Why Trauma Therapy Sometimes Makes Symptoms Worse (And How We Prevent That)
Introduction
For some people, trauma therapy brings relief. For others, symptoms intensify—more anxiety, dissociation, panic, or emotional flooding. This is not a failure of the client. It is often a sign that dissociation was not adequately assessed first.
The Risk of Skipping Assessment
Research and clinical guidelines consistently show that trauma treatment must be matched to the nervous system’s capacity. When dissociation is present and unrecognized:
Trauma processing can overwhelm internal protective systems
Symptoms may escalate instead of resolve
Clients may disengage from therapy altogether
This is especially important with EMDR and other memory-based approaches.
Why Stabilization Comes First
Effective trauma treatment follows three overlapping phases:
Safety and stabilization
Trauma memory processing
Integration and reconnection
Without adequate stabilization, trauma work can unintentionally activate dissociative responses rather than heal them.
How CARE Counseling, Inc. Prevents Harm
We emphasize:
Careful assessment before trauma processing
Education about dissociation and nervous system responses
Pacing that respects protective parts of the self
Ongoing monitoring of safety and functioning
Safe pacing
This allows trauma therapy to be effective rather than retraumatizing.
Serving clients in Naperville, Plainfield, and surrounding suburbs (including Aurora, Oswego, Bolingbrook, Lisle, Wheaton, and Downers Grove) with in-person and telehealth therapy across Illinois.
