PTSD

Have you experienced a traumatic event? Are you suffering from lingering fear and anxiety? Do you feel like you no longer have any control over how you think, feel, and behave?

Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder - also known as PTSD - is a mental health challenge that may occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, war, a serious accident, rape, assault, even a global pandemic. Also, while not widely understood yet, racism, transphobia and other forms of oppression can cause symptoms of PTSD. 

It is believed that PTSD affects nearly four percent of the U.S. adult population. While it is usually linked with veterans who’ve experienced combat, PTSD occurs in all people regardless of age, race, nationality, or culture. 

What are the Symptoms of PTSD?

People with PTSD often experience intense thoughts and feelings related to their traumatic experiences which can last long after the initial event. Many people with PTSD also relive the event through flashbacks and nightmares.

People with PTSD often feel intense emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, and detachment from friends, family, and community members. They often avoid people and situations that remind them of the traumatic event. Ordinary sounds or incidents such as a door banging or accidental touch in a crowd may cause a strong and uncontrollable reaction.

How Can Treatment Help?

There are a variety of treatments that can be used to treat PTSD. However, there are three specific techniques that I employ which consistently gain research-based evidence of their effectiveness in successfully treating PTSD.

• Internal Family Systems (IFS) – IFS is sometimes referred to as "parts" work and was developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz, a leader in the field of trauma care. IFS helps you connect with various aspects or "parts" of your personality and inner world. By making deeper connections on the inside, we can understand ourselves better, unburden from past pain and create space for more joy, confidence and freedom back into our lives. 
• Polyvagal Therapy – This modality focuses on how trauma manifests itself in the body. One example is feeling a tightness in our chest or knots in our stomach when certain thoughts or memories surface. Polyvagal theory assists you in becoming aware of body sensations and finding ways to regain comfort and safety in your body. There are many exercises that you may wish to explore to regain this type of peace inside your body.
• Mindfulness – Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of the present moment without judgment, pressure, or agenda. It is simply noticing. When we can be Mindful, we can fully live in a moment without worrying about the past or getting anxious about the future. PTSD can tend to freeze us in the past and leave us frightened about our future. Leaning ways to increase mindfulness will assist your ease with living "right now".

If you or a loved one suffer from PTSD and would like to explore treatment options, please reach out to me. I have personally seen amazing transformation through therapy and want to offer the help you need to enjoy life again.