Effects of Trauma on the Brain, Treatment, and Techniques
- Compass Counseling Administrator
- Jul 31, 2025
- 5 min read
By Ashley Robinson, MA
Have you ever been in a scary, anxiety-provoking, or uncomfortable situation and you feel like you can’t move, you want to run out of the room, or fight for your life? Your sympathetic nervous system senses danger and turns on the switch for survival mode. Your heart rate elevates, your blood pressure raises, and you can feel sweat on your skin (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). You may have heard of the fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response. It is used as a way to describe reactions to real or perceived danger. When you experience a trauma, neurological changes can impact brain function.
Physiological changes are an automatic response to trauma. Chronic stress results in increased levels of norepinephrine, stimulating arousal and alertness in the body (Bremner 2006). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is linked to decreased serotonin levels, decreased GABA, and increased glutamate (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). Decreased serotonin is associated with hypervigilance or feeling on edge, the startle response, and impulsivity (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). Decreased GABA activity causes the anti-anxiety effect to be inhibited. Increased glutamate causes dissociation and derealization (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011).
Changes in the brain are found to occur in individuals with PTSD. PTSD is found to be correlated with reduced volume of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). Damage to the hippocampus can lead to memory deficits (Bremner 2006). Furthermore, changes in the hippocampus impact learning and discriminating between safe and unsafe stimuli (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). Decreased volume in the prefrontal cortex causes impairments in executive functioning (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). According to Laricchiuta et al. (2023), over 4% of the population who has directly experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, develops a trauma-related disorder.
What is the difference between responding to trauma and clinical PTSD? Reactions to trauma may include flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, irritability, impulsivity, anger, hyperarousal, insomnia, avoidance, depression, derealization, dissociation, confusion, and withdrawal (Sherin & Nemeroff 2011). Diagnostic criteria for PTSD includes exposure to a traumatic event, distressing memories and nightmares, avoidance of thoughts, memories, feelings, and triggers, memory and cognition changes, feelings of detachment, persistent negative emotions, lack of engagement, and anhedonia (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2013). Additional symptoms include irritability, anger, reckless behavior, hypervigilance, exaggerated startled response, impaired concentration, sleep issues, and dissociation (APA 2013). These symptoms continue for longer than 1 month and impair daily functioning (Sherin & Neremoff 2011).
A fascinating fact about the brain is that it has the ability to regenerate neurons and form new neural connections (Bremner 2006). In addition, the volume of grey matter in the brain was found to change with EMDR treatment (Gainer et al. 2020). There is hope for healing and steps you can take to better manage your symptoms following a traumatic event.
Below are a few evidence-based approaches for the treatment of trauma and PTSD. Included in this resource are also 5 somatic coping strategies to calm any physical symptoms you may be experiencing.
Types of treatment for trauma and PTSD:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a trauma-focusing therapy in which clients are guided to recall unpleasant and triggering memories for a few seconds (Gainer et al. 2020). Clients are asked to rate their emotions and experience and then asked to recall memories for a longer period of time while engaging in rapid eye movements (Gainer et al. 2020). In a study with 47 participants with PTSD treated with EMDR, 40% no longer met the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD (Gainer et al. 2020).
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
ART is a trauma therapy that integrates a fixed number of rapid eye movements and a technique called Voluntary Image Replacement (VIR) (Kip et al. 2012). The purpose of incorporating eye movement is to reduce physiological distress (Kip et al. 2012). VIR is used to replace negative images with positive ones, without changing the narrative (Kip et al. 2012).
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT is a treatment approach that is cognitive based to challenge trauma-related beliefs that developed about the traumatic experience and thoughts about self, others, and the world (Shnaider et al. 2021). CPT has shown to be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and improving emotion regulation (Shnaider et al. 2021).
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Prolonged Exposure is another cognitive-behavioral based intervention. Hoeboer et al. (2024) explains the process of PE involves imaginal exposure and in vivo exposure. This means that clients are safely and gradually exposed to real and imagined anxiety-provoking situations. This treatment helps to reduce fears and learn ways to cope with trauma-related stressors (Hoeboer et al. 2024).
Below are 5 somatic ways to reduce physical symptoms of PTSD:
1. Bilateral Stimulation
Bilateral stimulation is a technique used to stimulate both sides of the brain. It can be demonstrated with alternating tapping, following an object back and forth, or listening to alternating sounds in each ear. This coping strategy signals to the body that it is time to rest and relax, helps to create neural pathways between both hemispheres of the brain, and increases the “happy chemicals”, serotonin and dopamine (Bay Area CBT Center 2024).
2. The Dive Reflex
To stimulate the dive reflex, submerge your face in cold water for 30 seconds. This strategy reduces your heart rate and increases oxygen to the brain and heart, producing a calming effect (Ochsner Health 2024).
3. Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing each muscle group for about 10 seconds
and releasing. This helps to reduce stress and muscle tension throughout the body.
4. Grounding Techniques
Grounding techniques can be practiced anywhere by simply engaging your senses. Examples of grounding techniques are smelling lavender, listening to the sound of ocean waves, watching a bunny hop around, petting a cat or dog, or tasting a delicious coffee. Grounding techniques help to bring awareness back to the present moment rather than the worries of the future.
5. Stimulate the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body and is a part of the parasympathetic nervous system. Stimulating the vagus nerve helps to calm your nervous system (Laderer 2024). Ways to practice this are deep, belly breathing, gargling water, laughter, humming, singing, exercise, massage, and more.
For access to counseling services or if you would like more information, please reach out to contact@compasscaa.com.
References
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