PTSD Timeline: How Long Does Trauma Therapy Take?

How long therapy takes for PTSD and trauma depends on a million factors unique to you. It’s frustrating to not have an exact answer because you NEED relief from your trauma symptoms. You deserve to know what the investment will be. I’m talking time, money, energy, and all of the other costs that come with trauma therapy.

The honest answer is, of course, it depends. However, I’ll try to not be completely annoying and will give you general timelines for how long trauma therapy takes.

Understanding Trauma and PTSD

Trauma and PTSD are complex topics that can affect anyone, regardless of their background or circumstances. Understanding these concepts is crucial for recognizing the impact of traumatic events on mental health and seeking appropriate support.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. These events can be shocking, scary, or dangerous, triggering a strong emotional response. Trauma exposure is common and can lead to sleep problems, stress, and other illnesses.

Typically, our bodies respond to danger with a “fight-or-flight” reaction, which is a natural way to protect ourselves. However, for individuals with PTSD, this response can become stuck, leading to persistent and debilitating symptoms.

These symptoms can include intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the traumatic event. It’s important to recognize that PTSD is a serious condition that requires diagnosis, professional treatment and support.

The History of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

The understanding of post traumatic stress disorder has evolved significantly over time. During the American Civil War, soldiers who exhibited PTSD symptoms were often diagnosed with “soldier’s heart,” a term that reflected the belief that their symptoms were related to heart problems. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the American Psychiatric Association formally recognized PTSD as a mental health disorder, adding it to the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III). This recognition marked a significant step forward in understanding and treating PTSD, acknowledging it as a complex condition that can affect anyone who has experienced a traumatic event, not just combat veterans. Today, our understanding of PTSD continues to grow, helping us provide better support and treatment to manage ptsd symptoms.

The Impact of Traumatic Events on Mental Health

Traumatic events can have a profound impact on an individual’s mental health, leading to a range of symptoms and disorders. While PTSD is one of the most well-known outcomes, it’s important to understand that trauma can manifest in various ways, affecting each person differently.

Types of Traumatic Events

Traumatic events can take many forms, and it’s essential to recognize the wide range of experiences that can lead to trauma. Some common types of traumatic events include:

• Physical or sexual assault

• Combat or war

• Natural disasters, such as hurricanes or earthquakes

• Domestic or sexual abuse

• Sexual assault

• Witnessing a traumatic event, such as a car accident or violent crime

• Experiencing a life-threatening illness or injury

A traumatic experience can trigger intense emotions, including fear, anxiety, and helplessness. For some individuals, these emotions can become stuck, leading to the development of PTSD symptoms. It’s important to understand that anyone can develop PTSD, regardless of their background or circumstances.

However, certain risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing PTSD, such as a history of mental illness or anxiety disorders, previous trauma or abuse, a lack of social support, and exposure to multiple traumatic events.

By understanding the impact of trauma on mental health, we can better support individuals who have a ptsd history. This includes helping them manage their symptoms, develop effective coping strategies, and seek professional treatment when needed. Recognizing the signs of PTSD and other trauma-related disorders is the first step in providing the necessary support and care for those affected.

Here is my general timeline for how long trauma therapy takes:

Factors that impact how long trauma therapy takes

Your unique needs play a huge role in how long it takes to get relief in trauma therapy. As a LGBTQ trauma therapist in Denver, CO I will cover the most common factors I see affect the length of PTSD therapy and trauma therapy. As always, the honest answer is, it depends. But I’m trying to not be completely annoying, so here goes.

How long does trauma therapy take? That depends on…

Severity of post traumatic stress disorder symptoms

Severity of trauma symptoms range from mild to severe. The severity of trauma symptoms matters in terms of how long it will take to complete trauma therapy. For severe symptoms, treatment may include medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) alongside therapy.

Working with a trauma therapist will help you understand if your symptoms are mild, severe, or somewhere in the middle. My job as a trauma therapist in Littleton, CO is to assess your symptoms of trauma by listening to you.

• If your trauma symptoms are mild, trauma therapy may be shorter. With the support of a trauma therapist, you may be able to regulate and build skills faster.

• If your trauma symptoms are more severe, trauma therapy may take longer. You will need time to regulate and then build skills to manage symptoms.

