CPSTD Treatment
CPTSD.
If you have childhood trauma, such as abuse or neglect, and have struggled with your mental health, you likely have CPTSD.
It is described as a severe mental disorder, which can sound scary at first, but really, it shouldn’t be called a disorder, as it is a completely normal response to overwhelming trauma in the early years.
Society and our mental health system have severely failed us and not given us the much-needed psychoeducation to understand what is truly going on for so many childhood trauma survivors.
Maybe you have just heard of CPTSD. This diagnosis is in its infancy, as it is only in recent years that you can be diagnosed worldwide, apart from the US. Most people suffering from CPTSD due to childhood trauma will never be diagnosed, as they won’t be in contact with a psychiatrist. Even if they are involved in the mental health system, they will likely receive several other diagnoses due to a rigid, outdated system of psychiatry that doesn’t fully understand or want to acknowledge complex trauma and child development.
So why is it so important to learn about CPTSD?
Because if you don’t understand what is going on with you, it is very hard to understand the pathway toward healing. Psychoeducation is the first pillar of healing childhood trauma.
CPTSD Treatment
Sadly, if you google CPTSD treatment, there will be results coming up both from the NHS and from other services that tell you what therapies are good for CPTSD treatment. It is heartbreaking and bizarre, but many suggestions are very poor for complex trauma survivors. Some of them suggest mainstream talk therapy and trauma-focused CBT. These are not great choices for someone with complex trauma, whether they have a diagnosis or not. These are very much proof of the poor foundation on which our mental health system operates.
When you have complex trauma, you need to work with a skilled therapist who has extended training in understanding complex trauma and has gone on to do further training within certain approaches that are more suitable for working with someone who has complex trauma. This is because mainstream talk therapy or CBT can further re-traumatize a client who has to talk about their trauma with a therapist lacking expertise. It is incredibly important that the therapist knows how to work with complex trauma—not only to make sure you get the best competent care but also to avoid further re-traumatization.
A skilled complex trauma therapist works with the foundation of neuroscience at the forefront, deeply understanding the impact of complex trauma on the developing child, both on the brain and the body—a truth that the medical model and our mental health system have failed to acknowledge.
Each individual is unique, and a skilled complex trauma therapist knows how to tailor treatments to your specific needs.
Healing from childhood trauma takes time and work; there is no magic pill or overnight cure. I wish I could tell you that you will be healed after a few sessions with one of our specialist therapists, but that would be a lie. There were many years of harm, so it takes a little time to heal. However, you might heal and improve your life faster than you could imagine with the right foundations. With the right type of therapy, education, and tools, you can start healing your life.
Follow us on Instagram @weareumabox for regular insights and support on your recovery from complex trauma.
All the Love,
Nic & UMA BOX
