Trauma Model
The Trauma Model helps individuals and groups identify conflicts, unlearn specific distortions, develop self awareness, and regulate feelings related to trauma.
Cognitive Distortions
Survivors of childhood trauma are prone to cognitive distortions.
Their understanding of the world and people are based on the traumatic
experiences a long time ago, but then general rules are made instead
of looking at each new situation and judging it for itself.
They can become so used to thinking in certain ways that when
something new comes along, it is not seen as the event or person for itself,
but instead moved into automatic thought patterns. It is very hard to correct
cognitive distortions because “they seem true.” In reality, their thoughts
can be at least partially distorted, if not entirely inaccurate.
Cognitive distortions tend to “fan the flames” of survivors’
feelings, which then lead to more extreme behaviors. As survivors correct
their cognitive distortions, the intensity of feelings diminish and behavior
will become less extreme.
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