Grief & Trauma Intensive: Is it right for me?
Trauma and grief are two powerful emotions that can leave a lasting impact on our lives. Trauma can stem from a wide range of experiences, including physical or emotional abuse, accidents, natural disasters, or witnessing violence. Grief, on the other hand, is a natural response to loss, whether it be the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, or a major life change.
In this blog post, we'll explore:
The impact of trauma and grief on our lives
How trauma and grief intensives can offer faster relief
What to expect during a trauma and grief intensive
The benefits of trauma and grief intensives
Resources for additional support
Grief and Trauma: A Human Experience
While both trauma and grief are normal human experiences, they can become overwhelming and debilitating if left unaddressed. Common symptoms of trauma can include flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, emotional detachment, and difficulty trusting others. Grief can manifest as intense sadness, anger, guilt, isolation, and a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed.
Trauma:
Prevalence: According to the National Center for PTSD (https://www.ptsd.va.gov/), in the United States, about 6.8% of adults will experience PTSD at some point in their life. Additionally, a report from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (https://www.nsvrc.org/) states that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of sexual violence in their lifetime.
Impact: Trauma can have a significant impact on a person's physical and mental health. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) (https://www.samhsa.gov/) reports that adults with PTSD are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.
Grief:
Prevalence: Grief is a natural human response to loss, so it's difficult to quantify its exact prevalence. However, the National Center for Health Statistics (https://www.cdc.gov/datastatistics/index.html) reports that over 2.4 million people die in the United States each year. Considering the average American has around 5 close confidantes, this translates to a significant number of people experiencing grief annually.
Complicated Grief: The American Psychiatric Association estimates that 7% to 10% of bereaved adults will experience prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a condition characterized by intense and persistent symptoms of grief that interfere with daily life.
Traditional therapy can be incredibly helpful in processing trauma and grief. However, for some individuals, the pace of weekly sessions may feel slow, particularly when dealing with intense emotional pain. Therapy intensives offer an alternative approach, providing focused treatment in a concentrated period.
How Trauma and Grief Intensives Can Help You Heal Faster
Trauma and grief intensives are typically scheduled over several days, with longer therapy sessions. This intensive format allows for a deeper dive into your experiences compared to traditional weekly sessions. With fewer distractions from daily life, you can fully engage in the therapeutic process, fostering quicker progress towards healing.
Trauma and grief therapy intensives offer a unique and accelerated approach to healing. These intensives involve focused treatment delivered over a concentrated period. This intensive format allows for a deeper exploration of your experiences and faster progress towards healing.
Here are some of the key benefits you can experience with a trauma and grief intensive:
Deeper Exploration: Intensives allow for a more profound exploration of your trauma or grief. We'll have dedicated time to delve into the core issues related to your experience, helping you gain a better understanding of its impact on your life.
Targeted Treatment: Unlike traditional therapy that often juggles current stressors alongside past experiences, intensives allow us to prioritize your trauma or unresolved grief. This focused approach facilitates faster progress in addressing the root causes of your emotional pain.
Building Momentum: Traditional therapy often involves managing current stressors alongside processing past experiences. Intensives allow you to prioritize past traumas and unresolved grief, building momentum towards healing.
Emotional Processing: The intensive format creates a safe and supportive space for emotional exploration. With more a longer session, you can work through difficult emotions more effectively. I will guide you through evidence-based therapeutic techniques specifically designed to address trauma and grief, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting, and (in some cases) Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT).
Reduced Overall Treatment Time: While the initial time commitment is greater with intensives, they can ultimately shorten your overall treatment time. By addressing core issues intensively, you may reach a place of healing sooner.
Here's a closer look at some of the therapeutic techniques we may utilize during your trauma and grief intensive:
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): EMDR uses bilateral eye movements or other bilateral movement to help you process traumatic memories and associated emotions. By focusing on these eye movements while recalling the traumatic event, you can begin to detach the emotional charge from the memory itself. Read more about EMDR here.
Brainspotting: Brainspotting helps you identify where you hold trauma in your body, often manifesting as a physical sensation or discomfort. By focusing your attention on this "spot" in a safe and controlled environment, emotional and somatic (bodily) release can occur.
