Essay on Complex trauma 2022

Running head: COMPLEX TRAUMA 1
Complex trauma
Student’s name
Institutional affiliation
Due date

Complex trauma 2
Introduction
Traumatic situations such as human suffering in war, tragic events, homicides, domestic
violence and sexual abuse among others are known to cause a series of traumatic disorders
(Cook, Spinazzola, Ford, Lanktree, Blaustein, Cloitre, & Mallah, 2017). The most common
traumatic disorders include PTSD, acute stress disorder and bipolar disorder. Complex trauma
disorder is common in people who have experienced prolonged periods of trauma or exposure to
traumatic conditions. The effects accumulate over time and patients of complex trauma often
tend to feel hopeless and isolated as if they are to blame for the traumatic conditions. The main
risk factors of traumatic disorders include loss or grief, chronic illnesses unstable environment
and a previous history of trauma. This essay focuses on two treatment options which include eye
movement desensitization and processing (EMDR) and cognitive behavioral theory.
Overview
There are different types of stressful events and subjective experiences. People also react
differently towards trauma. According to Lawson, (2017) the common signs and symptoms of
complex trauma include change in self conceptualization, suicidal feelings and distrust, feeling
detached from one’s own self, isolation and guilt, hopelessness and preoccupation with negative
feelings. Lastly the client may engage in self harm or drug abuse. Trauma affects both the
conscious and unconscious parts of the brain (Irons, & Lad, 2017). Therefore treatment involves
cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy and talk therapy. Body activities and exercises
are also incorporated in the treatment of complex trauma to aid recovery in the unconscious parts
of the brain. EMDR is largely used as it helps patients recover both the conscious and
unconscious parts as it helps patients to restore a sense of pleasure and control over their life.

Complex trauma 3
Analysis and evaluation
While EMDR and CBT are effective methods of dealing with complex trauma, the two
methods differ in their approaches, methods and outcomes. There are also a few similarities in
the methods and just to point a few similarities is that both techniques are systematic in that they
are organized in steps. The two techniques largely involve talk therapy and they also involve
exercises and activities that also help in healing the unconscious mind from trauma. Both
techniques largely involve the psychotherapist and just like in other types of therapy, Socratic
questioning is largely involve in the therapy to find out the causes of trauma. Another similarity
is that both techniques can be used to treat a variety of psychological disorders. Lastly, both
techniques lay a foundation for the future by equipping the patient with techniques of handling
similar conditions in the future (Mahler, 2018).
EMDR and CBT differ in various ways. One major difference is that CBT has a short 3
stages process while EMDR has a long 8 stages process. While EMDR seeks to convert negative
thoughts into positive thoughts, CBT seeks avoidance of distressful thoughts and terms them as
unhealthy (Khan, Dar, Ahmed, Bachu, Adnan, & Kotapati, 2018). CBT is based on the
assumption that behavior is influenced by belief and thought patterns while EMDR does not have
assumptions. The fact that CBT is shorter that EMDR makes it less costly and also consumes
less time. Therefore CBT yields results faster than EMDR. The similarities and differences of the
two models can be clearly seen in the analysis of the two models as discussed below.
Eye movement desensitization and processing (EMDR)