Trauma Relaxation Therapy
For many people in recovery, addiction and unresolved trauma are deeply connected. Consequently, healing one without addressing the other rarely lasts.
That’s why Sobrius Holistic Recovery offers Trauma Relaxation Therapy, a gentle body-based approach that helps clients release stored tension and emotional pain so that recovery can take root on every level: mind, body, and spirit.
“It was a weird tingling sensation feeling at first. But then it started changing me. It helped me let go of some of the things that kept me stuck in the past.”
What Is Trauma Relaxation Therapy?
Trauma Relaxation Therapy is a holistic modality that combines guided relaxation, breathwork, and gentle body awareness to help release trauma that’s held in the nervous system. Unlike traditional talk therapy, it doesn’t require a client to verbally relive painful memories in detail. Instead, it works with the body directly, since trauma is often stored physically long after the memory itself has faded.
During a session, a trained therapist guides the client into a deeply relaxed state, similar to a meditative or hypnotic state, where the body can safely process and release built-up tension. Many clients, like James above, describe a physical sensation as that release happens, followed by a noticeable sense of relief and clarity.
Why It Matters in Addiction Recovery
Unresolved trauma is one of the most common underlying drivers of substance use. Therefore, when trauma goes unaddressed, it often resurfaces as a relapse trigger long after detox and residential treatment have ended. By directly targeting stored trauma, Trauma Relaxation Therapy helps reduce one of the root causes of addiction, rather than only treating its symptoms.
How It Fits Into Your Recovery at Sobrius
Trauma Relaxation Therapy isn’t a stand-alone treatment. Rather, it’s one part of a coordinated, holistic care plan that works alongside the other therapies and programs offered at Sobrius. These include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – to reframe the thought patterns that trauma and addiction reinforce
- Group Therapy – to build the community and peer support that sustains long-term recovery
- Relapse Prevention – to build practical coping tools for the triggers trauma can leave behind
- Holistic Therapy – the broader mind-body framework Trauma Relaxation Therapy is part of
- Motivational Interviewing – to strengthen personal motivation throughout treatment
Because every client’s history is different, our clinical team determines together with each client whether, and how often, Trauma Relaxation Therapy should be included in their individualized treatment plan.
Who Benefits Most
Trauma Relaxation Therapy is especially helpful for clients who:
- Have experienced a specific traumatic event (abuse, an accident, combat, loss) that appears connected to their substance use
- Feel stuck, physically tense, or “on edge” even when nothing is actively going wrong
- Have found traditional talk therapy alone difficult, overwhelming, or incomplete
- Want a complementary, body-based approach alongside their clinical treatment
- Are motivated to explore holistic paths to healing, not just symptom management
No prior diagnosis of PTSD or a formal trauma disorder is required to benefit. Furthermore, many clients simply know they’re carrying something they haven’t been able to put down.
Available at All Three Sobrius Locations
Trauma Relaxation Therapy is offered at every Sobrius Holistic Recovery location across Virginia, so clients can access it no matter which campus they attend:
Galax, VA — 506 Cliffview Road, Galax, VA 24333
Bassett, VA — 9850 Virginia Ave, Bassett, VA 24055
Lynchburg, VA — 20715 Timberlake Rd, Lynchburg, VA 24502
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens during a Trauma Relaxation Therapy session?
A trained therapist guides you into a deeply relaxed state using breathwork and gentle body awareness, giving your nervous system a safe space to release stored tension. Sessions are calm, private, and paced entirely around your comfort.
How is this different from EMDR?
EMDR uses guided eye movements to help reprocess specific traumatic memories, while Trauma Relaxation Therapy focuses on releasing trauma held in the body through relaxation and breathwork, without needing to revisit the memory in detail. Many clients benefit from one, the other, or both as part of a broader treatment plan.
Do I need a formal trauma diagnosis to try it?
No. You don’t need a PTSD diagnosis or any formal trauma-related diagnosis to benefit from this therapy. If you simply feel “stuck” or carry unresolved tension from your past, our clinical team can help determine whether this therapy is a good fit for you.
Is Trauma Relaxation Therapy covered by insurance?
Trauma Relaxation Therapy is included as part of your overall treatment plan at Sobrius. We accept Medicaid, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Sentara and private pay. Note that all insurance must be verified prior to acceptance. Contact our admissions team to verify your specific coverage.
How do I get started?
Simply reach out to our admissions team by phone or through our contact form. From there, we’ll walk you through insurance verification, program options, and next steps, so you can begin healing as soon as you’re ready.
Take the Next Step Toward Healing
You don’t have to keep carrying what happened to you. If trauma has been holding your recovery back, Trauma Relaxation Therapy at Sobrius Holistic Recovery can help you finally let it go.
Call us today at 1.888.596.6514 or contact us online to speak with our admissions team.