Complex Trauma Treatment

Complex Trauma or Complex PTSD is a response to repeated and cumulative experiences of trauma. This traumatization can happen over the course of months or years and can include emotional abuse , physical abuse , and/or sexual abuse , as well as domestic violence , exposure to war, human trafficking, and more. While there are circumstances in which adults develop C-PTSD (e.g. first responders like nurses, police officers, paramedics, and firefighters), it is most often seen in individuals who experienced repeated trauma during their childhood. 

Symptoms of Complex PTSD include 

• Difficulty regulating affective impulses (e.g., anger, self-destructive behaviors): Complex trauma disrupts emotional regulation, causing intense, uncontrollable impulses like anger or self-harm as individuals struggle to manage overwhelming feelings stemming from traumatic experiences.
• Chronic sense of guilt, responsibility, difficulty with stress or intimacy: Survivors of complex trauma often feel undue guilt and responsibility, struggle with stress management, and find forming or maintaining intimate relationships challenging due to deep-seated emotional wounds.
• Hopelessness or despair: Persistent trauma can lead to chronic hopelessness and despair, making it hard for individuals to see a positive future or feel motivated to engage in daily activities.
• Physical symptoms like dizziness or nausea: Complex trauma can manifest physically, with symptoms like dizziness or nausea, as the body responds to psychological stress and unresolved traumatic memories.
• Reliving the traumatic event through nightmares or flashbacks: Individuals with complex trauma frequently relive their traumatic experiences through distressing nightmares or vivid flashbacks, significantly impacting their mental health and daily functioning.
• Avoiding certain situations: To cope with reminders of their trauma, survivors may avoid specific places, people, or activities, which can limit their participation in everyday life and reinforce isolation.
• Changes in your beliefs and feelings about yourself or others: Complex trauma can alter core beliefs, leading to negative self-perceptions and distrust of others, affecting one's worldview and relationships profoundly.
• Hyperarousal: Chronic trauma induces a state of hyperarousal, where individuals are constantly on high alert, experiencing heightened anxiety, and overreacting to perceived threats.
• Dissociation, or feeling detached from your own body: To escape overwhelming trauma, individuals might dissociate, feeling disconnected from their body or reality, which can disrupt daily life and personal identity.
• Difficulty with relationships: Trauma survivors often struggle with relationships, finding it hard to trust or connect with others, which can result in isolation and difficulty in forming meaningful connections.

Cognitive Beahvioural Therapy (CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) can help individuals identify negative thought patterns and provide tools to replace them with more positive thoughts. Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) can help individuals learn how to better respond to stress and build stronger relationships. Additionally, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) can be helpful in treating Complex Trauma/C-PTSD as it can help desensitize individuals to traumatic memories and thoughts. 

If you’ve experienced any of the above symptoms, you may be suffering from Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). Contact us for a free 15 minute phone consultation to see how we can help and discuss possible trauma treatment. 

For steps in selecting the best Psychologist in Toronto, read here.