Episode 439: How We Heal Ourselves: Narrative Exposure Therapy And Help For Victims Of Crime

We have talked about EMDR on the show previously as a treatment for trauma. This week, Vanessa Pezo joins me to discuss how EMDR can be used for the treatment of other types of distress like performance anxiety or even common fears, like the fear of flying. We also discuss narrative exposure therapy, creativity as a tool for healing, and the complexity of trauma therapy for crime victims.  

Vanessa Pezo, LCSW (she/her) is a licensed therapist and trauma specialist based in Long Beach, CA. In her private practice, Vanessa specializes in serving diverse survivors of complex trauma using EMDR, cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative exposure therapy, and somatic techniques to help survivors of trauma find healing and recovery. 

We talk about:

• How EMDR can help with the treatment of other types of distress. (5:59)
• Narrative exposure therapy (NET): what it is and how it helps. (15:25)
• NET often uses writing as a way to reflect on past experiences. Vanessa speaks about using creativity as a tool for healing. (19:31)
• On Vanessa’s website she writes “After a trauma, we can sometimes fall into unhelpful patterns of thinking that change the way we view ourselves, others, and the world.” She explains what she means by that. (25:01)
• One modality isn’t going to work for everyone. (31:47)
• Trauma therapy for crime victims: navigating trauma while also navigating the criminal justice system can be a complex and long journey. (32:53)

http://andreaowen.com/439