In her book “Come Passion, The Soulful ART of Healing Trauma,” Colleen Clark, RCSW, highlights the importance of delivering Psychoeducation to clients alongside ART sessions. Psychoeducation in trauma therapy involves explaining the client’s mental diagnosis and treatment choices to both the client and their family, helping them understand and cope with the illness by providing useful information and raising awareness.
When therapists and clients use trauma-informed Psychoeducation as part of their treatment plan, it can serve as a helpful map of where to go. In trauma therapy, Psychoeducation helps you recognize commonalities, makes you feel less alone, and reduces the shame you may feel around your trauma symptoms. You become more comfortable discussing your treatment with people in your life.
What are the benefits of Psychoeducation?
In the lens of trauma therapy, psychoeducation equips you with language, knowledge, and skills to discuss your experience with yourself and the people in your life. It also:
Helps you understand your journey: Knowledge is power. Understanding the “whats” and “whys” of trauma treatment increases your adherence to the process. You can see the roadmap and where you’re going.
Reduces shame: When there is an explanation behind your feelings and actions, you feel less judgment toward yourself. You understand that what happened to you is not your fault. What you’re experiencing is often a common and shared response to trauma among other survivors.
Increases hope: When you comprehend that trauma treatment will change your brain and make room for healing, you’re filled with a new-found sense of hope. Colleen states that