Posted on March 10, 2017

A psychologist understands the need to develop personalized treatment programs for people who suffer from trauma to ensure their full recovery. This is because no two people will experience a traumatic event in the same way, and their reactions and symptoms won’t be the same either.

If you’re considering seeking treatment for a trauma, you may want to understand common assessment and remedial techniques used by psychologists to help.

Assessment

To gain a better idea of your situation, your psychologist or therapist would first conduct an initial assessment. They use a variety of techniques like intelligent questioning and active listening, both of which are designed to paint a clear picture of your inner turmoil. This will help your psychologist piece together an appropriate treatment plan.

Some parts of an assessment may be conducted formally, such as asking specific questions, taking notes, and asking to rate yourself on different scales. Other parts may be more informal, such as a free flowing conversation with your therapist.

Assessments won’t just happen during your first appointment. Your therapist will continuously observe how you’re doing and determine if any changes with your treatment plan are needed.

Counseling

Counseling encompasses the process of facilitating the personal and interpersonal functioning of a person across his lifetime. Therapy often takes the form conversations where topics such as emotional, social, health, and vocational concerns are discussed. Your therapist may suggest methods of coping, as well as alternate ways of thinking and processing information.

While helping you recover from trauma, your therapist will determine if an issue needs to be discussed, and when it’s not appropriate to do so. The important thing about counseling as a technique is that each individual is encouraged to go at their own pace, so never feel pressured to disclose information that you’re not comfortable to reveal.

Psychological Testing

Different therapists use different approaches, and each of them use a variety of testing techniques.

The cognitive behavioral approach, for instance, is an important method of identifying poor patterns of behavior. Your therapist will help you identify negative patterns of behavior, such as outbursts or harming actions, and then discuss with you the thoughts that precede them.

It is believed that people’s feelings automatically affect the poor actions they make, and that this pattern can be broken with effective treatments. Your therapist may ask you to record instances of negative thoughts and behaviors happening at home, as well as to rate your feelings and emotions on different scales.

At the end of the day, your psychologist is here to guide you during this difficult time. Through these techniques, you’ll gradually find yourself triumphantly overcoming a traumatic event.

Sources:
What is Counseling Psychology, Div17.org
What is Trauma, NonViolenceAndSocialJustice.org