Trauma Treatment in Arlington, Virginia

Trauma treatment can be an important factor in the development and continuation of mental health and substance use disorders. The psychological and sometimes physical effects of untreated trauma can lead some people to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs. At Encore Outpatient Services, we believe that Identifying and treating trauma as an underlying cause of addiction and mental health disorders is a fundamental part of successful addiction treatment.

People interpret events differently. While one event, such as an altercation, motor vehicle accident, or medical emergency, may not result in lasting trauma for some, others may be permanently negatively affected. Negative life experiences do not need to be severe in order to create trauma, nor do they need to be a single episode. Long-term exposure to negativity can also contribute to the development of trauma for some people.

Many with substance abuse disorders use alcohol and/or drugs to help alleviate symptoms of trauma that may include anxiety, guilt, shame, fear, insomnia, depression, and inability to concentrate, among others. Avoiding trauma treatment may lead to a more severe cycle of addiction and other harmful behaviors. Addressing trauma is a process that takes place overtime with a professional clinician who is experienced in trauma treatment. Additionally, developing an open and trusting rapport between clients and clinicians can make it easier to identify underlying trauma, learn if the causes of trauma are in the past or ongoing, and find ways to effectively treat its effects.

Encore Outpatient Services

Encore Outpatient Services emphasizes the importance of addressing trauma and offers specialized trauma treatments such as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), breath work, psychodrama, art therapy, movement therapies, dialectical behavior therapy skills, and body work. Encore’s integration of trauma treatment and utilization of a range of therapies offers clients more ways to address, appropriately process, and heal from traumatic experiences.