Trauma Therapy for Addiction Recovery and Emotional Healing

If you or a friend or family member has been carrying the weight of unresolved trauma, please understand that you are not weak and you are not alone. Many people who battle with addiction are also experiencing the lingering effects of trauma, and the two are very interconnected. 

At Agape Detox Center, our team welcomes you with kindness, dignity, and a treatment plan based on your personal story. We strongly believe that if you feel safe and understood, then true and lasting recovery is possible.

Trauma therapy for addiction is a specialized type of psychotherapy that allows individuals to address the impact of traumatic events while also treating their substance use disorders.[1] This type of therapy is specifically geared toward individuals whose drug or alcohol use is directly related to previous trauma. 

Examples of past trauma include:

• Childhood trauma
• Physical abuse[2]
• Combat experiences 
• Experiencing an accident 
• Enduring a natural disaster
• Death of a loved one

Trauma therapy is generally offered to adults and adolescents. Time spent in therapy varies depending on the individual’s needs, but can range anywhere from several weeks of intensive therapy sessions during a structured program to extended periods of continued aftercare. This therapeutic work usually occurs in a serene, private treatment facility setting and includes licensed professionals, such as therapists, counselors, and psychiatrists trained in trauma-informed practices.

At Agape Detox Center, our method of providing trauma therapy stems from compassion and clinical excellence. We incorporate trauma treatment into all aspects of our addiction treatment. Instead of using a specific method for everyone, our providers develop treatment plans based on individualized needs and use evidence-based treatments, with a genuine respect for the bravery it takes to confront painful experiences.

Behavioral health researchers have established a strong connection between trauma and addiction. After an individual experiences a traumatic event, their brain and nervous system can remain in a hyper-vigilant state even though the immediate danger has passed.[3] Ongoing trauma-related symptoms can show up as flashbacks, anxiety, insomnia, and emotional numbing. 

As a result of these symptoms, many individuals will self-medicate with either drugs or alcohol in an attempt to manage them. Over time, this behavior can develop into a substance use disorder. This is why treating addiction without addressing the underlying trauma so often leads to relapse.[4]

Trauma therapy works by assisting an individual with processing traumatic experiences in a comfortable, safe environment, so that the traumatic memory loses its grip over the individual’s thoughts and feelings, and their nervous system begins to settle. In addition to processing traumatic experiences, effective trauma treatment should help the individual develop healthy ways of dealing with stressful situations, rather than relying on substance use. There are numerous evidence-based approaches used in trauma treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), trauma-specific techniques, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), which help the brain process distressing memories differently.[5]

We provide trauma therapy as part of our continuum of care, including detox, inpatient treatment, dual diagnosis treatment, and aftercare. Since trauma can emerge at any point in the recovery process, our clinicians combine individual therapy with group therapy, stress management training, and family therapy as indicated. Our trauma-informed practice model promotes safety, trust, and a feeling of control in all interactions, so you will never feel pressure to disclose more information than you want to.[6]