Trauma

Trauma and addiction

It is very common to find that people suffering from addiction have also experienced trauma as adults or as children. Examples of childhood trauma include physical abuse, but also drug or alcohol abuse in the family, witnessing others being abused, neglect, and bullying. Experiencing trauma in childhood greatly increases vulnerability to addiction in later life.

At Jintara we assess for underlying trauma and offer treatment as an extension to our addiction program. Our trained Western therapists can provide a number of evidence-based trauma therapies, including EMDR and Cognitive Processing Therapy.  

Cognitive Processing Therapy

CPT focuses on the way that the traumatic event impacts how you see yourself, others and the world. A major part of the treatment is learning tools to reevaluate and change unhelpful beliefs and behaviours. Clients keep these tools and can use them as life skills after treatment. CPT does not involve reliving or describing the trauma in detail.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR involves briefly focusing on the trauma memory and then allowing the brain to free-associate for a short period of time while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically following a moving object with the eyes). 

This allows the brain to complete the processing of traumatic memories.  Thoughts and feelings which are frozen from the time of the trauma get updated to incorporate the strengths and resources that have been gained since then. The result is that the experience gets incorporated into the brain’s working model in an adaptive way, resulting in being stronger and able to act more effectively. The memory is still there, but it loses its emotional charge, and it’s possible to recall or mention it without distress, just like any other memory.  

Jintara’s Trauma Program

We have helped our clients overcome debilitating trauma and move on with their lives with freedom and hope. 

Jintara’s trauma program combines addiction and trauma treatment. Initially addiction is stabilized and overall well-being is promoted. Once the client is feeling better, the different treatment approaches are discussed and the client and therapist come to a decision together about which one to choose. 

During the trauma part of the treatment, Jintara provides multiple individual counselling sessions per week. Working on trauma while staying at Jintara is ideal because all your needs are taken care of, you are protected from the temptation of drugs and alcohol and you will be in a safe, supportive and caring environment. 

Once trauma has been resolved, a recovery plan is completed, incorporating the best practices of addiction treatment with the new personal insights and opportunities which come from completing trauma processing.

An overall stay of two to three months is enough to finally be free from the distress of trauma and start a new life.