CLASSICAL ADLERIAN PSYCHOTHERAPY FORUM ARCHIVE
Treating trauma
Pete Gambino · 5/8/97 at 1:04 PM ET
Henry,
As you know I am a practicing cognitive therapist (now an Adlerian oriented cognitive therapist). In a recent list of cogntiive therapists there is a discussion about the treatment of trauma victims using techniques such as prolonged exposure, EMDR and cognitive processing therapy. The focus of each of these modalities is to have the person re-experience the traumatic memories under safe (and guided) conditions. By the therapist taking on the role of "avoidance buster" it is assumed that the traumatic memory will lose its "sting" and the person can integrate the traumatic expereince and move on. Of course, as with the cognitive model in general, there are numerous studies supporting this approach. My problem with the approach is that the implementation of these procedures would require a client who is extraordinarily courageous or depserate for relief. I am not saying that these procedures are ineffective but that they are not likely to be beneficial for all clients. I am not so sure they are for all therapists (even when suitably trained) either.
My question is how would a classical Adlerian approach someone who has been tramuatized and has become incapacitated from their recollections of the experience?
Pete
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