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy (PAT): PAT utilizes psychedelics in a safe, controlled setting to help you access and process traumatic memories in a new way. It's important to note that PAT is a relatively new approach and currently undergoing research. I will only recommend PAT if it aligns with your treatment goals and you meet the eligibility criteria.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a beautiful psychotherapy that views the person as a system of many parts, each with its own role and function. These parts are all inherently functional, and IFS therapy focuses on helping you understand and unburden these parts to create greater internal harmony.
Imagine your mind as a family. There might be a protective part that tries to shield you from pain, an angry part that expresses frustration, or a vulnerable part that craves connection. In IFS therapy, you learn to identify these parts with compassion, and develop the skills to access the "Self," a calm and centered observer who can guide your inner family towards collaboration and healing.
I use IFS when approaching trauma therapy, whether we’re specifically using EMDR, Brainspotting, or PAT.
Considering a Trauma and Grief Intensive? Here's What to Ask Yourself
Before deciding if a trauma and grief intensive is right for you, here are some important questions to consider:
Is your trauma or grief significantly impacting your daily life?
Are you ready to dedicate focused time and energy to healing? Trauma and grief intensives can be emotionally challenging, so a strong support system and a commitment to the process are crucial.
Do you have a safe and supportive environment where you can rest and integrate the experiences you'll have during the intensive?
If you answered yes to these questions, a trauma and grief intensive could be a powerful tool for your healing journey. In the next section, we'll explore what to expect during a trauma and grief intensive with me.
What to Expect During a Trauma and Grief Intensive
First, you can read a little more about a first therapy session with me here.
My trauma and grief intensives are typically scheduled over three days, with a total of seven therapy hours. Intensives need to be completed in less than a 2-week period. Each session is carefully designed to meet your unique needs and goals. Here's a general outline of what you can expect:
Assessment: Building a Safe and Supportive Foundation
During a 90-minute online assessment session, we'll begin by establishing a safe and supportive therapeutic space where you can feel comfortable sharing your experiences. This includes discussing confidentiality and setting ground rules for open communication.
We'll collaboratively develop a treatment plan that outlines your goals for the intensive and the techniques we might use. This plan is flexible and can be adjusted as needed throughout the intensive.
We'll explore the history of your trauma or grief, helping you gain a better understanding of its impact on your life. This may involve discussing the specific event or situation that caused your trauma or grief, as well as the emotional, physical, and social consequences you've experienced.
Intensive: Deepening Your Exploration and Processing Trauma or Grief
This day is dedicated to deeper exploration and processing of your trauma or grief. I will guide you through evidence-based therapeutic techniques specifically chosen to address your needs.
As you work through your trauma or grief, you'll begin to develop healthier coping mechanisms to manage difficult emotions. This may involve relaxation techniques, mindfulness exercises, or journaling.
An important part of this process is cultivating self-compassion. Recognizing and accepting your own vulnerability can be a powerful tool for healing.
Integration: Understanding and Next Steps
During a 90-minute online session, we focus on integrating the insights and progress you've made throughout the intensive. This may involve processing any remaining emotional challenges and creating a plan for ongoing support.
We'll develop a plan for ongoing support, which may include referrals to additional resources or recommendations for continuing therapy sessions. This plan is crucial to ensure you have the tools and support you need to maintain your progress after the intensive concludes.
You'll leave the intensive feeling empowered to move forward on your healing journey with greater clarity and emotional resilience. You'll be equipped with a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences, as well as the skills to manage difficult emotions and build a more fulfilling life.
Testimonials
"After a pretty bad car accident, I felt lost and hopeless. The trauma intensive helped me understand what was really going on and find ways to let go of some shame."
"I participated in a grief intensive to finally address losing my sister after a long time of holding it in. WOW, it was hard but helpful, and so eye-opening."
“I’m not really a ‘share-er’ and it takes a lot for me to feel my feelings. Carly’s approach is gentle yet confident and I couldn’t believe what I was able to do during my intensive. If you’re curious, just schedule a call and I know you’ll be happily surprised.”
Taking the First Step Towards Healing
If you're struggling with trauma or grief, and you're interested in learning more about whether a therapy intensive is right for you, I encourage you to contact me for a free consultation. During the consultation, we can discuss your specific needs and goals, and explore if an intensive can help you on your healing journey. Remember, you are not alone in this process. With support and guidance, you can heal from trauma and grief, and build a brighter future.
