Complex trauma can cause problems in nearly every aspect of someone’s life. They may have a hard time connecting with others, fall into the cycle of addiction, or struggle to advance in their career. Regardless of the cause, professional treatment can help. One of the more modern tracks in complex trauma treatment is eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR and internal family systems (IFS) therapy. Behavioral health experts often use EMDR and IFS therapy together to help people process their traumatic experiences and work toward a healthier future.

BRC Recovery offers leading-edge trauma care for people experiencing addiction who have a history of trauma. Our addiction and behavioral health professionals have years of experience guiding clients through the stages of early recovery while learning the skills they need to quit using drugs and alcohol for life. Learn more about how our EMDR therapy program is a significant part of our trauma-informed addiction treatment track by calling 888.559.2036 today.

What Is Complex Trauma?

What designates a person’s trauma history as complex? No trauma experience is “easy” or “simple,” but this term refers to prolonged, repeated experiences in interpersonal relationships lasting over time. Usually originating in childhood, these events are often difficult to escape from and can include minimization or denial from the primary support system. Because the brain is still developing in childhood and adolescence, this can lead to greater difficulty coping in relationships and can include:

• Dissociation
• Somatization
• Ingrained coping styles

The nervous system (which remembers everything that has ever happened to you) can be in a constant state of flight/fight/freeze/flee or “wired and tired,” making it extremely difficult to relax.  In early recovery, treating these issues is imperative to help reduce the risk of relapse, but it also requires an abundance of caution to ensure the client is ready and has the tools to handle such treatment as their body adjusts to newfound sobriety. Treating complex trauma also requires specialized training to ensure safety, the best treatment, and appropriately address potential roadblocks. 

Using IFS as Treatment for Complex Trauma

The brain is well-equipped to protect people from harm. From an internal family systems perspective, people all develop internal coping mechanisms to aid in survival. These defense systems (called parts, aspects, pieces, etc.) become experts at a specific way of protection that continues well past the original trauma and may or may not continue to serve a useful purpose.

An example might be a child developing a part that learns to people please to avoid verbal or physical harm from a caregiver. While in childhood, this behavior might reduce potential harm. People pleasing in adulthood, however, can lead to an inability to verbalize feelings, difficulties in relationships, and problems regulating mood. In IFS, therapists do not view these parts as maladaptive; in fact, they were adaptive for some time and can learn new ways to protect and serve. The goal of parts work is to get to know your parts, develop curiosity and compassion for them, and help them work together to learn alternative ways of serving the system that the entire system agrees with. When the system is not working together, it can look like one part choosing to numb feelings when other parts do not want to engage in that behavior. 

Addressing Avoidant Tendencies

There can be fear or phobia of parts or between parts that can be addressed and resolved using EMDR techniques of desensitization.  Even if a client is highly motivated for trauma work, they might have a part or parts that aren’t as excited about it and resistant to change. Sometimes parts are still stuck in trauma; they do not believe it is safe to stop doing what they believe works best to protect the system. Other times, parts may not know there are other parts and may think they are the only part in town.  

This might look like an avoidant part whose job has been to avoid anything related to the trauma. Therapists then work to help this part understand why it might be helpful to allow feeling so the client can move through and discharge emotions. Avoidance is a normal response to trauma as people are hard-wired to avoid pain (think about putting your hand on a hot stove, there is a reflex that immediately tells you to move your hand). So the idea of moving toward the pain to heal can feel foreign at first and take some warming up. 

EMDR for Trauma Treatment

EMDR is a style of therapy that helps people process and heal from traumatic memories. The therapist utilizes bilateral stimulation (movement of the eyes, tapping, or tones) while the client engages in a guided exercise where they are asked to think about and feel their way through anything that may come up. This technique is believed to be effective by allowing both hemispheres of the brain to process the trauma by engaging the subconscious and conscious parts of the brain.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is largely thought of in terms of processing trauma, but it also includes psychological resourcing prior to this processing. When people process trauma, the processing continues between sessions and requires tools to contain emotions or memories that might arise. Therapists teach grounding techniques to cope with dissociation and flashbacks or nightmares. Resources also include adding tools to contain traumatic memories, self-soothe, and (when needed) implementing desired characteristics that might be helpful (like courage or assertiveness).

Using EMDR and IFS Therapy Together

It can feel counterintuitive at first to be asked to befriend and have compassion for those parts of self that you previously disliked. Ironically, it is in the acceptance of these parts that change can occur. When parts are disconnected, are not communicating, and disagree about how to best protect someone, it can feel loud or confusing in one’s mind. 

Many clients with complex trauma also report that they do not believe this process can work for them as if they are the one person whose trauma is “too severe” to hope for healing.  Once undergoing this process, however, it is quite a sense of relief to come to believe that healing is possible for them.  When EMDR and IFS therapy are used simultaneously, clients report a peacefulness in mind, body, and spirit. This work complements and enhances recovery from alcohol and drugs because it allows a person more space between thought and action, moves out of survival mode to thriving mode, and supports all the amazing recovery work they have done to create a new life worth living. 

Complex Trauma Treatment at BRC Healthcare

At BRC Healthcare, we strive to provide the highest quality of evidence-based care for people struggling with complex trauma and addiction. Our team is committed to helping our clients heal from their past experiences through a combination of EMDR therapy and other leading-edge, trauma-informed addiction treatment approaches. If you or someone you know needs help managing complex trauma or overcoming an addiction, please reach out today by calling 888.559.2036. With support and guidance from our experienced professionals, it’s possible to move forward into a healthier future free from addiction.