What psychological treatments do psychologists in Atlanta offer to individuals dealing with trauma from childhood abuse?
Treatment is matched to what the abuse left: trauma-focused therapy for PTSD, added preparation if complex PTSD is present, plus work on depression, relationships, and safety. You might have come in for relationships that keep collapsing, emotions that swing widely, or a lasting sense of being defective. Your early history may come into focus only later. A psychologist should assess before recommending anything, and you can say as much or as little as you’re ready to.
Treatments, and how strong the support is
| Treatment | What it does | Status to ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Trauma-focused CBT | Tests beliefs like "It was my fault," and processes memories | Named in guidelines for PTSD |
| Cognitive processing therapy | Works on stuck beliefs | Named by VA for PTSD |
| Prolonged exposure | Revisits memories and situations in a paced way | Named by VA for PTSD |
| EMDR | Brief recall, paired with a back-and-forth task | Named by VA and NICE for PTSD |
| Skills training, including DBT | Managing intense emotion and self-harm urges | May be used alongside, and described by NIMH for borderline personality disorder |
| Somatic approaches | Attending to body sensation | Ask for the evidence on your condition |
| Internal Family Systems | Working with protective and wounded parts | Ask for the evidence on your condition |
“Named in guidelines” tells you which treatments have been reviewed, and not which is right for you. VA’s National Center for PTSD and the NICE guideline on PTSD, written for England, are good places to read more. Depression, an eating disorder, substance use, or dissociation may also need treatment. The NIMH guide to borderline personality disorder describes DBT.
Preparation
NICE says that for people with additional needs, including complex PTSD, clinicians should build in extra time for trust, consider safety and stability, help with barriers such as substance misuse or dissociation, and plan ongoing support after treatment. In practice this may include:
- grounding for flashbacks
- staying within a level of arousal in which you can think, sometimes called a window of tolerance
- learning to set limits, which an abusive home may not have allowed
- having people and a plan for after hard sessions
- dealing with current danger or an unstable home first
Preparation is reasonable. Ask how you’ll know when it’s done, since it shouldn’t become a way of never starting. If nothing has changed after a long stretch, you can ask why.
Particular concerns
Sexual abuse. You may have shame, body reactions, or trouble with intimacy. Tell a clinician what would make you feel safer, including the gender of your therapist. Medical exams may be hard, and your doctor can adjust if they know.
Memory. You may remember some things clearly and others not at all. A therapist should work with what you have, and shouldn’t tell you what must have happened.
Family. You don’t have to confront or forgive anyone, and a psychologist should respect what you decide about contact.
Reporting. If the person who harmed you still has access to children, the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services hotline is 1-855-422-4453. Ask your psychologist at the start what Georgia law requires them to report. If you want to know about legal options, a victim advocate or attorney can explain them, including any time limits.
Questions to ask
- Which treatment do you recommend, and why?
- How much of your work is with adult survivors of abuse?
- When would we start on the memories, and how will you pace it?
- What happens if I get overwhelmed between sessions?
- How will we measure change?
It’s reasonable to change therapists if it doesn’t feel right. You might try a few sessions first, since it can be hard to trust anyone at first, and the discomfort doesn’t always mean the fit is wrong. A therapist who touches you, asks for favors, or makes you feel special and secret is crossing a line. You can report that to the Georgia licensing board.
Life, not only symptoms
Later work involves a coherent account of your history, relationships that don’t replay old wounds, and a sense of worth that comes from you. Progress may be uneven. If memories bring thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call or text 988, or the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225.
General information, not a diagnosis or treatment plan.