma. On the other hand, some people develop an addiction which can result in a traumatic life event.
What are the symptoms of unresolved trauma?
Unfortunately, unresolved trauma can lead to the development of difficult mental health conditions in later life. These conditions can include anxiety disorders, clinical depression, and in some cases, suicidal behaviour. This is why it is so important for victims of trauma to receive treatment from a mental health professional.