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Trauma First Aid
If you've recently experienced or witnessed a traumatic event—like an accident, natural disaster, assault, or illness—and are left feeling anxious, overwhelmed, scared, or unsettled, Trauma First Aid sessions can help!
Rapid Relief - via Zoom - By Donation
1 - 3 Sessions (Approximately 90 minutes each)
By Donation! (Suggested Range $50 - $500 per session)
Connect Via Zoom Anywhere in the World!
Why Trauma First Aid?
- Rapid relief: Many clients experience a significant reduction in symptoms within just one to three sessions.
- Prevents long-term trauma: By processing a traumatic event early on, the risk of developing PTSD or other chronic psychological issues is greatly reduced.
- Prevents memory consolidation: A traumatic memory is often stored in a fragmented or unprocessed way. EMDR first aid can help to properly file the memory in the brain, so it no longer triggers intense distress.
- Accessible: The approach is suitable for anyone affected by a recent specific incident, including first responders, or those who have experienced a car accident, natural disaster, or assault.
Early Intervention is Key!
Trauma First Aid is most effective when initiated as soon as possible after a traumatic incident. This provides a "window of opportunity" to process the event before the traumatic memory is fully consolidated.
- Ideal start time: EMDR trauma first aid can begin within days or weeks of an incident, provided the person is medically and emotionally stable.
- Acute phase: Processing the trauma during this initial acute phase harnesses the brain's natural healing processes and can reduce long-term effects.
- Optimal prevention window: The therapeutic window for optimal prevention is generally considered to be within two to four months after the event.
- Goal: The primary goal is to provide rapid relief, mitigate the development of long-term trauma like PTSD, and reduce the emotional distress associated with the event.
How It Works
Trauma First Aid uses specialized protocols taken from EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for early intervention after a recent, single-incident traumatic event. It is designed to provide rapid relief and prevent the event from developing into more severe and lasting conditions like PTSD.
This approach is based on the standard EMDR therapy model but is adapted for a recent trauma, usually one that occurred within the past few months. The process works by helping the brain reprocess the traumatic memory, reducing its emotional intensity and allowing the brain's natural healing mechanisms to take over.
A session for recent trauma might look different than traditional, long-term EMDR:
- Targeted memory processing: The protocol focuses specifically on the recent event rather than a long-term trauma history. A therapist helps the client identify and process the most disturbing parts (images, feelings, sensations) of the recent episode.
- Bilateral stimulation: As with standard EMDR, bilateral stimulation is used to help the brain reprocess the memory. This can be done through eye movements, alternating tapping, or tones.
- Containment and stabilization: The process emphasizes safety and containment to avoid overwhelming the client. The therapist uses techniques to keep the client grounded in the present, especially since recent trauma can cause high arousal and distress.
Get Started
Contact Us
Make a Donation
Make a Donation
Click below to request a Trauma First Aid Session
Make a Donation
Make a Donation
Make a Donation
Click below to make a donation for your session
Frequently Asked Questions
These sessions are being offered by donation. You can donate whatever works for your budget. A suggested donation may be anywhere from $50 to $500. Donating on the higher range when you have the resources, allows us to serve more folks.
Yes, all of our counselors are licensed and have extensive training in EMDR therapy, however, you will not be establishing a regular recurring therapeutic container. If that is what you are looking for, please indicate that so you can be referred to someone in your area that can provide ongoing support.
No, you can be anywhere in the world where you have a secure and stable internet connection that allows for a zoom video session.
Many clients experience a significant reduction in symptoms within just one to three sessions. These sessions are meant to be one off sessions, to bring releif for a single incident. They are not meant to be ongoing therapeutic support. If that is needed please let us know so we can refer you to someone who can provide ongoing support in your local area.
While early intervention is ideal, standard EMDR remains highly effective even years or decades after a traumatic event. However, the initial goal of preventing PTSD shifts to treating an established condition.
- Delayed EMDR still works: Research shows that EMDR can successfully reprocess older, "stuck" traumatic memories and alleviate symptoms of chronic PTSD.
- Longer treatment duration: The time and number of sessions needed to reprocess and resolve a long-term trauma can be more extensive than with recent events.
- Prevention vs. repair: Early intervention is about prevention, while delayed EMDR is about repairing the neural pathways that have already been negatively affected by the consolidated memory.