Who You Were Before Trauma: The Healing Power of Imagination for Trauma Survivors

Summary

A key objective of treatment for complex PTSD is to confront the traumatic experience. But survivors still reeling from trauma can find this confrontation traumatic. Thirty years of pioneering work with trauma patients made leading German psychotherapist Luise Reddemann realize: It's immensely beneficial to rebuild survivors' sense of self before trauma confrontation.

Reddemann incorporates imagination work at every stage of the three-phase treatment model supported by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies—before, during, and after confrontation. First, the patient reimagines their past self, tapping into forgotten sources of strength. Then, they create a mental cache of personal, positive images for warding off flashbacks and negative thinking. Ultimately, they build an "internal counterweight" to their trauma—a new identity equipped with self-compassion.

Reddemann's approach avoids the counterproductive dynamic where the therapist becomes the patient's only source of comfort. This definitive resource for therapists and patients empowers trauma survivors to be the coauthors of their own recovery narrative.