Relationships are hard, and they get even harder when trauma is involved. A lot of people and couples have trouble deciding whether to get trauma therapy for themselves or couples counseling to help their relationship. You might have seen options like trauma counseling in San Francisco or working with a couples trauma therapist if you live in the Bay Area and need help. But how do you pick the best one for you?
This guide will help you choose the best type of therapy for your healing by explaining the pros and cons of couples counseling and trauma therapy.
Finding out more about trauma and how it affects relationships
Trauma can happen for a lot of reasons, not just big things that happen in your life. It can come from things that happened when you were a child, bad relationships, abuse, neglect, or even stress that never goes away. Trauma can leave emotional scars that change how you see yourself and how you interact with other people.
If you don't deal with trauma, it can lead to:
- Not being able to trust your partner
- Getting angry or shutting down
- Feeling alone and cut off
- Conflicts that happen over and over again; can't get close to or open up to other people
At this point, therapy is very important. Should you go to trauma counseling in San Francisco to start your own healing, or should you work on your relationship as a couple with a couples trauma therapist?
Trauma Counseling San Francisco: Putting Yourself First While You Heal
Trauma counseling might be the best place to start if your past is making it hard for you to function, feel safe, or connect with other people.
Signs You May Benefit from Trauma Counseling:
- If you have flashbacks, nightmares, or thoughts that keep coming back, you might need trauma counseling.
- You have problems with anxiety, depression, or being too aware.
- You tend to shut down or avoid getting emotionally close to others.
- You think about what happened to you every day, and it makes your life harder.
Therapists use methods that have been proven effective, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic therapy, or CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), to help you deal with and release the hold that past events have on you.
When you work with someone one-on-one, you can focus on your own healing without having to deal with the stress of relationship problems. This makes things stronger for a lot of people before they deal with their relationship problems.
Couples Trauma Therapist: When the Most Important Thing Is to Fix Your Relationship
Sometimes trauma can hurt both you and your relationship. Your partner might not get what you're going through, or you both might have trauma that hasn't been dealt with yet, which is causing problems. In these cases, it might be best to work with a therapist who specializes in couples' trauma.
Couples counseling might help if you see these signs:
- You and your partner fight a lot, especially about things that happened in the past that you still haven't talked about.
- You both feel like you're not connected and have trouble getting close to each other.
- Trust has been broken because of trauma, betrayal, or neglect in the past.
- When trauma symptoms come up, one partner feels alone.
- You both want to learn how to talk to each other and solve problems in better ways.
Couples' trauma therapy isn't about blaming one person; it's about helping couples understand each other and how to help each other. A good therapist can help both partners understand how trauma affects their behavior and reactions and then help the relationship become stronger, more trusting, and closer.
What Makes Trauma Counseling in San Francisco Different from Couples Trauma Therapy?
It can be hard to choose between the two, so let's make it easier by looking at couples therapy.
Trauma Counseling San Francisco (One-on-One):
- Concentrate on your own recovery.
- Helps you deal with memories and things that make you feel bad.
- Helps people deal with the stress and anxiety that comes up every day.
- It makes you feel better about yourself before you do relational work.
Couples Trauma Therapist (Relationship Focus):
- Talks about how trauma can hurt your relationship.
- It helps partners talk to each other and understand each other better.
- Makes the relationship safer and more emotionally close.
- Helps partners get better by helping each other.
When You Might Need Both
A lot of the time, people get something out of both ways. For example, you could go to trauma counseling in San Francisco to deal with your past and then go to couples sessions to make your relationship stronger.
A mixed approach makes sure that you are healing on your own while also learning how to be there for your partner in a loving and supportive way. This mix often leads to the biggest and most lasting change.
How to Pick What's Best for You
Still not sure? To help you, here are some questions:
- Do you think your trauma is making you sick? First, get help for your trauma.
- Do you think your relationship is having problems because of trauma that hasn't been dealt with yet (yours, your partner's, or both)? First, go to couples therapy.
- Do you want to get closer to each other and also grow as a person? Think about using both.
Last Thoughts: Choosing Your Path To Healing
It doesn't matter if you see a trauma counselor in San Francisco for yourself or a couples trauma therapist for your relationship; what matters most is that you ask for help. You can't heal on your own; you need safe, guided places to do it where you can process, grow, and connect.
Don't worry if you can't decide right away; you don't have to stick with your choice forever. Many people begin with one method and then switch to another as they improve. The most important thing is to get started.
Take the Next Step with Dr. Cammy
Your health and your relationship are both very important. Dr. Cammy offers therapy that is based on evidence and is tailored to your needs, whether you want to heal old wounds or make your relationship stronger.
If you're not sure whether couples counseling or trauma counseling is right for you, give us a call today. You can both start working toward a future that is healthier and more connected.
