Efficacy of Treatment for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Trauma

Why Traditional Therapy Alone May Not Be Enough to Heal Complex Trauma

Glyndora Condon, LPC, CTMH, CCTP, CEMDRIA, CISTI, CIMHP, CBS-M, CHP, CPT, ACS

Licensed Professional Counselor and Nationally Accredited Clinical Supervisor

Heal and Hope Counseling Services, LLC

For decades, professionals across the mental, emotional, relational, and behavioral health fields have dedicated themselves to treating individuals suffering from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD) and multiple traumatic experiences. Many of us believed that our traditional therapeutic modalities—grounded in psychoeducation, boundary work, and cognitive restructuring—were sufficient to facilitate healing. These approaches often included teaching clients about emotional, physical, and social boundaries, how these boundaries were violated throughout their lifespan (often beginning in early childhood), and how to identify and correct distorted thinking patterns. Additional training in areas such as moral injury further enhanced our ability to support clients through deeply rooted wounds.

However, despite these well-intentioned efforts, many clinicians remain under-equipped to address the full complexity of trauma. Traditional therapies tend to focus primarily on cognitive processes, yet trauma is stored not only in thought patterns but within the body and deeper emotional systems. Many practitioners remain unaware of the necessity to incorporate modalities that address the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, as well as the interplay between the neocortex, limbic system, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Without these advanced tools, treatment can only go so far.

Clients frequently express this disconnect:

“I know my thoughts are irrational and I’m not actually in danger, but when something triggers me, I feel like I’m screaming inside, wanting to run or hide—even though I’m safe.”

In these moments, the neocortex is fully aware of present-day reality, but the body and limbic system are reacting as if the original trauma is happening again. This fight, flight, or freeze response persists because the trauma has not been resolved at the physiological and emotional levels. Without training in modalities such as EMDR, Brainspotting, IFS/Parts Work, somatic processing, or clinical hypnosis, many counselors lack the tools required to access and reorganize the stored trauma within these deeper systems.

For treatment to be truly effective, it must address both the neocortex and the limbic system. When therapies such as EMDR, Brainspotting, DBT, Moral Injury work, IFS, and—when appropriate—hypnosis are incorporated, clients begin to experience meaningful change. Over time, triggers may still arise, but clients learn to remain grounded in the present without being overwhelmed by automatic survival responses. They no longer feel trapped in the past, and the emotional charge linked to traumatic memories diminishes significantly.

Because trauma work is highly specialized, it is essential for individuals seeking treatment to research their counselor’s credentials and training. Ensure they are equipped with the most current and effective trauma-focused modalities available today. If you have a strong rapport with your current counselor, encourage them to pursue additional trauma training. Alternatively, you may choose to work with a trauma-informed specialist for that aspect of your care while continuing other therapeutic work with your primary counselor.

You matter.

You deserve care that honors the complexity of your experience and utilizes the most effective treatments available. Trauma can be healed—but it requires the right tools and a professional trained to use them.