As research on post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma-related conditions has advanced, it’s come to light that most people will have at least one traumatic experience within their lifetime. Therefore, issues about encountering trauma are no longer a question of “if?” but a question of “when?”
For those who want to begin the healing process, group therapy is an excellent avenue on the road to recovery. Read on to learn more about what trauma group therapy is, its benefits, and how to join a trauma therapy group at Valera Health.
Why should I seek treatment for my trauma?
Trying to suppress unwanted thoughts and feelings about a traumatic experience is like holding a beach ball underwater. At first, keeping the beach ball under control seems simple enough, and the water around you is unperturbed. However, at some point your hand will get tired and that beach ball will come rocketing out of the water, disturbing everything around it. Leaving trauma untreated is similar, and soon enough your life may become chaotic once you can no longer suppress emotions. It is for this reason that addressing trauma in a therapeutic setting is important, and trauma group therapy can be an excellent way to move beyond coping, and embrace healing.
Does group therapy for trauma work?
When most people think of trauma, they think of veterans returning from war. After all, this is the population in which PTSD was first discovered. In a study of Vietnam war veterans, group therapy reduced veterans’ experiences of numbness and avoidance, two hallmark symptoms of trauma (Schnurr et al., 2003). The effectiveness of group therapy for trauma is not limited to just those who have served in the military. One study that examined the effectiveness of group therapy among sexual assault survivors found that participants’ experiences significantly improved after engaging with group therapy (Resick et al., 1988).
How can Valera Health’s Young Adult Trauma Survivor Group help me?
If you have experienced a traumatic event and need help on your path to recovery, consider joining Valera’s Young Adult Trauma Survivor Group. In this trauma group designed for young adults (ages 18-25), participants learn about trauma responses and how to build coping skills around their individual trauma responses.
Participants will learn:
- Self-validation techniques
- How to address triggers
- Grounding techniques for dissociation and fight or flight responses
- How to reframe cognitive distortions and negative thoughts
- Basic self-care and mindfulness
- The basics of journaling
- How to discuss trauma with family and partners
- Discussing relationship needs and difficulties around sex
This group is perfect for participants who are comfortable being in a space where people share their trauma. This group was specifically designed for people who have experienced sexual trauma and/or relationship trauma and is led by Jovi Lombardo, LMSW, a clinician who has experience working with patients who have encountered trauma.
If you are interested in joining Valera Health’s Young Adult Trauma Survivor Group, please fill out this quick form to schedule a free consultation with a designated Health Connector. Make sure to select “group therapy” under the “What brings you to therapy today?” section. Please note that at this current time, our virtual Young Adult Trauma Survivor Group is only available to those in New York. Stay tuned for more group therapy offerings from Valera Health in the future.
Works Referenced:
Foy, D. W., Eriksson, C. B., & Trice, G. A. (2001). Introduction to group interventions for trauma survivors. Group Dynamics: Theory, research, and practice, 5(4), 246.
Resick, P. A., Jordan, C. G., Girelli, S. A., Hutter, C. K., & Marhoefer-Dvorak, S. (1988). A comparative outcome study of behavioral group therapy for sexual assault victims. Behavior Therapy, 19(3), 385-401.
Schnurr, P. P., Friedman, M. J., Foy, D. W., Shea, M. T., Hsieh, F. Y., Lavori, P. W., … & Bernardy, N. C. (2003). Randomized trial of trauma-focused group therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: Results from a Department of Veterans Affairs cooperative study. Archives of general psychiatry, 60(5), 481-489.
The butterfly woman. HHRI. (2022, February 15). Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.hhri.org/are-you-a-survivor/the-butterfly-woman/