Here are some common symptoms of PTSD and trauma that I see as a LGBTQ trauma therapist in Denver, CO:

• Anger 🤬

• Intrusive thoughts 💭

• Anxiety 😰

• Difficulty concentrating ⌛

• Insomnia 💤

• Fear/easily startled 😣

• PTSD Flashbacks ❤️‍🩹

• Guilt 😓

How long does trauma therapy take? That depends on…

Coping skills for managing PTSD

Are you doom scrolling your days away? 🤳🏽

Do you go on those “stupid little mental health walks” from time to time? 🚶🏽‍♀️‍➡️

Are you eating meals regularly? 🍕

Have you showered in the past 72 hours? 🚿

How you cope with trauma matters. Many of my clients in Littleton, CO come to me with amazing coping skills. When I say amazing, I mean they are experiencing ptsd and using coping skills that keep them alive. They are amazing because they are helping you survive symptoms of trauma. But, just because a coping skill is working, doesn't mean it will forever. Or that it's actually good for you 😶

Developing new coping skills in trauma therapy is clutch. In fact, adding even ONE new effective coping skill to your arsenal can lead to major relief, fast. I want to help you improve your daily life, quickly.

If you are concerned about how long trauma therapy takes because you need immediate relief, building coping skills in therapy is a great way to do it. In fact, building more useful coping skills in trauma therapy may be the only thing you want to work on in trauma therapy. Cool.

That means your work in trauma therapy will be short-term, at least for now. Not everyone want to do in-depth work around traumatic experiences. If you decide later on that you want to go deeper, that's cool too.

You are in charge of the pace. You decide what you need. You decide what coping skills are good for you💝

If a therapist is adamant that you MUST do x,y, or z in trauma therapy. That's a red flag 🚩

How long does trauma therapy take? That depends on…

Commitment to therapy

It’s reasonable to feel uncertain around talking to a literal stranger about trauma. Most people feel this way.

Which is why we will build a relationship first. 🤝

For some of my clients, they arrive at therapy overflowing. Meaning, they have been holding in their stories for so long, that they are fully prepared to share it all 🥀

For other trauma clients, they arrive skeptical. They tell me that they have been in therapy before and it did not help. Or worse, the therapist they had pushed them too hard, too fast and completely overwhelmed them and they stopped therapy 🙅🏽‍♂️

How long does trauma therapy take? That depends on…

Life events and traumatic events

Expected and unexpected life events can also impact how long trauma therapy takes. Life happens. You enter a new relationship (yay!), you quit your job (TBD), your ferret dies (I’m so sorry).

Acknowledging and addressing life events happens. It has to. Sometimes that means that the trauma therapy work is put on pause. It’s ok.

It's common for people with a PTSD history to have co occurring conditions or mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. We need to address what's showing up for you. Substance use getting in the way? Let's talk about it. Too much life stress? Too much physical pain? Too many nightmares? Wherever you want to start is okay with me.

There is no such thing as wasted time in therapy. Well, unless your therapist sucks or your lying to them (no judgement), then you could be wasting your time.

How long does trauma therapy take? That depends on…

Support systems for PTSD recovery

You need people.

Having a strong systems of friends, family, and/or community will have a positive impact. Having a support system makes it easier to heal and grow. You have people to practice what you're learning with! Having people that you love and trust will help you feel supported and reduce stress. It can also help shorten the length of treatment, but, as always, it really depends.

Final thoughts on how long trauma therapy takes

How long therapy takes for PTSD and trauma depends on a million factors.

It’s impossible for me to assign an exact number of sessions to your healing.

In an effort to not be totally annoying and only say “it depends,” I created this general timeline for how long treatment might take:

A trauma therapist will support you in coming up with a custom timeline for trauma therapy based on you. How long trauma therapy takes will largely depend on your therapeutic goals, needs, and the severity of your trauma symptoms.

Ready to start trauma therapy? I'm here for you.

Not quite ready for a full course of trauma therapy or PTSD treatment?

That’s ok. I’m here when you’re ready. 🩷

In the meantime, you might have a specific symptom you want to target (cue RELIEF!). We can work together short term, get you immediate relief, and we might even set the foundation for more in-depth trauma therapy in the future. When you're ready.

You don't have to do it all at once. You don't have to do it alone. People recover with PTSD treatment.

You got this! Reach out today to get started.