Learning Self-Care in Trauma Treatment

Trauma affects how people feel about themselves. The symptoms of trauma-related mental health disorders often impact self-worth, self-confidence, and a person’s relationship with self-care. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.” Corner Canyon Health Centers uses multiple therapeutic tools in trauma treatment to help clients heal and develop healthy forms of self-care that support long-term recovery. 

How Does Trauma Affect Self-Care and Self-Esteem?

Regular self-care is one of the best ways to improve self-worth, self-confidence, and self-efficacy. People who take the time to ensure their physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being often find therapy and other treatments more effective. However, automatic trauma responses may make it difficult for some people to take advantage of these services. 

Trauma affects a person’s ability to maintain self-care by doing the following: 

• Making it difficult to recognize the need for self-care 
• Causing guilt or shame to interfere with treatment
• Making self-care feel selfish or a low priority

Trauma often affects how people feel about their self-worth. Low self-esteem is a significant risk factor for some of the most common mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. According to the Annals of General Hospital Psychiatry, “[L]ow self-esteem increases the susceptibility for development of psychiatric disorders, and the presence of a psychiatric disorder, in turn, lowers self-esteem.” Untreated trauma has the potential to cause multiple psychological and physical health issues. Early interventions and trauma-informed treatment often reduce the risk of re-traumatization and increase self-esteem.

What Is Trauma Treatment?

Trauma treatment encompasses a range of therapeutic methodologies designed to address trauma’s effects and underlying causes. Some of the most common trauma treatment approaches include: 

• Exposure therapy
• Seeking Safety
• Experiential therapies
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
• Alternative holistic therapies

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Experiencing trauma, especially during childhood, significantly increases the risk of serious health problems — including chronic lung, heart, and liver disease as well as depression, sexually transmitted diseases, tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug abuse.” As a result, many forms of trauma treatment focus on helping clients identify and process childhood trauma and other underlying issues affecting mental health. Corner Canyon Health Centers collaborates with clients to determine the best approach to meet their needs. 

Recovery in Trauma Treatment

Trauma treatment reduces the risk of re-traumatization by ensuring clinicians, clients, and family members consider the effects of trauma on mental health and recovery. People with a history of trauma often have difficulty expressing their needs or recognizing their limits. Trauma treatment helps people identify maladaptive coping mechanisms and replace them with healthy boundaries and positive coping skills. 

Some primary benefits of trauma treatment include: 

• Ensures clients learn about trauma and how it impacts mental health
• Assists clients in identifying and managing trauma triggers 
• Re-establishes a sense of safety
• Allows clients to effectively process and integrate traumatic experiences 

Trauma therapy and other forms of trauma-informed care validate traumatic experiences while helping the person heal. 

Increasing Self-Care in Trauma Treatment

Self-care becomes vital once people begin to resolve and integrate their trauma using evidence-based and holistic therapies. Maintaining positive mental health is only possible if people look after their well-being and make lifestyle choices to support their continued recovery. The clinical team supports and guides clients through creating sustainable and realistic self-care routines designed to address their unique issues and needs. 

Corner Canyon Health Centers Uses Evidence-Based Methods in Trauma Treatment

Corner Canyon Health Centers uses a whole-person approach to treatment. Clients are taught how to identify areas in their lives that might contribute to their negative mental health and given the tools and guidance to establish healthier behaviors. The clinical team encourages clients to find ways to incorporate self-care into their everyday lives. Trauma-centered treatment programs provide clients with a solid foundation for building a healthy future. Each program offers clinical support, insights from peers, and access to a wide range of therapeutic tools. 

Incorporating Self-Care in Trauma Treatment and Everyday Life

Part of incorporating self-care into everyday life involves recognizing when things begin to feel overwhelming. Self-care is a way to de-escalate and reduce stress. According to the International Journal of Nursing Sciences, three primary traits of self-care include “awareness, self-control, and self-reliance.” Corner Canyon Health Centers helps clients gain self-awareness and self-control to ensure they know when and how to utilize skills like self-care. 

A few common forms of self-care include: 

• Meditation, yoga, or other low-stress activities 
• Maintaining mindfulness 
• Eating regular nutritional meals
• Setting a healthy sleep schedule 
• Maintaining positive social connections 
• Spending time enjoying hobbies and other activities 

Clients at Corner Canyon Health Centers learn essential skills to improve self-care and ensure they have the energy and focus to recover successfully from mental health disorders.

Self-care is an essential part of mental health recovery. Clients with the resources and support to maintain regular self-care often have better outcomes in treatment. However, many people struggling with trauma-related mental health disorders have difficulty allowing themselves to engage in self-care. Some clients may have never had an opportunity to engage in self-care in the past, while others may feel guilt or shame, which stops them from looking after their own well-being. Corner Canyon Health Centers uses trauma-informed care to help clients establish and maintain self-care routines during treatment and continuing care. To learn more about our programs and the services we provide, call our office today at (877) 717-6237.