Post-Induction Therapy is a therapeutic modality developed by Pia Mellody in the 1970s. Specifically, Post-Induction Therapy treats the effects of childhood trauma and the resulting developmental immaturity and codependency. Therefore, Post-Induction Therapy can help adolescents heal the underlying trauma at the root of teen substance use disorders.
Post-Induction Therapy is an eclectic trauma therapy approach that employs both individual and group therapy techniques. In order to provide the trauma therapist with a more diverse set of tools, Mellody extrapolated from an array of psychoanalytic modalities. As a result, Post-Induction Therapy integrates elements of Gestalt Therapy, Family Systems Theory, Person-Centered Humanistic Therapy, and others.
Moreover, Mellody developed Post-Induction Therapy to address not only the needs of her clients, but also her own needs. As a survivor of childhood trauma, she found that conventional treatment strategies did not adequately meet the challenges presented in trauma therapy. Therefore, her goal was to help trauma survivors stop reliving traumatic experiences from their childhood, and experience long-term freedom from such trauma.
With the rise in trauma therapy in the 21st century, Post-Induction Therapy has become a prominent treatment approach for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. By addressing the underlying childhood trauma, the trauma therapist can help clients uncover root causes. Through a debriefing, a client works toward reversing the impact of past trauma.
Sources: The Healing Trauma Network, Healio Psychiatric Annals, US National Library of Medicine (National Institutes of Health)