Trauma-Specific Treatment
Trauma-specific treatments are techniques that specifically relieve the symptoms associated with post-traumatic symptoms. No treatment is right for anyone all the time but a great deal of work is going into establishing evidence-based forms of treatment so that we can better judge what is effective for each individual person regardless of their stage of recovery.
A good resource for the treatment of PTSD can be found in the revised Treatment Guidelines presented in Effective Treatments for PTSD, Second Edition, were developed under the auspices of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment Guidelines Task Force established by the Board of Directors of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) in 2005. The revised version of the guidelines replaces those published in 2000 and are based on an extensive review of the clinical and research literature prepared by experts in each field and intended to assist clinicians who provide treatment for adults, adolescents and children with PTSD. The guidelines can be viewed at http://www.istss.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ISTSSTreatmentGuidelines/PTSD Treatment Guidelines/default.htm.
Many of the children, adolescents and adults who are seen in mental health and social service environments suffer from very complex and interrelated problems for which a diagnosis of PTSD is not adequate. Currently, there is an effort to include a new and highly relevant diagnostic category into what will be the DSM-V. Termed, "Developmental Trauma Disorder", including this as a diagnosis for children and adolescent with complex developmental problems associated with exposure to adversity could significantly move the field of assessment and treatment ahead.
van der Kolk and Pynoos paper on Developmental Trauma Disorder
A wide variety of expressive techniques are being used to treat children and adults. For more information find articles at http://www.traumacenter.org/products/publications.php.
Video of Ms. Perrin, Creative Arts Therapist and the Sanctuary Model
Trauma Art Narrative Therapy
We recommend Trauma Art Narrative Therapy (TANT) taught by Dr. Lyndra Bills. TANT is a creative narrative cognitive exposure therapy that is beneficial for:
- reducing intrusive symptoms from trauma;
- integrating verbal and nonverbal aspects of traumatic stress exposure;
- and providing resolution to traumatic experiences.
Watch video of Dr. Bills explaining Trauma Art Narrative Therapy
TANT is designed to help resolve trauma-based symptoms and behaviors in order for traumatized individuals to move on to the next step in their healing. This workshop will provide the theory and principles of TANT, numerous clinical examples, recent research findings, and an opportunity to experience TANT. Participants will be able to:
- identify the steps of the TANT process;
- identify the appropriate clinical situation in which to apply TANT;
- describe the process of TANT after completing the experiential part of the training.
Watch video of Dr. Lyndra Bills discussing another therapeutic technique, Video Dialogue
