Trauma Counseling

Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Many of us, have experienced some form of trauma in our life whether it be from a car wreck, the sudden death of a loved one, abuse or neglect, natural disaster, victims of terror and violence, or exposure to war. Trauma can be prolonged such as in abusive adult relationships or physical, sexual and emotional abuse in childhood. Even though many people have experienced the effects of trauma, there are few safe places to talk or share the after affects.

It may be difficult to know when an event or experience has had a traumatizing affect. Trauma is any experience in which a person feels their own life or the life of another has been threatened physically, emotionally or psychologically. The fear is a loss of life or witnessing the loss of the life of another person.

So even if you have just witnessed a car wreck where someone was injured, killed or could have been killed- this event would likely be experienced as trauma to your brain.

Signs & Symptoms

  • Severe Anxiety
  • Agitation/Irritable mood
  • Difficulty Sleeping
  • Nightmares
  • Flashbacks
  • Feeling Guilty
  • Hypervigilance
  • Self-Destructive Behavior
  • Loneliness
  • Loss of interest in usual activities
  • Distrust of others
  • Excessive Fear
  • Social Isolation
  • Hostility

What PTSD feels like?

When this happens, you may find your mind will replay the memories and images of the incident over in our minds as a means of processing and creating meaning out of the event. For a small period of time usually days or weeks, we may experience emotional distress with an increased in anxiety, worry and flashbacks. All of this is a normal reaction to trauma and is the minds natural way of healing. With time, the memories and images will lose the emotional impact they once had and we will slowly return to our normal functioning where thoughts of the event no longer cause emotional distress.

Depending on the severity of the traumatic event, some people recover with time and through the support of family and friends, bouncing back with great resiliency, but for others, the effects of trauma are lasting, causing a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or post-traumatic stress far after the event has passed. In this case, a person may become stuck in the traumatic and develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

How Trauma Therapy can help?

Psychotherapy is the most effective form of treatment for trauma. The types of therapy most effective with trauma sufferers are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Our therapist are able to work with both clients who have experience traumatic experiences using by helping clients using both of these modalities.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) enables trauma sufferers to connect thoughts, feelings and reactions so that they can be more aware of their experience and feel more in control. This awareness helps to integrate their physical and emotional experience thus reducing many of the symptoms and making sense of the traumatic experience.

Another leading therapy for trauma is EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.