What Therapy is Best for Trauma?

2 July

Some people know exactly what event changed them. Others can’t quite name it, but feel a kind of invisible heaviness, self-doubt, or a sense that they’ve lost touch with who they really are.

Trauma can look different for everyone.

For some, it’s the very painful and sharp imprint of a single event or series of high-impact events (what’s often labelled as PTSD). For others, it is complex trauma that comes from long-term emotional neglect, relational wounds, or ongoing situations that left no room for safety or voice. And then there’s the trauma that doesn’t fit neatly into categories: accumulative, and deeply personal.

Whatever form it takes, your nervous system remembers. And your body does its best to keep you safe, even if that safety now feels like shutdown, tension, or avoidance.

The truth is, the best therapy for trauma is the one that meets you where you are. Let’s explore three therapy approaches that do just that.

1. Internal Family Systems (IFS): Gentle healing from the inside out, one part at a time

IFS is a deeply compassionate, non-pathologising approach to trauma.

Instead of asking “What’s wrong with me?” it asks “Which part of me is hurting, and what does it need?”

This is effective because trauma often creates protective parts that do all they can to make sure that you never experience the same hurt again.

These might look like:

The inner critic that keeps you “in line”
The perfectionist who never lets you rest
The avoider who shuts down or disconnects

IFS helps you meet these parts without shame. It guides you to listen with compassion and care, not override. And over time, something remarkable happens: your parts begin to trust the real you. Your system softens. And healing becomes possible - not by force, but by relationship with your parts.

2. Narrative Therapy: Rewriting the story you didn’t choose

Trauma doesn’t just hurt the body or mind; it distorts the story we carry about who we are.

Narrative therapy honours your lived experience while also helping you re-author your life. That might sound abstract, but it’s actually quite grounded.

In practice, it means:

Separating your identity from the trauma (“I am not broken”)
Naming the skills and values you’ve drawn on to survive
Resisting shame-based narratives inherited from family or culture

It’s not about pretending it didn’t happen. It’s about finding language that liberates rather than defines you.

3. Trauma-Informed CBT: Gentle structure for tender minds

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) often gets a bad rap in trauma spaces. And to be fair, traditional CBT can feel overly focused on “fixing thoughts” without enough care for the nervous system underneath.

But trauma-informed CBT is different.

It’s not about forcing yourself to “think positive” or rationalise your pain. Instead, it offers gentle structure and emotional safety for people who feel lost in spirals of self-blame, shame, or catastrophic thinking.

When practised in a trauma-informed way, CBT can help you:

Recognise when unhelpful thoughts are linked to past experiences
Bring curiosity, not criticism, to your inner dialogue
Practise nervous-system-friendly strategies to manage overwhelm

Think of it less as a cognitive “toolbox” and more as a grounding practice. When paired with attuned therapy and a deep respect for your trauma history, CBT can become a bridge between insight and self-compassion.

Trauma-Informed Therapy: Safety first, always

Trauma-informed therapy isn’t a modality, it’s a way of being with clients. At A New Chapter, it means:

You’ll never be pushed to tell your story before you’re ready
Your nervous system is respected, not overridden
Sessions are led by consent, curiosity, and care

So... what’s “best” therapy for trauma?

It depends on you.

Do you feel fragmented, like different parts of you are in conflict? → IFS might be a beautiful fit.
Do you want to reclaim your sense of identity and meaning? → Narrative therapy can be powerful.
Do you simply want to feel safe and not retraumatised in the process? → A trauma-informed therapist is essential.

You don’t have to figure it all out right now. Most people try a few approaches before finding what resonates.

About the Author

Corene Crossin is an Australian registered psychotherapist and IFS practitioner based in Brisbane, offering online Internal Family Systems therapy to clients across Australia and internationally. She works with thoughtful adults who are ready to explore longstanding patterns around relationships, attachment, self-sabotage, body image, and inner criticism.

Her approach is trauma-informed, collaborative, and rooted in compassion. She believes that lasting change becomes possible when you feel safe enough to be fully seen, including by yourself.

Ready to begin your own inner work?

Download the free IFS Parts Mapping Guide to start exploring your parts, or book a free 20-minute connection call to discuss how IFS therapy might support you.