PTSD
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress is a psychological reaction to severe stress or physical threat. The emotional scars that result can cause anxiety and depression, hypervigilance, and thoughts of suicide. Fear and anxiety with no danger present may affect the sufferer’s entire post-trauma life.
Trauma therapy with an experienced therapist can help.
Of the 3.5% of the population that experience PTSD at some point in their life, almost 40% will be classified as having severe PTSD.
PTSD symptoms may present themselves as:
- Avoidance – staying away from specific areas, sights, and situations that remind you of the event
- Re-experiencing – flashbacks and nightmares about the event
- Hyper arousal – anger, aggression, irritability, and self-harm
- Negative cognition – changing habits and behaviors after the event, difficulty remembering the event, and loss of enjoying activities that once brought you joy
Trauma Therapy
Unresolved trauma is the most common reason that someone seeks therapy or counseling. An experienced therapist can help you make sense of your experiences and feelings. I can help treat your PTSD and develop safe, long term coping skills. These therapeutic strategies can bring relief:
- Reducing your symptoms through:
- Improved emotional regulation,
- Increased distress tolerance,
- Cognitive reconstruction,
- Behavioral changes.
- Reviewing traumatic memories through flooding or desensitization in a safe and supportive clinical setting. This reprocesses the event and builds up tolerance.
- Applying new skills and adaptive understanding to move on from their trauma experience. This may involve setting up a support system and an ongoing care plan.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is hard to live with, but it is treatable. You can live your life without fear and anxiety again.
