Get Help for Childhood Trauma, PTSD, and CPTSD at Catalina
Childhood trauma can impact every single part of your life in adulthood, from interpersonal relationships to your physical health. As a childhood trauma survivor, it’s never too late to seek help and start your recovery journey.
However, due to the complex nature of adverse childhood experiences, many people considering treatment ask, “How long does therapy take for childhood trauma?”
Catalina Behavioral Health offers trauma-informed and evidence-based treatment for survivors of any and all adverse childhood experiences. We’re here to give you the quality of care you need and deserve to heal.
This article will discuss the nuances of how long childhood trauma therapy takes so that you can manage your expectations, including some of the many factors that may impact the length of your time in therapy. We’ll also talk about some common therapies used for trauma and the approach our treatment center takes.
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How Long Does Trauma Therapy Take?
Research shows that 15-20 trauma therapy sessions are required for half of those seeking help for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, it is known that many therapists and individuals receiving trauma therapy prefer to continue therapy for longer.
Ultimately, how long trauma therapy takes will always differ from person to person.
Some people will benefit from trauma therapy over the course of multiple years; you might even see more than one therapist. Others might need trauma therapy for a shorter duration of time. Here are some considerations to keep in mind.
The Type of Traumatic Event
There are different types of traumatic events that can occur in childhood. If you went through a single traumatic event, it is possible that you would need therapy for a shorter time period than you might for repeated abuse endured over the course of your childhood, or if you experienced multiple traumatic events as a child, teen, or adult. Everyone is unique in this way, so never feel bad for needing more or less treatment.
Symptom Severity and Level of Care
If your symptoms are more severe, it makes sense that your recovery process might take longer. People with complex trauma often have additional or more severe symptoms, which might lead to the need for more therapy sessions or a higher level of care, such as an inpatient treatment program for trauma survivors.
Those attending inpatient treatment for a traumatic event will be recommended to participate in continued care after their program is over, often in the form of an outpatient program. This could lengthen your total amount of time in trauma treatment.
Personal Treatment Goals
You may have specific treatment goals, such as lowering overall PTSD scores, gaining coping strategies, or working on skills necessary for healthy relationships. It is common for trauma survivors to have more than one treatment goal. You and your trauma therapist may start with one area of focus and proceed to work on another once you’ve gotten to where you want to be.
The number of goals you have in therapy, which might change over time, could impact the length of your therapy process. When you find relief from your most severe symptoms, it may be the case that you are able to work on something else.
Co-Occurring Mental Health Conditions
Similar to the severity of your symptoms, whether or not you have an additional mental health condition could make a difference in how long therapy for childhood trauma takes.
For example, if you have borderline personality disorder as well as a PTSD diagnosis, you may find that engaging in therapy over a longer period of time is helpful.
Type of Therapy
Different types of therapy can be used for treating trauma and mental health disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder. For some types of therapy, more sessions will be needed than others.
The Therapeutic Relationship
A strong therapeutic relationship matters. You deserve to feel comfortable in treatment and work with someone who understands; if you have to switch therapists at any point, it could lengthen how long you’re in therapy.
Past Treatment or Therapy Experiences
Some people go to therapy, take a break, and return later. If you have already had some treatment for the traumatic event(s) you’ve been through, it may influence how long you stay in therapy for now.
What is the Most Effective Trauma Therapy for Childhood Trauma?
More than one therapeutic modality can be used to treat childhood trauma effectively. The type of therapy you benefit from most right now could depend on what types of treatment you’ve received in the past and other factors.
With that in mind, here are some types of evidence-based trauma therapy you may benefit from as someone with unresolved childhood trauma.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
The idea of prolonged exposure therapy is to expose trauma survivors to trauma triggers in a safe environment with a licensed therapist. Examples of trauma triggers could be feelings associated with a traumatic event, external stimuli, or any other reminders you may have avoided up until this point.
As you are exposed to these trauma triggers with the help of a qualified professional, you should notice that you react to them differently; in a way that is less disruptive to your daily life.
Cognitive Processing Therapy
Cognitive processing therapy is one of the most recommended types of therapy for trauma. Often abbreviated to CPT, the goal of cognitive processing therapy is to challenge and modify negative beliefs that are related to traumatic experiences.
For example, many trauma survivors struggle with self-blame. In that case, you may work to re-frame and change the belief that you “caused” your trauma.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
Often simply referred to as EMDR, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy is a type of treatment that requires eight stages.
At its core, EMDR uses eye movements to change the brain and lower the amount of distress you experience related to traumatic memories.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, or TF-CBT, is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy for trauma survivors. In TF-CBT, you may work to build coping skills, reduce the severity of trauma symptoms, and cultivate a sense of safety. You may also work on thought reframe regarding traumatic events.
Narrative Exposure Therapy
Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is a short-term therapy for trauma. In NET, you talk about your life thus far from your perspective with a therapist, including both positive and negative events. Then, you will reflect and contextualize it in a way that is helpful for you. Often, NET is used for those with complex or chronic trauma.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS is not family therapy, even though the word “family” is in the name. Sometimes called “parts work,” IFS aims to help you understand all of the parts of yourself. Throughout the course of treatment, you’ll work to create more inner harmony, restore balance between your core self and the parts of you that are hurt, and feel safe within yourself.
Somatic Experiencing Therapy
Looking at the mind-body connection can be a vital component of healing for childhood survivors. Somatic experiencing is a type of body-focused therapy that encourages you to pay attention to body sensations while working to reduce trauma symptoms, improve your self-regulation, and empower you as a client.
Our Approach to Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment
We provide individualized and highly effective trauma treatment programs. As an incoming client, we’ll give you an intake assessment. During that assessment, a staff member will ask about your personal experiences, current symptoms, and, if applicable, any treatment you’ve been through in the past.
While your care plan at Catalina Behavioral Health will be unique to you, it may include:
- Evidence-based trauma therapies, such as those listed above, which may take place in individual and group therapy settings.
- Supportive holistic practices, like meditation.
- Creative therapies, like art therapy.
- Recreation.
- Medication management.
- Family therapy.
Some of the treatments available to you may depend on your level of care. Our treatment center offers a full continuum of care, including detox (for dual-diagnosis and substance abuse clients), inpatient treatment for trauma, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient programming.
Reach Out to Catalina for Support to Overcome Childhood Trauma
Our Arizona-based treatment center provides a supportive, safe space to start the healing process from past traumatic experiences, including those that occurred at a young age.
Offering both inpatient and outpatient trauma therapy programs, we’re here to provide care for adults with childhood trauma that sincerely meets your needs.
Please reach out our admissions line to learn more about the trauma therapy programs at Catalina Behavioral Health.
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FAQs: How Long Does Therapy Take for Childhood Trauma?
Is it possible to heal from childhood traumas?
Yes. Research on trauma therapy for adverse childhood experiences (e.g., sexual abuse, neglect, natural disasters, bullying) shows that it is possible for symptoms of trauma disorders to improve with support from a mental health professional.
How long is the average from trauma therapy?
Most therapy sessions, including those for trauma, will last somewhere from 50-90 minutes per session.
Can therapy help childhood trauma?
Yes. Multiple types of therapy can be a highly effective treatment for childhood trauma and support the healing journey.